TEXANS WIN 3 STRAIGHT
Houston Texans win a nail-biter beating the Cardinals, 21-16
Nov 19, 2023, 3:44 pm
The Texans have won three straight games. Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images.
HOUSTON (AP) — Standout rookie C.J. Stroud threw for 336 yards with two touchdowns, and the Houston Texans overcame his season-high three interceptions to beat the Arizona Cardinals 21-16 on Sunday.
The Texans (6-4) have doubled their win total from last season and have won three games in a row for the first time since a nine-game streak in 2018.
The Cardinals (2-9) had a chance to win late. Kyler Murray threw a deep pass on fourth-and-8 that was intended for Marquise Brown, but Steven Nelson batted it down with 35 seconds left.
Houston didn’t score after halftime and Stroud was picked off on consecutive drives in the fourth quarter. He had thrown just two interceptions in his first nine games.
Houston rookie Tank Dell had a season-high 149 yards on eight receptions and set a franchise rookie record with his sixth touchdown catch.
Murray threw for 214 yards with a touchdown and an interception in his second game back after recovering from a torn ACL. He also rushed for 51 yards and a score.
The Cardinals failed to convert on fourth down with about 7 1/2 minutes to go to give the Texans the ball on their 45. But Stroud was intercepted again on the ensuing drive when Antonio Hamilton Sr. hopped in front of Dell on the 25.
Murray scored on a 1-yard run with about three minutes left in the third quarter to get the Cardinals within 21-16, but his run for the 2-point conversion was short.
The Cardinals were stopped on fourth-and-3 from the Houston 23 early in the fourth quarter. After a Houston punt, the Cardinals fumbled on the return and the Texans recovered at the Arizona 31.
Stroud was then intercepted in the end zone by Krys Barnes.
Stroud got a pass off under heavy pressure and found Dell in the end zone for a 40-yard touchdown that made it 21-10 just before halftime. Dell leaped into the crowd and was pulled into the stands where he stood among a group of cheering fans for a few seconds before returning to the field.
Soon, chants of “M-V-P! M-V-P!” rained down on Stroud, who has completely transformed this team just 10 games into his career.
The Cardinals took an early lead when Rondale Moore caught a 48-yard touchdown pass on their first drive.
Houston tied it when Stroud connected with Dalton Schultz on a 20-yard TD pass with about six minutes left in the first quarter.
Matt Prater’s 57-yard field goal put Arizona ahead again.
An 11-yard run by Devin Singletary gave Houston a 14-10 lead early in the second quarter. After the score, Stroud mimicked taking photos while the rest of the offense posed in the end zone.
INJURIES
Cardinals LB Kyzir White injured an elbow in the second quarter. ... NT Leki Fotu left with a hand injury in the second quarter. ... Hamilton injured his groin on the interception and was carted to the locker room.
UP NEXT
Cardinals: Host the Los Angeles Rams next Sunday.
Texans: Host Jacksonville 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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