TEXANS ON TAP
How Texans, CJ Stroud find themselves in rare air after hammering Steelers
Oct 2, 2023, 3:57 pm
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.
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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.