I didn't start this to suggest that Pickett could have been a savior for the defense overall, just that he might have been an improvement for the defense against the run. I don't know much at all about the Texan's defense, how Pickett is used, etc., but I assume he is used similarly to the way he was used in GB. I seriously doubt that Pickett is on the field very often in passing situations, and in view of their significant improvement in defending running plays, opponents are probably in passing situations more frequently, and on earlier downs, so you might expect their performance, especially in net yards passing, to increase. I really don't know how good the Texans are as a pass defense, other than to read their stats.

The Packers SEEM to be somewhat capable of defending against the pass, so getting teams into passing situations can be a good thing. Right now, against the Packers, teams can stay balanced, and can run in just about any situation. Improving the defense against the run on early downs might play into a team strength, defending the pass and generating interception opportunities.