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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The Houston Texans won their second straight AFC South title Sunday with a victory over the Dolphins and a loss by the Colts.
It’s the eighth division title in franchise history with each of them coming since 2011.
Coach DeMeco Ryans and quarterback C.J. Stroud are the only coach/quarterback duo in NFL history to capture division titles in their first two seasons together.
“Clinching the AFC South is huge for us,” Ryans said Monday. “Great accomplishment by all of our guys. It’s always our goal. You want to make it in the postseason, you have to win your division, it starts there. And so, we’re just thankful for everyone who played a part in us reaching a first step of our goal and that’s getting in.”
It's the fourth time the Texans (9-5) have won consecutive division titles and the first since 2018-19. This success comes after they won just 11 games combined in the three seasons before Ryans and Stroud arrived.
The Texans got the 20-12 victory Sunday thanks to a dominant outing by their defense, which forced four turnovers. Tua Tagovailoa lost a fumble on a strip-sack by Will Anderson Jr. and the Texans intercepted him three times, which tied his career high.
Cornerback Derek Stingley Jr. secured the victory with two interceptions in the fourth quarter, with both coming on passes intended for star receiver Tyreek Hill.
“Just defensively our guys stepped up and did a really good job closing out the game the way we needed to,” Ryans said. “Stingley is playing just unbelievable football right now. Ask him to cover, man coverage, to go and get two picks versus a really good offense, that was huge for us.”
Stingley also had two tackles for loss Sunday to become the first cornerback in NFL history to have two interceptions and two tackles for loss in a game.
Stingley, who was the third overall pick in the 2022 draft, has five interceptions this season with four of them coming this month.
What’s working
Houston is third in the NFL with a plus-13 turnover differential after forcing four turnovers Sunday while losing the ball just once. The Texans are second in the NFL with 19 interceptions and are tied for seventh with nine fumble recoveries.
On offense, Stroud has thrown nine interceptions and Houston has lost just six fumbles.
What needs help
The Texans got the win Sunday by taking advantage of turnovers on a day the offense mustered a season-low 181 yards. Stroud threw two touchdown passes, but his 131 yards passing were the third fewest of his career.
But he wasn’t the only one who struggled offensively against the Dolphins. Joe Mixon, who has seven 100-yard rushing games this season, was held to just 23 yards on 12 carries after being shaken up on a hard hit early.
“I feel like we definitely could have been better in a lot of ways, but happy with the win and got to just move on,” Stroud said.
Stock up
LB Henry To’oTo’o had one of his best performances of the season Sunday, finishing with 11 tackles, half sack and a forced fumble. The Texans needed him to elevate his play to make up for the loss of fellow linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair, who served the first of a three-game suspension Sunday for his violent hit to the head of Jacksonville’s Trevor Lawrence.
Stock down
WR Tank Dell had just 26 yards receiving against the Dolphins after he had 23 yards receiving against Jacksonville before the bye. He’s had one 100-yard game this season after having three as a rookie last season.
Injuries
Ryans brushed off a question about Mixon’s health Monday saying: “he’ll be fine.” … Houston TE Cade Stover missed the game after having an emergency appendectomy Saturday night. … DT Foley Fatukasi injured an ankle in the second quarter and didn’t return.
Key number
45 — The Texans had three sacks Sunday to give them 45 this season, which ranks second in the NFL entering Monday and is one shy of the franchise record of 46 set last season.
Next steps
The Texans visit the Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs on Saturday before hosting the Ravens on Christmas Day. Houston has won just one of the past five meetings with the Chiefs. That includes a divisional round playoff game in the 2019 season that they lost 51-31 after racing to a 24-0 lead.