Ravens exterior linebacker Justin Houston, in the midst of a historic pass-rushing stretch, was named AFC Defensive Participant of the Week on Wednesday.
Houston turned the primary participant in Ravens historical past with three straight multi-sack video games after he completed with 2 1/2 takedowns of New Orleans Saints quarterback Andy Dalton on Monday. He additionally added an interception within the 27-13 win.
Houston has 8 1/2 sacks in simply six video games this season, tied for second most within the NFL this season with the San Francisco 49ers’ Nick Bosa and Minnesota Vikings’ Za’Darius Smith. Solely the New England Patriots’ Matthew Judon, a former Raven like Smith, has extra (11 1/2).
Since coming back from a groin damage, Houston has 6 1/2 sacks over the previous three video games. In keeping with the NFL’s Subsequent Gen Stats, the 33-year-old is first within the NFL in strain charge (19.5%) and sack charge (6.4%).
“I really feel like Justin is having an awesome 12 months at this stage in his profession,” coach John Harbaugh stated Tuesday. “To me, it’s a credit score to him in so some ways, but it surely’s a credit score to him within the sense that he actually labored exhausting. One factor I realized, as you become old … it's a must to work that a lot more durable simply to remain the identical. Simply to have the ability to play, to remain wholesome and to have the ability to carry out. He did that; he actually put the work in.”
Houston’s the primary Raven to obtain the award since exterior linebacker Odafe Oweh was honored after Week 2 final season.
()