TEXANS ON TAP
Exciting takeaways from Houston Texans preseason finale against Rams
Aug 24, 2024, 3:48 pm
Texans defeat the Rams, 17-15. Composite Getty Image.
Tim Boyle threw for 142 yards and two touchdowns to lead the Houston Texans to a 17-15 win over the Los Angeles Rams on Saturday in the preseason finale for both teams.
The Texans led 10-9 when Boyle threw a 10-yard touchdown pass to Johnny Johnson III on the second play of the fourth quarter to make it 17-9.
Houston quarterback C.J. Stroud and Rams QB Matthew Stafford weren’t even in uniform for this one as most starters from both teams sat out.
Houston third-string quarterback Case Keenum started with Stroud and backup Davis Mills not playing Saturday. He led the offense on Houston’s first two possessions before Boyle took over.
Cam Akers, a former Ram fighting for a roster spot with the Texans, ran for 53 yards and had 19 yards receiving. He had a career-best 786 yards rushing with seven touchdowns for the Rams in 2022.
Dresser Winn played the entire game for Los Angeles and was 9 of 16 for 72 yards. Zach Evans ran for 45 yards and two touchdowns for the Rams. His 3-yard run with about three minutes left cut the lead to 17-15. But he was stopped short of the goal line on the 2-point conversion attempt.
The game was tied at 3-3 after both teams made field goals in the first quarter. The Texans made it 10-3 when Boyle connected with Troy Hairston on a 5-yard touchdown early in the second.
Los Angeles cut the lead to 10-9 when Evans scored on a 4-yard run about seven minutes before halftime. Rookie Joshua Karty’s extra point was no good after it bounced off the upright.
Stafford and backup Jimmy Garoppolo didn’t play this preseason. Stafford, who has missed practice time recently with a tight hamstring recently and is also dealing with a cut on his left thumb played extensively Thursday when these teams held a joint practice.
Third-stringer Stetson Bennett didn’t play Saturday after getting all the QB snaps in the first two preseason games. Sean McVay said that Bennett will serve as Stafford’s backup for the first two regular-season games with Garoppolo suspended for those games for violating the NFL’s policy on performance-enhancers.
Xavier Hutchinson, who is vying for one of Houston's last receiver spots, led the team with four receptions for 34 yards.
Injuries
Texans: S Brandon Hill was carted off the field in the first quarter with what appeared to be a right leg injury. … CB Kris Boyd looked to injure his left leg in the first half and didn’t return.
Up Next
Rams: Visit Detroit in a Sunday night game in their opener Sept. 8.
Texans: Open the season Sept. 8 at Indianapolis.
Be sure to watch the video above as the crew from Texans on Tap react to the game live.
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Jason Heyward hit a two-run homer early and Jon Singleton had three hits, capped by a tiebreaking RBI single in Houston’s four-run eighth inning, and the Astros got a 6-3 win over the Oakland Athletics on Thursday.
SAY HEY!!#Relentless pic.twitter.com/fqAiUHHdNh
— Houston Astros (@astros) September 12, 2024
Brent Rooker homered off Ryan Pressly (2-3) with one out in the eighth to tie it at 2-all.
Yainer Diaz and Kyle Tucker hit consecutive singles with one out in the eighth to chase T.J. McFarland (2-3) and bring on Grant Holman. There were two outs in the inning when Singleton’s single to center field scored Diaz to put the Astros on top.
Jake Meyers followed with a run-scoring double before the Athletics intentionally walked Heyward to load the bases. Mauricio Dubón singled on a ground ball to left field to score two more, pushing the lead to 6-2.
Tyler Nevin hit a solo homer off Josh Hader with one out in the ninth before the closer retired the next two batters to end it.
Houston’s Framber Valdez allowed five hits and a run with six strikeouts in 6 1/3 innings to help the Astros avoid a three-game sweep and snap a three-game skid with the victory.
La Grasa had himself a day.#Relentless pic.twitter.com/LvGeKBAoqA
— Houston Astros (@astros) September 12, 2024
Oakland starter Mitch Spence permitted seven hits and two runs in seven innings.
Singleton hit a ground-rule double with one out in the second before Heyward smacked a line drive into the second row in right field for his first home run as an Astro to make it 2-0.
It was the third hit in 12 games with Houston for Heyward, who signed with the Astros Aug. 29 after being released by the Dodgers.
Jacob Wilson doubled to open the seventh and moved to third on a ground out by Nevin. The Athletics cut the lead to 1 when Wilson scored on a single by Daz Cameron that chased Valdez.
Bryan Abreu took over and pinch-hitter Seth Brown grounded into a double play on his second pitch to preserve the lead.
Lawrence Butler doubled with one out in the third to extend his career-long hitting streak to 20 games.
Singleton doubled again to start Houston’s fourth before Spence sat down the next 11 Astros. Houston’s next base runner came on a double by Dubón with two outs in the seventh and Alex Bregman grounded out to leave him stranded.
Trainer’s Room
Athletics: 1B Tyler Soderstrom (left wrist injury) is scheduled to come off the injured list Friday for the start of a series against the White Sox.
Astros: 2B Jose Altuve was out of the lineup Thursday, a day after leaving in the fifth inning with discomfort in his right side. Manager Joe Espada said he was feeling better Thursday and that he is listed as day to day.
Up Next
Athletics: LHP Brady Basso (0-0, 1.93 ERA) will start for Oakland against LHP Garrett Crochet (6-11, 3.83) in the opener of a three-game series against the Chicago White Sox Friday night.
Astros: Houston LHP Yusei Kikuchi (8-9, 4.31) opposes LHP Samuel Aldegheri (1-1, 2.45) in the first of three games against the Los Angeles Angels Friday night.