PROOF IS IN THE PUDDING
Here’s further proof that Houston Astros have beaten their haters into submission
Sep 20, 2022, 1:27 pm
The Astros won the AL West. Again! Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images
The Houston Astros clinched their fifth American League West Championship in the past six seasons on Monday when they defeated Tampa Bay 4-0.
Houston’s success the past few years include a World Series championship, three AL championships and five straight ALCS appearances. The Astros are almost guaranteed to be the No. 1 seed in the AL again this postseason. However, the Astros’ success has been long overshadowed by the sign stealing scandal in 2017.
Despite the public backlash, loss of key players and change in leadership, there has been one constant — Houston keeps winning. With yet another season in which the Astros dominated the AL West, it looks like the team is beginning to give outsiders no choice but to acknowledge that they are just that good. 2017 was not an aberration. It was the beginning, and national media is catching on.
In an article from Deadspin’s Sam Fels, he brought up what Astros fans know more than anyone else. When the team has success, and posts about it on social media specifically, people are quick to dismiss it due to the five-year-old cheating scandal.
The irony is that Houston was not alone in stealing signs, which Fels mentioned. Both the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox have been linked to doing similar deeds. Boston even brought back their manager after he was punished for it. The difference, however, is that the Astros have never fallen off the mountain top.
Five straight seasons have seen Houston make it to the ALCS, which might just have to be renamed the Astros invitational at some point. Not even the Los Angeles Dodgers, who are the closest team that has mirrored the Astros’ success can boast that in the National League.
Houston’s done it with the core that won the 2017 World Series, and they’ve done it with new players too. Trey Mancini, who only recently joined the Astros at the trade deadline, told MLB.com’s Brian McTaggart the team’s culture is just different.
Everyone wants their team to be the Astros, that’s what everyone is really angry about, Fels said in his article. Deadspin is one of the first, and if Houston keeps winning, other national outlets, even those based in Los Angeles and New York, will have no choice but to acknowledge that as well.
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NFL insiders hint at eye-opening future for Houston Texans offense
Dec 7, 2024, 2:38 pm
C.J. Stroud faced criticism in Houston's last few games as the Texans hit a rough patch after losing just two of their first eight games.
But the second-year quarterback remained confident and his strong performance last Sunday helped the Texans (8-5) to a 23-20 win over the Jaguars to enter their bye with a two-game lead atop the AFC South.
“When he is leading and playing the way he is playing, our entire team feeds off of him,” coach DeMeco Ryans said. “I am excited for his second year. I think he is showing a ton of growth, he is in a really great spot for us physically, mentally. I really love where he is and I am excited to see how he comes back after the break.”
Stroud threw for 242 yards and a touchdown against Jacksonville to leave him ranked fourth in the NFL with 3,117 yards passing this season. That game came after he threw two interceptions in a 32-27 loss to Tennessee a week before for the team’s third loss in four games.
Those two interceptions brought his season total to nine, which are four more than he threw in 15 games a rookie. But the Texans aren’t worried about that statistic and believe he has grown in his second year.
“He’s made a lot of progress,” general manager Nick Caserio said. “There are some plays, like all of our players, that we probably wish he could have back, but happy he’s our quarterback, happy with what he brings to the table. ... Wouldn’t want anyone else leading this team.”
The Texans are in position to win their division for a second straight season despite dealing with several significant injuries on offense. Running back Joe Mixon missed three games early with an ankle injury and leading receiver Nico Collins was sidelined for five games with a hamstring injury.
They also lost four-time Pro Bowler Stefon Diggs for the season when tore an ACL in Week 8.
Mixon leads the team with 887 yards rushing and 11 touchdowns and has added four touchdown receptions. His work in his first season in Houston after a trade from Cincinnati has helped the team deal with those significant injuries to the receiving corps.
Mixon ranks third in the NFL by averaging 88.7 yards rushing a game and has had at least 100 yards rushing in seven games.
Stroud has continually raved about Mixon’s contributions on and off the field.
“He’s a servant, a helper,” Stroud said. “That’s ultimately what I want to be as well. Who can I serve and how can I help? That’s ultimately what the game of football is.”
While Mixon has been the team’s most important new acquisition on offense, Danielle Hunter has been Houston’s new defensive star. The defensive end spent his first eight seasons in Minnesota before joining the Texans this year.
He has helped Houston lead the NFL with 84 tackles for loss after piling up 15 this season, which is tied for third most in the league. He also leads the Texans with 10½ sacks to help them rank second with 42.
Hunter been a great addition to a team that already had defensive end Will Anderson Jr., last year’s AP Defensive Rookie of the Year. Anderson ranks second to Hunter on the team with 13 tackles for loss and 9½ sacks.
Ryans said this week’s break is much needed for a team that opened the preseason on Aug. 1 in the Hall of Fame game.
“It’s here and we’re going to take advantage of it,” he said. “We’ve been going at it for a long time.”
The Texans need to recharge this week with a brutal stretch of three games in 10 days when they return from their bye. Houston hosts Miami on Dec. 15 before a trip to Kansas City on Dec. 21 and a visit from the Ravens on Christmas Day.
“It’s Christmas and all that, but we can’t worry about that. All we can do is focus on Miami,” Caserio said. “And then when we get through the Miami game, then we kind of turn the page to the next. ... We’re either going to earn it or we’re not. Not to oversimplify it, but that’s the truth.”
The Texans will play those game without starting linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair after he received a three-game suspension for his violent hit to the head of Jacksonville’s Trevor Lawrence, which led to a concussion.
Al-Shaair will be eligible to return for Houston’s regular-season finale against Tennessee.