TEXANS WIN!

11 observations from the Texans' 37-21 win over the Jaguars

11 observations from the Texans' 37-21 win over the Jaguars
Texans beat the Jags, 37-21. Photo by Bob Levey/Getty Images.

The Houston Texans began their 2021 campaign with a dominating win over the Jacksonville Jaguars.

1. The Texans are so much better coached in almost every facet of the game. There was a low bar from the Bill O'Brien-coached teams, but you can tell how there is a better sense of football in just one game under new head coach David Culley.

2. Tyrod Taylor was cool under pressure and took safe shots as he was getting tackled a few times he got rid of the ball. His mobility is a clear asset, and he kept a few plays alive allowing the offense to make a play.

3. Huge credit is due to offensive coordinator Tim Kelly. The way Kelly operated the offense is exactly how a lightly-talented team should operate. Kelly used all his players in different ways and different formations. He was rarely predictable and gave plenty of different looks for the Jaguars' defense.

4. Brandin Cooks was not able to be defended by anyone in training camp and the preseason. Rarely were the Jaguars able to cover him on Sunday. His chemistry with Tyrod Taylor is clear as he kept plays alive and had two enormous catches that set the Texans up deep in Jacksonville territory.

5. Nico Collins made a rookie mistake in the end zone as he pushed off and drew a flag. The penalty eliminated a chance at seven points and the Texans settled for a field goal. He will learn, but against better opponents than the Jaguars, settling for field goals after a turnover could be costly.

6. The offensive line played well. Sure, Tyrod Taylor had to use his feet a few times to escape pressure, but he was lightly pressured compared to some previous seasons. One of the big positives, much less pressure from up the middle. Marcus Cannon played right tackle rotating with Geron Christian as he works back from his injury.

7. Maliek Collins had two bad penalties. Each of his roughing the passer penalties turned stops on third downs into a new set of downs. The Jaguars would then score on the drive as it continued. The margin for error against better teams will be slimmer, Collins could have easily avoided both of those.

8. The Texans got a little greedy in the second quarter. After stopping the Jaguars on a third down, Houston elected to accept a holding penalty and push the Jaguars back ten yards but repeated the third down. The ensuing play saw one of two roughing the passer penalties give Jacksonville a new set of downs. Don't get greedy over ten yards.

9. It was the first three-interception performance of Trevor Lawrence's life according to the Jaguars quarterback. Lawrence was moving away from pressure and tried to complete a pass on the run and he did, to Houston safety Justin Reid. Lawrence would toss two more bad interceptions.

10. There were still some moments the Jaguars were running free or open against Lovie Smith's defense. Jacksonville had a horrible number of drops and mistimed route combinations. This game could have and likely would have been a lot different, and closer, if Jacksonville could have executed half of those plays. Smith will need to tighten up some of the zone play.

11. Overall, not a lot of warts on this win. A lot of the hopes the team placed in veterans raising their overall execution level as well as taking near full advantage of the mistakes of the Jaguars led to the first victory of the season.

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The Angels beat the Astros, 4-1. Photo by Alex Slitz/Getty Images.

Oswald Peraza hit a two-run single in the ninth inning to help the Los Angeles Angels snap a three-game losing skid by beating the Houston Astros 4-1 on Saturday night.

Peraza entered the game as a defensive replacement in the seventh inning and hit a bases-loaded fly ball to deep right field that eluded the outstretched glove of Cam Smith. It was the fourth straight hit off Astros closer Bryan Abreu (3-4), who had not allowed a run in his previous 12 appearances.

The Angels third run of the ninth inning scored when Mike Trout walked with the bases loaded.

Kyle Hendricks allowed one run while scattering seven hits over six innings. He held the Astros to 1 for 8 with runners in scoring position, the one hit coming on Jesús Sánchez’s third-inning infield single that scored Jeremy Peña.

Reid Detmers worked around a leadoff walk to keep the Astros scoreless in the seventh, and José Fermin (3-2) retired the side in order in the eighth before Kenley Jansen worked a scoreless ninth to earn his 24th save.

Houston’s Spencer Arrighetti struck out a season-high eight batters over 6 1/3 innings. The only hit he allowed was Zach Neto’s third-inning solo home run.

Yordan Alvarez had two hits for the Astros, who remained three games ahead of Seattle for first place in the AL West.

Key moment

Peraza’s two-run single to deep right field that broke a 1-1 tie in the ninth.

Key Stat

Opponents were 5 for 44 against Abreu in August before he allowed four straight hits in the ninth.

Up next

Astros RHP Hunter Brown (10-6, 2.37 ERA) faces RHP José Soriano (9-9, 3.85) when the series continues Sunday.

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