Bob Ligashesky, the Texans' special-teams coordinator, used the term "complementary" football. That's Ligahshesky's way of saying, "It takes three to tango." The offense needs to feed off the defense. The defense must feed off the offense. The special teams has to feed off both, and vice versa.

Saturday night, everybody went home satiated, a week after everyone starved. Having been collectively humbled at Arizona, each of the Texans' components arrived at NRG Stadium in the mood for redemption. Beaten by 32 points in Bill O'Brien's depressing debut, the offense, the defense and the special teams took turns pummeling the Falcons in a 32-7 victory that took a crushing weight off everybody in the organization.

Right place, right time

Ligashesky's guys lived up to their adjective. They were indeed special, although, being a coach, he had to offer the disclaimer about how they "still have a long way to go." But two blocked kicks - rookie Anthony Denham's on a punt gave the Texans a touchdown and Jawanza Starling's on a field-goal attempt maybe saved three points - was a nice two-step in the right direction.

"I saw it hit somebody's leg, so I said, "Man, free ball!' " said Jonathan Grimes, who finished what Denham started by picking up Denham's deflection and running all by his lonesome 17 yards into the end zone early in the fourth quarter. "That was definitely the easiest touchdown I've ever scored."

Although he has been the Texans' plug-in starting running back with Arian Foster still unable to play, Grimes knows his chances of hanging around for the Sept. 7 opener against Washington hinge hugely on his ability to make plays like that one. His role on the punt-return team was to guard against the fake, so his eyes were glued to the ball all the way. None of the Falcons, however, appeared to know where it was, much to the Texans' good fortune.

"I'm supposed to actually see the ball kicked," Grimes said. "I'm looking and I heard the sound, the 'thuk.' Their guys couldn't find the ball, but I saw it sitting right there in front of me."

Determined to stick

Denham, an undrafted rookie tight end out of Utah who, like Grimes, is determined to stick with the Texans any way he can, had never been a special-teamer until Ligashesky got ahold of him. To be sure, making a contribution in his new stadium had him pretty juiced afterward.

It was his first blocked kick.

"They were backed up and I kind of did the math, figuring out how fast I could get in there," Denham said. "I kind of burst off (the snap), shed No. 33 (Devonta Freeman) and got my hand up (while) being sure not to rough the punter. It was a team play all the way. I was trying to be a team player. And I really want to be a good special-teams player."

Starling, who's listed as third-team free safety on the depth chart, has had plenty of special-teams experience, in contrast to Denham. The second-year pro from USC also understands how he's "kind of on the bubble" and knocking down field goals is a way to keep his name in the conversation come the final cutdown.

"We got after that in all our practices," he said. "Me and Josh Victorian, we were saying we were going to get one tonight. Him and me both came flying off the edge. Either one of us could have got it, but it was me. We practice that every day. It's good to see working on our technique pays off."

"I know where I am on the roster, and I know how important special teams can be. I take a lot of pride in playing teams. I did it all four years in college, even when I started on defense. It's a big part of my game and a way to help the team."