Deshaun Watson was almost magic

Early whistle takes points off the board for Texans

Early whistle takes points off the board for Texans
Getty Images

The Texans were set up for success after a Colts mistake led to amazing field position.

The Texans, who came in with the best red zone offense in football, were pushed to third down. It was almost magic from DeAndre Hopkins and Deshaun Watson once again.

Another angle would show the official's call of Watson being in the grasp a bit more clearly.

CBS' rules analyst would add clarity in that the early whistles are often in the hopes of keeping the quarterback from taking a big hit.

It would force the Texans to settle for their third field goal of the day. There is also a discussion to be had on if the Hopkins movements would be considered a catch. It seems he caught the ball and had it knocked away which would mean it was a touchdown.

The Texans ultimately lost by seven as they tried to score a touchdown just under two minutes. If they were only shooting for a field goal the outcome might have been different.

Most Popular

SportsMap Emails
Are Awesome

Listen Live

ESPN Houston 97.5 FM
Jeremy Peña is having success hitting fourth. Photo by Kevin M. Cox/Getty Images.

The Houston Astros host the Toronto Blue Jays on Wednesday night looking to keep momentum rolling and hand the Jays their fifth straight loss. First pitch is set for 7:40 p.m. EDT at Daikin Park.

Both teams enter the matchup with nearly identical records—Houston at 12-11, Toronto at 12-12—but they’re trending in opposite directions. The Astros have won six of their last ten and boast an 8-6 record at home, while the Blue Jays have dropped four straight and are just 4-7 on the road.

Ryan Gusto gets the start for Houston, entering with a 2-1 record, a 3.18 ERA, and 17 strikeouts across three appearances. He’ll go up against Bowden Francis, who brings a 3.13 ERA and a 1.04 WHIP into the game, along with 20 strikeouts in his four starts.

Jeremy Peña continues to spark the Astros lineup with three homers and three doubles, while catcher Yainer Diaz has added timely hits despite a recent slump. For Toronto, George Springer leads the team with a .333 average, and Bo Bichette has been steady at the plate, going 14-for-45 over his last 10 games.

The Blue Jays have found success when they out-hit opponents, going 10-3 in those games—but Houston’s pitching staff has held opponents to just a 2.86 ERA over the past 10 outings.

The betting line has Toronto as slight road favorites at -120, with Houston at +100 and the over/under set at 8 runs.

Here's a look at tonight's lineup. Cam Smith gets the night off in right field, with Zach Dezenzo filling in. It appears Dezenzo's thumb is fine after banging it up sliding into second base a couple of night's ago.


Image via: MLB.com/Screenshot.

Jake Myers is also getting the night off as Chas McCormick gets the start in center. And Mauricio Dubon is getting the nod, starting over Brendan Rodgers at second base.

SportsMap Emails
Are Awesome