FALCON POINTS
Here's why this suspended Texan is a more significant loss
Dec 2, 2020, 10:59 am
2020 strikes again for the Texans. Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images.
Let's face it; the Texans aren't going anywhere this season. But they have played better since ending the Bill O'Brien era, going 4-3 with two close losses.
After humbling the Lions for their most impressive win of the season, the Texans were able to bask for all of three days before the news came down that WR Will Fuller and CB Bradley Roby were handed six-game suspensions for PED use.
Fuller was surprisingly healthy and having his best season as a pro. It's probably no shock that he had to take something to stay healthy. It's also no surprise that Brian Cushing - he of the "overtraining" - is an assistant strength and conditioning coach on the team. But that is another story for another time.
The Texans offense will miss Fuller, especially with Randall Cobb on IR and Kenny Stills cut last week. They are down to Brandin Cooks and Keke Coutee plus whatever practice squad fodder they can find. But Deshaun Watson is the key and is playing well, and the tight ends and Duke Johnson out of the backfield can be used as passing game weapons. So Fuller will be missed, but the Texans will figure it out.
The bigger issue is the loss of Roby, their only real cornerback. The defense has been better of late, but when Roby has been out, the secondary has gotten torched. Gareon Conley is also out with injury, leaving Vernon Hargreaves, Phillip Gaines and Keion Crossen as the main culprits. It's debatable any of them even belong on an NFL roster.
Roby would take the opponent's best receiver, letting the others face off with lesser lights. While he was beaten a lot, he played well at times and gave the Texans a positive return from the position.
On a bad defense, losing a key player only makes things worse. Roby is a key player, and there simply is no replacement anywhere on the roster. Fuller is certainly a loss, but the offense can be adjusted. Roby? There does not seem to be any way to replace him. In the end, losing both players sucks. But losing Roby sucks more. And any good will or momentum the Texans built up took a major hit.
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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.