TEXANS WIN!
Texans' C.J. Stroud leads game-winning drive beating Bengals, 30-27
Nov 12, 2023, 4:20 pm
The Texans are now 5-4. Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images.
CINCINNATI (AP) — C.J. Stroud directed a last-minute, game-winning drive for the second straight week, finishing with 356 yards passing and leading the Houston Texans to a 30-27 victory over the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday.
With the game tied at 27-all and 1:33 remaining, Stroud moved the Texans 55 yards in six plays to set up a 38-yard field goal by Matt Ammendola as time expired. Ammendola had just been signed on Tuesday because Ka’imi Fairbairn suffered a quadriceps injury a week earlier.
Stroud connected with Dalton Schultz for 25 yards and Noah Brown for 22 yards on the decisive drive. Brown finished with seven catches for a season-high 172 yards, and Devin Singletary rushed for 150 yards and a touchdown on 30 carries.
The 22-year-old Stroud, the second overall pick in the draft, threw for a touchdown and ran for a score. A week earlier, he took over with less than a minute left and led the Texans to the winning touchdown against Tampa Bay.
Cincinnati’s Joe Burrow threw for 357 yards and two touchdowns but was intercepted twice in the fourth quarter. Still, he rallied the Bengals from a 20-7 third-quarter deficit and kept them in striking distance late.
Cam Taylor-Britt intercepted Stroud with 3:41 remaining in the fourth quarter, and two plays later, Joe Mixon rushed for a 1-yard touchdown to cut Houston’s lead to 27-24.
Evan McPherson tied the game with a 31-yard field goal, but Burrow didn’t get another opportunity.
Ja’Marr Chase had five catches for 124 yards and touchdown for the Bengals, and Tyler Boyd had eight receptions for 117 yards. Trenton Irwin also had a touchdown catch.
Sheldon Rankins had three sacks for the Texans.
INJURIES
Cincinnati DE Trey Hendrickson went down with an unspecified injury in the fourth quarter but was able to walk off under his own power.
UP NEXT
Texans: Host Arizona next Sunday.
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Sunday night matchups don't get much exciting than this, as the Houston Texans host the Detroit Lions in prime-time at NRG.
The Lions come into this game on a six-game winning streak looking every bit of the best team in football. Houston on the other hand has lost two of their last three games with a struggling offense unable to protect their quarterback.
CJ Stroud has only one passing touchdown over this span, and is clearly having trouble adjusting to life without Stefon Diggs and Nico Collins.
If Houston is going to come away with an upset victory, they will need big performances from Tank Dell and Joe Mixon. After catching 4 passes against the Colts two weeks ago, Mixon not only failed to catch a single pass against the Jets, but he wasn't even targeted.
Considering the Texans' offensive line issues, choosing not to use Mixon as a pass catcher is hard to fathom. Especially since he and Dell are the team's top 2 playmakers.
What's working in the Texans' favor?
They play this game at home, where they are undefeated this season. A lot of the team's protection issues have popped up on the road, so communication should be easier for the offense on their home turf.
Bulls on Parade
We have good news and bad news about the defense this week. On the positive side, Azeez Al-Shaair and Jimmy Ward have returned to practice. If they're able to contribute on Sunday night, that would give the defense a lift.
And now for the bad news. Will Anderson has yet to practice this week after rolling his ankle in the Jets game. If he is unable to practice on Friday, it's hard to imagine he'll be active against Detroit.
X-factors
The Texans have to show some improvement on the offensive line this week.
Houston must lean on Joe Mixon again, as Nico Collins isn't expected to play.
Lions' Amon-Ra St. Brown is one of the best receivers in the league, and he does most of his damage from the slot. If the Texans continue to deploy Jalen Pitre against premier receivers in man coverage, St. Brown is going to light up the scoreboard.
What would a win over the Lions mean to Houston?
The Texans are no longer considered a true championship contender because of their losses to the Packers, Vikings, and Jets. In fact, the Bills are the only team with a winning record that the Texans have beaten.
An upset win over the streaking Lions would change that narrative.
What does Vegas think?
The Lions are currently favored by 3.5 and the total is set at 49 points.
Don't miss the full preview of Texans-Lions in the video above!
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