Woody Marks Guts Out Gritty Performance to Power Texans’ Fourth Straight Win
INDIANAPOLIS - There’s toughness, and then there’s rookie toughness. What Woody Marks showed on Sunday? That was the kind of grit that earns respect fast in an NFL locker room.
The Texans leaned heavily on their fourth-round pick out of USC, and he delivered - even after injuring his foot early in the game. Marks didn’t just play through pain; he closed the game out with the kind of physicality that turns potential into production.
With the Texans clinging to a 20-16 lead late in the fourth quarter, it was All-Pro cornerback Derek Stingley Jr. who gave the offense a chance to seal the win. His breakup of Daniel Jones’ fourth-down pass to Michael Pittman handed the ball back to Houston. From there, it was all Woody.
Marks took over the final drive with five straight carries - no flash, just pure force. He churned out tough yards, including a crucial nine-yard run that moved the chains and allowed Houston to bleed the clock at Lucas Oil Stadium. Ballgame.
He finished with 19 carries for 64 yards, leading the team in rushing. On paper, those numbers don’t jump off the stat sheet.
But context matters. These were high-leverage, high-contact carries, and Marks delivered every time his number was called.
“You see the toughness that Woody exhibits,” said head coach DeMeco Ryans. “He’s used to carrying the load.
But he did an outstanding job of just pushing through. That’s what you talk about - getting nicked up, toughing it out, coming back, battling, and wanting the football at the end of the game to close it out.”
That moment came after Marks had already limped off the field during the Texans’ second drive of the game. He went into the blue medical tent, got checked out, ran some sideline sprints under the watchful eye of trainer Roland Ramirez - and then got cleared to return.
“Out for the game?” Marks said with a grin.
“Oh, no, I ain’t never out for the game. No matter what.
No matter what the situation is, I ain’t never out.”
That mindset showed up again on the final drive. Marks knew the situation was delicate - protect the ball, move the chains, don’t score too fast.
So he pulled quarterback C.J. Stroud aside for a quick strategy check.
“If I break out, should I score or not?” Marks asked.
Stroud and center Jake Andrews gave him the rundown: get the yards, stay inbounds, protect the ball. Don’t give the Colts a chance to get it back.
“Everybody was just talking to me, making sure I knew what the down was,” Marks said. “Jake kind of gave me tips - we just needed five, six to stay up, and then get down.
Just protect the ball, somebody’s coming. And then the game was over.”
That level of trust - from the coaching staff, from the quarterback, from the offensive line - says a lot about how far Marks has come in his rookie season.
Veteran Nick Chubb spelled him at times and punched in a touchdown on a sweep, but it was Marks who carried the bulk of the load. He’s now up to 486 rushing yards and two touchdowns on the season, with 18 receptions for 188 yards and two more scores through the air.
“Woody is a dog, man,” Stroud said. “It’s an honor to play with him and a blessing.
I am just very happy that he’s on my team. I thought our line did a really good job putting a hat on a hat, moving guys.
And Woody, Chubb - they did a really good job.”
Stroud’s right - it starts up front. The Texans’ offensive line controlled the line of scrimmage when it mattered most. But it was Marks who made the yards count, especially with the game on the line.
The Texans have now won four straight and sit at 7-5 - right in the thick of the AFC playoff race. This team has found its identity: a physical defense, a smart young quarterback, and a rookie running back who refuses to stay down.
“Came a long way, I feel good,” Marks said. “We have one-score losses.
Doing whatever it takes. NFL, hard games.
They’ve got good players on the other side, good coaches. So, it’s going to be hard.
It’s going to be tough. Just, who’s going to grit it out.”
On Sunday, the Texans did - and Woody Marks led the way.