Texans player of the game
Hopkins dominates, helps Texans escape New York
Dec 15, 2018, 6:47 pm
DeAndre Hopkins had another huge game. Steven Ryan/Getty Images
On a day where the protection was suspect and the rushing attack struggled, the Texans leaned again on the NFL's best pass catcher. DeAndre Hopkins caught 10 passes for 170 yards on his way to helping the Texans win on the road against the Jets.
Hopkins came up huge with the Texans down three late in the game. Hopkins caught a quick strike from Deshaun Watson and took it 20 yards for some rare second-half success for the Texans offense. Later in the drive Hopkins, as he is apt to do, drew a defensive holding penalty giving the Texans a fresh set of downs. Another Watson pass found Hopkins for a first down that would set up yet another amazing Hopkins play.
With Morris Claiborne draped all over him, Hopkins reached out and snagged the ball for a 14-yard touchdown to give the Texans the lead late in the fourth quarter.
Hopkins regularly took advantage of the space the Jets allowed him in zones hauling in catch after catch. He was the only Texans player to actually get in a rhythm on offense having another huge day. Watson leaned on him in critical moments as Hopkins beat almost everything the Jets threw at him.
Hopkins appeared to get hurt late in the game. He was carried off the field by teammates but was seen on the bench and not the trainer's table. He also reappeared for the rushing plays to run the clock. After the game he told the NFL Network he rolled his ankle.
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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.