How Texans' defensive effort sets stage for heavyweight title bout
TEXANS ON TAP
20 November 2023
The Houston Texans secured a big victory over the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday, despite some struggles with turnovers from quarterback CJ Stroud.
Which is a departure from recent games, when Stroud was able to lead his team on game-winning drives in consecutive weeks. This past Sunday, Houston had to rely on their defense late in the game, with the offense unable to score any points in the second half.
The return of Derek Stingley has already made a significant impact as he came away with a big interception. Plus, linebackers Blake Cashman (19 tackles) and Christian Harris (5 tackles, 2 passes defended) had strong performances as well.
Cashman especially deserves credit, as he played out of position at Mike linebacker, with Denzel Perryman missing the game due to suspension.
By finishing the game strong and notching another win, the Texans now have the division crown in their sights, with Trevor Lawrence and the first place Jaguars coming to NRG this Sunday.
Plus, with another quality performance from Stroud and a win on Sunday, it would be hard to argue against the Texans having the best QB in the division, and possibly the MVP of the league.
Don't miss the video above as we react to the Texans' clutch win over the Cardinals and examine what this performance means moving forward.
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LaMelo Ball had 34 points and 11 assists in his return from an ankle injury and Grant Williams made a go-ahead 3-pointer with 40 seconds left to give the Charlotte Hornets a 110-105 win over the Houston Rockets on Wednesday night.
Jalen Green scored five quick points to tie it before Williams put the Hornets on top with his step-back 3 to make it 106-103. Ball, who was playing in his first regular-season game since Jan. 26, added two free throws after that to secure the victory.
Green led Houston with 28 points and Alperen Sengun added 25 points and 18 rebounds in his return after missing the last 19 games of last season with a severely sprained ankle.
Takeaways
Hornets: This team has been plagued by injuries in recent years and the problems continued in the opener with young star Brandon Miller sitting out the second half with soreness in his left hip. They’ll need to keep him, Ball and Miles Bridges healthy if they hope to return to the playoffs after an eight-year drought.
Rockets: They need to play more consistently for four quarters after leading by double figures for most of the first three quarters before letting the Hornets get back into it late.
Key moment
The Hornets used a 10-0 run that spanned from late in the third quarter to early in the fourth to close the gap and put themselves in position for the win after trailing for most of the game.
Key stat
Houston shot 36.9% from the field while the Hornets made 44.7% of their shots.
Up next
The Rockets host the Grizzlies on Friday night and the Hornets visit Atlanta.
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