Sometimes a crush never goes away. When Briean Boddy-Calhoun was a member of the Minnesota Golden Gophers, I was a huge fan. I tried not to miss Gophers games when he was on the field. But, as with most college player crushes, the chance that any of them end up in Houston is minute. Possible, but minute. Well, possible came to fruition on Friday as Boddy-Calhoun agreed to a deal with the Texans.
Boddy-Calhoun had been a member of the Cleveland Browns the past three seasons and flourished in the nickel position for the Browns. Over three years, he registered 138 total tackles, a sack, 19 passes defensed and three interceptions. At 5-9, 193 lb., he's not going to line up on the outside, but inside, he can be a tough cover and this play is a great example of his cover skills, smarts and toughness against the Denver Broncos.
The Browns led the Broncos 17-16 late in the fourth quarter in the Mile High City. Quarterback Case Keenum and the Broncos faced 3rd-and-1 and targeted rookie Broncos receiver Daesean Hamilton in the right flat. The Broncos originally came out in a balanced two-by-two set.
Hamilton went in motion to create a 3x1 set to the right of the formation.
Boddy-Calhoun, in man coverage, followed Hamilton to the other side of the formation. Yep, a pick play.
Now, when I saw this play, I knew this was the one to draw up because, well, Philadelphia. In going back and reviewing the Texans 2018 season, the loss to the Eagles was one that I watched a dozen times. It was scintillating to watch Deshaun and DeAndre on that day, but it was equally frustrating to watch the Eagles have success on pick routes throughout the game. I can't tell you the number of pick routes the Eagles ran and how many times they had success in man coverage. Every conceivable pick route combination that the Eagles could run, they ran. And, it wasn't as if the Texans weren't prepared for it, they just ran into each other and the Eagles executed perfectly.
So, when I saw that the Broncos motioned Hamilton to the right side on 3rd-and-short, I flashed back to watching that game against the Eagles. I knew a pick route was coming and it was. I'm assuming Boddy-Calhoun knew too.
The two outside receivers took off up the field and by running those vertical routes, the Broncos hope was that the inside receiver/defensive back duo would "pick" off Boddy-Calhoun. That "pick" would allow Hamilton to make the catch, turn up the field to get the first down and get out of bounds.
But, Boddy-Calhoun masterfully avoided the contact.
In doing so, he created a straight line break on Hamilton to meet him at the catch point.
He then wrapped up the Broncos receiver for a tackle for a loss to keep the clock moving, well short of the first down, with a fourth down upcoming.
This is the type of play that the Texans need desperately from their inside cover guys. Since I first started studying Boddy-Calhoun back at Minnesota, I knew he could make plays and now it's time to make plays like this for the 2019 Texans defense.
Check out the best shots of new Texans cornerback Briean Boddy-Calhoun. (Photos via AP Images.)
Cleveland Browns cornerback Briean Boddy-Calhoun (20) celebrates during an NFL football game against the Carolina Panthers, Sunday, Dec. 9, 2018, in Cleveland. Cleveland won 26-20. (AP Photo/David Richard)
Cleveland Browns defensive back Briean Boddy-Calhoun (20) in action during a regular season Week 13 NFL football game between the Cleveland Browns and the Houston Texans in Houston on Sunday, Dec. 2, 2018. The Texans beat the Browns 29-13. (Matt Patterson via AP)
Cleveland Browns cornerback Briean Boddy-Calhoun (20) celebrates during an NFL football game against the New York Giants, Sunday, Nov. 27, 2016, in Cleveland. The Giants won 27-13. (AP Photo/David Richard)
Cleveland Browns strong safety Briean Boddy-Calhoun (20) celebrates in the second half of an NFL preseason football game against the New Orleans Saints, Thursday, Aug. 10, 2017, in Cleveland. The Browns won 20-14. (AP Photo/David Richard)
Cleveland Browns defensive back Briean Boddy-Calhoun (20) gestures to the croud during a regular season Week 7 NFL football game between the Tennessee Titans and the Cleveland Browns on Sunday October 22, 2017 in Cleveland. The Titians beat the Browns 12-9 in overtime (Matt Patterson via AP)
Cleveland Browns cornerback Briean Boddy-Calhoun (20) celebrates during an NFL football game against the Carolina Panthers, Sunday, Dec. 9, 2018, in Cleveland. Cleveland won 26-20. (AP Photo/David Richard)
Cleveland Browns cornerback Briean Boddy-Calhoun (20) enters the field through the team tunnel during team introductions prior to an NFL preseason football game against the Buffalo Bills, Friday, Aug. 17, 2018, in Cleveland. The Bills defeated the Browns, 19-17. (Ryan Kang via AP)
Cleveland Browns safety Briean Boddy-Calhoun (20) lines up in the secondary during an NFL Week 15 game against the Denver Broncos on Saturday, Dec.15, 2018, in Denver. The Browns defeated the Broncos 17-16. (Kevin Terrell via AP)
Cleveland Browns cornerback Briean Boddy-Calhoun (20) in action during an NFL football game against the Denver Broncos on Saturday, Dec. 15, 2018, in Denver. The Browns defeated the Broncos, 17-16. (Ryan Kang via AP)
Cleveland Browns cornerback Briean Boddy-Calhoun (20) celebrates after making a tackle during an NFL preseason football game against the Buffalo Bills, Friday, Aug. 17, 2018, in Cleveland. The Bills defeated the Browns, 19-17. (Ryan Kang via AP)
Cleveland Browns cornerback Briean Boddy-Calhoun (20) in action during an NFL football game against the Denver Broncos on Saturday, Dec. 15, 2018, in Denver. The Browns defeated the Broncos, 17-16. (Ryan Kang via AP)
Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Tyler Boyd (83) catches the ball in front of Cleveland Browns cornerback Briean Boddy-Calhoun (20) during an NFL football game on Sunday, Nov. 25, 2018 in Cincinnati. (NFL Photos via AP)
Cleveland Browns cornerback Briean Boddy-Calhoun (20) on the field during the first half of an NFL football game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday, Oct. 21, 2018 in Tampa, Fla. The Buccaneers won in overtime 26-23. (Perry Knotts via AP)
Cleveland Browns cornerback Briean Boddy-Calhoun (20) reacts after defending a pass during an NFL preseason football game against the Buffalo Bills, Friday, Aug. 17, 2018, in Cleveland. The Bills defeated the Browns, 19-17. (Ryan Kang via AP)
Cleveland Browns cornerback Briean Boddy-Calhoun celebrates after the Browns defeated the Carolina Panthers 26-20 in an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 9, 2018, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/David Richard)
Cleveland Browns defensive back Briean Boddy-Calhoun (20) sets for play during an NFL football game against Tampa Bay Buccaneers Oct. 21, 2018 in Tampa, Fla. Tampa won 26 - 23. (Al Messerschmidt via AP)
Cleveland Browns safety Briean Boddy-Calhoun (20) lines up in the secondary during an NFL Week 13 game against the Houston Texans on Sunday, Dec. 2, 2018, in Houston. The Texans defeated the Browns 29-13. (Kevin Terrell via AP)
Cleveland Browns defensive back Briean Boddy-Calhoun (20) lines up across from Titans tight end Delanie Walker (82) during a regular season Week 7 NFL football game between the Tennessee Titans and the Cleveland Browns on Sunday October 22, 2017 in Cleveland. The Titians beat the Browns 12-9 in overtime (Matt Patterson via AP)
Cleveland Browns cornerback Briean Boddy-Calhoun (20) celebrates after an interception during the first half of an NFL preseason football game against the Philadelphia Eagles, Thursday, Aug. 23, 2018, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Ron Schwane)
Cleveland Browns safety Briean Boddy-Calhoun (20) in coverage during NFL football game against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday, Sept. 10, 2017 in Cleveland. Pittsburgh won 21-18. (Aaron M. Sprecher via AP)
Cleveland Browns cornerback Briean Boddy-Calhoun celebrates after an interception during the first half of an NFL preseason football game against the Philadelphia Eagles, Thursday, Aug. 23, 2018, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Ron Schwane)
Cleveland Browns strong safety Briean Boddy-Calhoun (20) celebrates in the second half of an NFL preseason football game against the New Orleans Saints, Thursday, Aug. 10, 2017, in Cleveland. The Browns won 20-14. (AP Photo/David Richard)
