Texans Player of the Game
Coutee returns, impresses during playoff loss
Jan 5, 2019, 6:34 pm
Keke Coutee was a lone bright spot. Bob Levey/Getty Images
The Colts may have won the game but the Texans are now sure how valuable rookie wide receiver Keke Coutee is to the team. He scored the Texans only touchdown of the day and finished with 11 catches for 110 yards.
Coutee played for the first time since November as he had been sidelined with a hamstring injury. The Texans found him early and often. He led the team in yards and catches at halftime but the overall offensive performance from Houston was poor. As the team started to show life in the second half, Coutee was key in moving the ball.
Deshaun Watson found Coutee for a short pass that he took up the field for a 17-yard gain but the drive would end in a punt. Coutee converted a fourth down try hauling in a Watson strike keeping the Texans moving. He would finish the drive catching a short pass to Watson's left and diving for the end zone for a touchdown. The play was reviewed to make sure he didn't fumble through the end zone and was upheld.
It was clear how valuable Coutee can be in this offense, especially when defenses have to worry about DeAndre Hopkins. He found himself open quite a bit, even when he wasn't involved in the play. His ability to take short passes and then turn them into more positive yards is impressive. With more experience, and an offseason of growth, a healthy Coutee is going to be a terror for the NFL to try to cover on this Texans team.
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Astros stumble again as Braves complete gut-wrenching series sweep
Apr 17, 2024, 4:51 pm
Houston Astros ace Justin Verlander will make his season debut Friday night at the Washington Nationals.
Houston manager Joe Espada made the announcement Wednesday.
“Getting him back is huge because it brings a level of confidence to our team, a boost of confidence that we’re going to get someone who’s been an MVP, a Cy Young (winner) on the mound,” Espada said. “It's (good) for the morale and to get stuff started and moving in the right direction.”
The three-time Cy Young Award winner opened the season on the injured list with inflammation in his right shoulder. He made two rehabilitation starts, the first for Triple-A Sugar Land on April 7 before Saturday’s start for Double-A Corpus Christi.
Espada wouldn't say how many pitches the 41-year-old would be limited to but said they'll keep an eye on his workload.
“We've got to be careful how hard we push him early,” Espada said. “I know he’s going to want to go and stay out there and give us an opportunity to win, but we've got to be cautious of how hard we push him early in the season.”
Verlander wasn’t thrilled with the results in his rehabilitation starts, but he said Monday that those games were valuable in getting him prepared to come off the IL.
He allowed seven hits and six runs — five earned — in four innings against Frisco on Saturday. He struck out three, walked one and threw 51 of 77 pitches for strikes.
Verlander allowed six earned runs and struck out six while pitching into the fourth inning for Sugar Land on April 7.
The Astros have gotten off to a tough start with Verlander and fellow starters Framber Valdez and José Urquidy on the injured list. They enter Wednesday's games last in the AL West with a 6-13 record.
Espada hopes Verlander can be the boost the team needs to get on track.
“It’s good to get him back in the rotation,” Espada said. “With what he means to this club just to get him back on track, getting some innings from him (to) build our rotation with the pieces that we need to move forward is exciting.”