The NFL Playoffs begun and while the Arizona Cardinals are off to whatever they do with nothing on their schedule, there is a former member of their squad that is not looking in the rearview mirror.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!OLB Myjai Sanders was placed on waivers by the Cardinals, and claimed Houston Texans on Oct. 18, 2023.
With a change of scenery, Sanders and the Texans get the job done by committee, not relying on one specific star to do the heavy lifting.
Houston won the AFC South before upsetting the Cleveland Browns with a 45-14 blowout victory in their wild-card matchup.
His numbers on the Texans aren’t eye-popping as a Texan, with seven tackles in seven games. But when further analyzing the underlying stats, Sanders has made an impact for the underrated Texans.
In the wild-card round, Sanders was fifth in highest pass rush win rates (17%), according to ESPN Sports Analytics Writer Seth Walder on X (formerly Twitter).
Highest pass rush win rates in the wild card round so far, regardless of alignment
Aidan Hutchinson 33%
Charles Omenihu 25%
Kobie Turner 23%
Derek Barnett 19%
Myjai Sanders 17%— Seth Walder (@SethWalder) January 15, 2024
Before heading to Houston, Sanders’ time spent in the valley was topsy-turvy to say the least.
Being the 100th overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft by the Cardinals, he made 13 appearances, grabbed 23 tackles and three sacks last year.
Gearing up for this season though, Sanders suffered a hand injury and did not feature in a snap for Arizona.
As he recovered from his setback, the Cardinals designated Sanders to return from Injured Reserve, opening a three-week practice window for him to take reps and get back into game shape on.
But before he got through his first week back, the 25-year-old was cut by Arizona.
Pushing that to the side, Sanders has turned a negative part of his career into a positive, looking to continue making his mark during the playoffs with Houston.
The Texans will now face the Baltimore Ravens in the Divisional Round.
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Alec Cipollini is a reporter of the Arizona Coyotes and Cardinals for Burn City Sports. You can follow him on his X account @AlecCipollini
