TEXANS ON TAP
How Houston Texans dominant performance means something much bigger
Sep 25, 2023, 3:57 pm
The Houston Texans went into Jacksonville on Sunday as big underdogs and looking for their first win of the season. And CJ Stroud and company did not disappoint.
Houston won the game 37-17 behind another impressive performance from Stroud, who once again did not throw an interception. Stroud got the ball out quickly, and took a couple calculated deep shots to Tank Dell, that eventually led to 14 points for the offense.
Behind a banged up offensive line, Stroud managed not to get sacked, and appears to be the real deal after just three games. Houston's offense under Bobby Slowik looked faster and more crisp this week, which should have Texans fans excited about the growth of this young team.
In past years, this would be a situation where the Texans got too conservative, and let the opponent back in the game. It's early, but this feels like a new and improved version of the team. They were looking to win the game, as opposed to trying not to lose it. The coaching staff was comfortable relying on Stroud to pass the ball to put the game out of reach.
Scoring on a kick return certainly played a role in the victory, but that shouldn't overshadow Stroud's poise in the second half.
The running game struggled for most of the day, so Houston had to rely on their rookie QB to keep the offense on track. The most important development from the game has to be the realization that the Texans have found their franchise QB.
DeMeco Ryans' defense should also be commended for keeping Trevor Lawrence in check. They weren't able to sack him, but they kept enough pressure on him to hold their offense to 17 points, allowing the Texans offense to put the game away.
Be sure to watch the video above as we break down all the action from Sunday, and discuss just how bright the future looks with CJ Stroud taking snaps for the Texans.
Don't miss Texans on Tap (a Texans podcast) every Monday on SportsMap Texans' YouTube channel.
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Oswald Peraza hit a two-run single in the ninth inning to help the Los Angeles Angels snap a three-game losing skid by beating the Houston Astros 4-1 on Saturday night.
Peraza entered the game as a defensive replacement in the seventh inning and hit a bases-loaded fly ball to deep right field that eluded the outstretched glove of Cam Smith. It was the fourth straight hit off Astros closer Bryan Abreu (3-4), who had not allowed a run in his previous 12 appearances.
The Angels third run of the ninth inning scored when Mike Trout walked with the bases loaded.
Kyle Hendricks allowed one run while scattering seven hits over six innings. He held the Astros to 1 for 8 with runners in scoring position, the one hit coming on Jesús Sánchez’s third-inning infield single that scored Jeremy Peña.
Reid Detmers worked around a leadoff walk to keep the Astros scoreless in the seventh, and José Fermin (3-2) retired the side in order in the eighth before Kenley Jansen worked a scoreless ninth to earn his 24th save.
Houston’s Spencer Arrighetti struck out a season-high eight batters over 6 1/3 innings. The only hit he allowed was Zach Neto’s third-inning solo home run.
Yordan Alvarez had two hits for the Astros, who remained three games ahead of Seattle for first place in the AL West.
Key moment
Peraza’s two-run single to deep right field that broke a 1-1 tie in the ninth.
Key Stat
Opponents were 5 for 44 against Abreu in August before he allowed four straight hits in the ninth.
Up next
Astros RHP Hunter Brown (10-6, 2.37 ERA) faces RHP José Soriano (9-9, 3.85) when the series continues Sunday.