Dameon Pierce authored one of the most enraged runs you'll ever see, bulldozing over Jacksonville Jaguar defenders like they were pawns on a chess board to set up the Houston Texans' game-winning score on Sunday.
After a quiet Week 1, Pierce has lived up to the preseason hype, leading all rookies with 412 rushing yards in 2022 (third most overall in NFL). Sunday, he earned 26 carries for 99 yards and the game-winning score and three catches for 14 yards. The 113 scrimmage yards were 46 percent of the Texans' offense in the win.
The chatter in Houston has already turned to Pierce's chances of being Offensive Rookie of the Year.
"It's a little early. He's a rookie and he's playing well," head coach Lovie Smith said Monday. "I haven't seen all of the rookies out there. I just know that our rookie, we've loved him from the start. It's not a bandwagon-type thing. We believed in this guy and what he can do. He's letting other people kind of see it a little bit. Again, for us to be talking that way, the offensive line and the guys that are blocking for him, they have to be doing their job. I just know after a quarter of football, we like where he is. Much more to go, but I like the way he's trending."
Pierce deserves mention for ORY, but he's got company in the likes of Breece Hall, Chris Olave, Drake London and others. As Loive noted, we're far too early for separation.
But if the Texans are to keep winning with this roster, Pierce will be a big reason why.
The running back is a broken tackle machine. He loves the spin move and batters his way through defenders like a demolition derby winner clearing out trashed clunkers.
Sunday's highlight run is one that should be played before every Texans game this season.
"We watched it a few times and some of the other plays too," Smith said of the Pierce run. "How can you not if you're a football fan, to just see one word, finish late in the game. I'm always excited too. We go to a lot of different places and some places just means a little bit more to guys than others. Playing his college ball, 70 miles from there, seems like most of his hometown was there watching him play. So for him to perform that way the first time he comes back to his home state is pretty neat."
Pretty neat and pretty nasty.
