How Texans, CJ Stroud find themselves in rare air after hammering Steelers
TEXANS ON TAP
02 October 2023
The Houston Texans were coming off a big win against the Jags last week, with the Steelers coming to NRG on the same day JJ Watt was being inducted into the Texans Ring of Honor.
Head coach DeMeco Ryans wanted to make sure that his team didn't allow the Steelers to come into the Texans' house and have their way. Houston hadn't won a home game since 2021, so this was the perfect opportunity to prove this season is different.
With a newly shuffled offensive line, CJ Stroud and the Texans dominated Pittsburgh from jump street, scoring three times on the first drive, with penalties taking the first two scores off the board. Immediately, this felt like a new and improved Texans team that wasn't going to settle for field goals.
In the end, the Steelers never really had a chance, losing the game 30-6. Stroud built on his streak of completions without throwing an interception once again. He also made history, passing for 1,212 yards in his first four games. Only Cam Newton passed for more yards than Stroud with 1,386 over his first four games.
The progress we're seeing from the Texans' new QB is something special to behold. Behind an offensive line full of backups, Stroud has come away with 2 victories, no interceptions, and no sacks over the last two weeks.
NBA superstar LeBron James even posted about Stroud's accomplishments on social media over the weekend.
pic.twitter.com/Ml6yj1Hi1S
— Rex (@Rexwell14) October 2, 2023
And the news gets even better. The Texans are likely to get several offensive linemen back off the IR this week, with Tytus Howard and Juice Scruggs expected to return to action.
The future looks bright
One thing is for sure, the Texans have the best rookie QB in the league right now. And don't be surprised if he outplays all the QBs that face the Texans over the next few weeks. Give us Stroud any day over Desmond Ridder, a beat up Derek Carr, Bryce Young, and Baker Mayfield.
We didn't expect the turnaround to be this quick for Houston, but winning the division appears to be a real possibility with every team sitting at 2-2.
Be sure to watch the video above as we react to the big win on Sunday, look ahead at the Falcons, and much more.
Don't miss our new Texans podcast that drops every Monday on the SportsMap Texans YouTube channel.
José Soriano and two relievers combined for a two-hitter and Oswald Peraza hit his first home run since a trade from the Yankees to lead the Los Angeles Angels to a 3-0 win over the Houston Astros on Sunday.
Soriano (10-9) allowed one hit and struck out eight in seven innings. Luis García allowed one hit in a scoreless eighth and Kenley Jansen threw a perfect ninth for his 25th save.
There were two outs in the fifth when Peraza connected off Hunter Brown (10-7) into the bullpen in right-center field to put the Angels up 1-0. His homer comes after his two-run single in the ninth inning Saturday helped Los Angeles to a 4-1 victory that snapped a three-game skid.
Yoan Moncada walked to start the eighth and scored on Mike Trout’s double that bounced off the wall in center field to make it 2-0. Taylor Ward walked before Luis Rengifo reached and Trout scored on an error by Lance McCullers Jr. when the pitcher overthrew first base.
Yordan Alvarez singled with no outs in the first and Soriano walked a batter in the second and sixth innings. The Astros didn’t get another hit until Ramón Urías doubled with one out in the eighth inning. Los Angeles outfielder Taylor Ward was injured trying to make a catch on that hit when he crashed face-first into the metal scoreboard in left field.
He was carted off the field holding a towel to the right side of his face. He was taken to a hospital by ambulance where interim manager Ray Montgomery said he would receive stitches to close the cut and be evaluated.
Brown allowed three hits and a run with five strikeouts in six innings. McCullers Jr. allowed three hits and two runs in his first relief appearance since 2018.
Key moment
The home run by Peraza.
Key stat
It’s the fifth time the Astros have been shut out this month.
Up next
LHP Yusei Kikuchi (6-9, 3.68 ERA) will start for Los Angeles in the series finale Monday against RHP Luis Garcia, who’ll make his return after sitting out since May 2023 recovering from Tommy John surgery.
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