Texans coach Lovie Smith reveals why rookie LB Christian Harris has excelled

Christian Harris had a productive game against the Kansas City Chiefs.

The third-round linebacker from Alabama generated 13 combined tackles and joined fellow rookie, safety Jalen Pitre, as the only rookie duo this season to each produce 10-plus tackles in a game.

According to Houston Texans coach Lovie Smith, there is a reason why Harris, who struggled initially in his rookie campaign, is starting to look more seasoned.

“Reps get you better,” Smith said. “Play time, game time, gets you better. Just being out there.”

Harris was on injured reserve and didn’t get to see the field until Oct. 23 against the Las Vegas Raiders. The 6-2, 232-pound linebacker had a paltry tackle among the 38 snaps he played in the 38-20 loss at Allegiant Stadium.

However, Harris began to get more snaps over the coming weeks, and the results picked up.

“It’s hard to just put a player out there and expect them to play at a certain level early on,” said Smith. “But, the more they play, the better they get, and I think that will be the case, not for just Christian Harris, with all of our guys.”

Since Nov. 13 against the New York Giants, Harris has played at least 60 snaps a game on defense — save for Nov. 27 at the Miami Dolphins when an injury limited him to 15.

With the Texans’ final three games ahead of them, the defense is starting to take shape, and Harris is one of the centerpieces in the linebacking corps.

“We’re kind of locked in now with who we’re playing at all the positions,” said Smith. “Again, we think we’ll be the healthiest we’ve been going into a game, especially defensively. Hopefully that will pay off.”

The Texans visit the Tennessee Titans Christmas Eve to conclude their season series. On Oct. 30, Harris’ second game of his career, he logged seven combined tackles on 58 snaps.