Texans CB Dunta Robinson saved one of his best hits of the year for Sunday's game against the Chicago
Bears.
The rookie sacked Bears QB Chad Hutchinson in the fourth quarter, exploding off the edge unblocked and running straight through the tackle. He stepped over the quarterback as LB Charlie Anderson scooped up the loose ball and ran 60 yards for the touchdown.
Hutchinson never saw it coming and Robinson alertly sprinted down the field to catch up with Anderson and escort him to the end zone for his first touchdown since high school.
Robinson has been regarded as one of the best tacklers on the defense for the entire season -- he had 63 stops entering the game -- but his sack of Hutchinson seems to have sealed his fate as one of the biggest celebrities in the locker room.
He also had an interception earlier in the game. If he didn't step out of bounds, he would have had a touchdown.
"Dunta's made big plays the whole year," LB Jamie Sharper said. "He's a guy that came in as a rookie and is making plays for us. That's what you want from the young guys."
Robinson leads the team with six interceptions -- one back from FS Marcus Coleman’s team record of seven in a season. The rookie joked when asked about breaking
his teammates mark, saying he's actually chasing Ravens DB Ed Reed for the league
lead of eight picks.
Entering the game he led the team and the NFL with 14 passes defensed.
He has his first three career sacks in the last two games, including two forced fumbles.
He was listed as a starter from the moment he was selected with the 10 th pick out of South Carolina. He has taken his lumps, but now plays both at the outside corner position and at the inside or "nickel" slot.
All at the tender age of 24.
A Rookie of the Year award now seems more like an inevitability. But Robinson and his teammates still shoot for something more even with just two games left in the season.
"Dunta Robinson needs to be in the Pro Bowl," the rookie said flashing a trademark smile. "What else can I do? Everybody out there vote for Dunta Robinson as one of the corners to go to the Pro Bowl. Hey, vote for me."
It seems he isn't a rookie when it comes to politics, either.
