IT'S TIME
All the juicy storylines that make Astros, Rangers ALCS clash must-see TV
Oct 12, 2023, 3:41 pm
The Astros host Game 1 of the ALCS on Sunday night. Photo by Bob Levey/Getty Images.
If you need proof that the Hollywood writers strike is over, don’t look any farther than the upcoming ALCS between the Houston Astros and Texas Rangers.
No action movie script could have done a better job pitting these two fiery, in-state rivals against each other.
For the Astros, the ALCS has become their annual stamping ground – this will be their seventh consecutive appearance. You know the numbers since 2017: seven Silver Boot Series titles in a row, four World Series berths, two championships. If experience plays a role in this ALCS, the Astros have been there, done that, won that.
This is all new territory for this group of Rangers. The last time the Rangers made the ALCS was 2011. Not one member of the current Rangers roster was on that team. By the way, the Rangers are one of only five teams that have never won the World Series. No sense starting now.
Astros vs. Rangers is undeniably the hottest and most acrimonious rivalry in baseball, drenching with deep-rooted dislike and southbound jealousy.
Giants v. Dodgers? That hasn’t mattered much since the teams fled New York City to Cali together 65 years ago.
Yankees v. Red Sox? Well, this year was a dismal, nobody cares battle between the last place team and the next-to-last place team in the American League East.
Just look how the American League West unfolded, with the Rangers commanding first place practically wire-to-wire, only to have the rug pulled out from under them by the Astros on the last day of the season. The teams tied with 90-72 records, with the Astros claiming the division title by virtue of their edge in head-to-head games. A tie isn’t like kissing your sister when it gives you a first-round bye in the playoffs.
What makes this ALCS even juicier, last week Rangers general manager Chris Young lashed out against an Astros beat writer who suggested that the Rangers perhaps celebrated clinching a spot in the post-season too much, causing them to relinquish the division. Since the general manager blew his cork anyway, more champagne, Rangers?
GM Young swears the Rangers didn’t party hearty in their clubhouse. He didn’t name the writer by name but dropped literary critiques like “classless,” “lack of professionalism,” “poor journalism” and “completely fabricated” on him. This from a city that gives us Skip Bayless.
The Astros enter the ALCS a veteran, experienced team in full blossom. Announcers are comparing slugger Yordan Alvarez’s historic power surge to legends like Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig, and it’s not overhype. Facts are facts, statistics don’t lie. Jose Urquidy and Michael Brantley, locked in storage most of the season, have sparkled in the post-season. Jose and Bryan Abreu (not related) are crushing the playoffs. Jose is hitting home runs left and right (field), Bryan can’t be touched on the mound.
Oh, and I told you, give me Jeremy Pena at shortstop over Carlos Correa in the ALDS against Minnesota. Pena’s fielding gems flat out helped the Astros advance to the ALCS. Dyson should consider naming its next vacuum cleaner after Pena.
The Astros are clicking on all cylinders, starting pitching, the bullpen, hitting, fielding, Dusty Baker making all the right moves, Minute Maid Park rocking with a full house.
Meanwhile up in Arlington, there’ll be a lot of orange in the stadium and the Rangers have to know deep down that the Astros are the better team. It’s said that baseball is the most romantic sport. Well, there’s no love lost between the Astros and Rangers. That great philosopher and statesmen Ric Flair says, “to be the man, you’ve got to beat the man.” He might have said, “you got to be the man.”
Either way, the Astros are the man and the way NLDS matchups are breaking, the Astros will have home field advantage the rest of the way. And it’s looking more and more like a whole lot of Houstonians will be sleeping on free mattresses after the World Series.
Just like last year.
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How these 3 critical factors could swing battle between Texans and Jets
Oct 30, 2024, 3:06 pm
The Jets host the Texans and their scary defense on Halloween night! Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images.
Houston (6-2) at New York Jets (2-6)
Thursday, 8:15 p.m. EDT, Amazon Prime
BetMGM NFL odds: Jets by 2.
Against the spread: Texans 3-4-1; Jets 2-6.
Series record: Jets lead 7-3.
Last meeting: Jets beat Texans 30-6 in East Rutherford, New Jersey, on Dec. 10, 2023.
Last week: Texans beat Colts 23-20; Jets lost to Patriots 25-22.
Texans offense: overall (9t), rush (18), pass (8), scoring (14).
Texans defense: overall (2), rush (13), pass (3), scoring (15t).
Jets offense: overall (24), rush (30), pass (13), scoring (25).
Jets defense: overall (4), rush (17), pass (2), scoring (11t).
Turnover differential: Texans plus-4; Jets minus-3.
Texans player to watch
RB Joe Mixon. He has carried Houston's offense in the three games since he returned from an injury and could be even more important this week after wide receiver Stefon Diggs tore the ACL in his right knee last Sunday and is out for the season. Mixon ranks third in the NFL by averaging 100.6 yards rushing a game and has had at least 100 yards rushing and a TD run in three straight games.
Jets player to watch
Edge rusher Haason Reddick. After ending his lengthy contract holdout early last week, Reddick made his Jets debut and played 26 snaps on defense with two quarterback pressures while working mostly on third downs. His snaps might increase a bit Thursday and he could help the Jets get after C.J. Stroud, who has been sacked 22 times this season — tied for third most in the NFL.
Key matchup
Jets offensive line vs. Texans' pass rush. New York has had issues this season with injuries, consistency and protecting Aaron Rodgers. The Jets will face a tough test Thursday night against the Texans, whose 27 sacks are third in the NFL. DE Will Anderson Jr. is tied for third in the league with a career-high 7 1/2 sacks, including at least one in his past three games. DE Danielle Hunter has 5 1/2 sacks and DT Tim Settle has four, powering a formidable defensive front for Houston. Hunter leads the league with 51 quarterback pressures and Anderson is fourth with 39, the only teammates in the top 15, according to Next Gen Stats.
Key injuries
Diggs' injury leaves Houston without its top two receivers. Nico Collins, who leads the Texans with 567 yards receiving, is out for at least one more game after being placed on injured reserve with a hamstring injury. ... S Calen Bullock was limited in practice Monday and Tuesday after injuring his shoulder Sunday. … LBs Azeez Al-Shaair (knee) and Henry To’oTo’o (concussion) both missed the Colts game, but could return this week. … S Jimmie Ward could miss a fifth straight game with a groin injury. … LG Jarrett Patterson is in the concussion protocol and is likely out. … RB Dameon Pierce missed practice this week with a groin injury. ... Jets LB C.J. Mosley suffered a stinger in his neck during pregame warmups at New England and was meeting with neck and spine specialists this week. ... RG Alijah Vera-Tucker (ankle), WR Allen Lazard (chest), DL Leki Fotu (knee) and safeties Tony Adams (hamstring) and Ashtyn Davis (concussion) all missed the game vs. the Patriots and their availability for this week was uncertain. ... K Greg Zuerlein was placed on IR. Riley Patterson and Spencer Shrader were signed to the practice squad, and one will be promoted for the game.
Series notes
The Jets have won the past two meetings. ... New York won the first five meetings, including the first game between the franchises in 2003, when LaMont Jordan's late 8-yard touchdown run helped lift the Jets to a 19-14 victory. ... Zach Wilson threw two touchdown passes in the most recent meeting, a 30-6 rout by New York during which Stroud left with a concussion.
Stats and stuff
The AFC South-leading Texans have won four of their past five. ... Stroud is 2-0 with three touchdowns and zero interceptions in two career starts in prime time. He had 285 yards passing last week for his ninth career game with at least that many yards passing, which is tied for second most in the NFL since 2023. ... WR Tank Dell had a touchdown reception last week and has a TD catch in two of his past three games. ... TE Dalton Schultz had a season-high 52 yards receiving against the Colts. He has two TD receptions in each of his past two Thursday night games. ... Hunter has 10½ sacks in eight career Thursday night games. … LB Neville Hewitt, who spent the 2018-21 seasons with the Jets, forced a fumble last week. … Rookie CB Kamari Lassiter had a career-high three passes defended last week. … S Jalen Pitre had his first interception of the season last week. ... S Eric Murray had seven tackles and a season-high three passes defended last week. ... New York is trying to snap a five-game skid. ... Jeff Ulbrich is 0-3 as the Jets’ interim head coach since replacing the fired Robert Saleh on Oct. 8. Ulbrich, also the team's defensive coordinator, said earlier this week he'll continue to call plays on defense. … Rodgers snapped a streak of three consecutive games with an interception. He has seven in eight games, six shy of his single-season career high set in 2008 in his first year as Green Bay’s starting quarterback. ... Rodgers hasn't passed for 300 yards since throwing for 341 against Chicago on Dec. 12, 2021 — a span of 30 regular-season games and 31 overall, including one playoff game. ... WR Garrett Wilson leads the NFL with 84 targets, 11 more than the Giants’ Malik Nabers. Wilson’s 51 receptions are second in the league behind Las Vegas’ Brock Bowers, who has 52. ... WR Davante Adams had four catches for 54 yards, giving him seven receptions for 84 yards in two games since being acquired from the Raiders. ... Second-year WR Xavier Gipson caught his first career TD pass last Sunday. ... TE Tyler Conklin has a TD catch in consecutive games after not having one since catching two TD passes in Week 8 of the 2022 season against New England. ... RB Breece Hall has 316 yards receiving, the most among NFL running backs. ... Edge rusher Will McDonald has eight sacks, second in the NFL to the Giants’ Dexter Lawrence (nine). … The Jets have only six takeaways, ranking among the fewest in the league. Backup CB Brandin Echols has New York's only two interceptions.
Fantasy tip
Houston wide receiver John Metchie is coming off a career-best three-catch game and could see more targets — and perhaps his first NFL touchdown — with both Diggs and Collins out. Might be worth a stash as a potential WR3.
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