TEXANS 19, COWBOYS 16 (OT)
Houston wins the battle of Texas in overtime, 19-16
Oct 7, 2018, 11:11 pm
Deshaun Watson had another big game. Tim Warner/Getty Images
In the battle of Texas, Houston would claim victory in overtime 19-16 and move their record to 2-3 on the season. A low scoring affair marred by a Texans offense that was unable to get the ball in the end zone from short distance ended with Houston walking off in overtime on a Ka’imi Fairbairn 36-yard field goal.
The game was a defensive grind, with turnovers by each team being a factor. Offensively the Texans looked effective and showed what Deshaun Watson can bring to the table. He was 33 of 44 for 375 yards, 1 touchdown and 1 interception. He also scrambled 10 times for 40 yards, just 6 yards behind the leading rusher on the team Alfred Blue. It was the red zone offense that was a problem. Five times the Texans were inside that Dallas 5-yard line and only once did they manage a touchdown. The other four drives ended in three field goals and a turnover on downs.
The Texans defense did their part to keep it a low scoring affair. The held Ezekiel Elliott, the NFL’s leading rusher, to just 54 yards on 20 carries and Dak Prescott to 208 yards passing with 2 interceptions. They limited Dallas to two trips inside the 20-yard line, allowing a touchdown and a field goal. They created a lot of pressure but managed only 2 sacks on the night. J.J. Watt got his sixth of the season and Clowney added a half sack to his season total of 2.5.
Despite holding the Cowboys to less than 300 yards of total offense, it was an early missed field goal and an untimely DeAndre Hopkins fumble that would come back to haunt the Texans and send the game to overtime tied at 16. It was there that the Cowboys would gain just 33 yards before punting it away to the Texans for the game winning drive.
Like he has done all season DeAndre Hopkins has proven himself to be one of the best receivers in the league. He finished the game with 9 receptions for 151 yards, none more impressive than his 49-yard catch on the overtime drive to move the Texans in field goal range. But he wasn’t the only player with a good game receiving. Dallas was tough against the other receivers making room for Alfred Blue to catch 8 passes for 73 yards and tight end Ryan Griffin to bring in 6 for 65 yards. Both performing better than in the teams previous four games this season.
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The Houston Astros (37-30) aim to close out their series against the Chicago White Sox (23-45) on a high note Thursday night at Daikin Park. The three-game set is currently tied 1-1, and with a chance to secure their 11th series win at home, the Astros will send left-hander Framber Valdez to the mound. First pitch is scheduled for 8:10 p.m. ET.
Valdez (6-4, 3.07 ERA) has quietly been one of the most consistent arms in the American League. Known for his heavy sinker and ground-ball inducing style, he enters the night with a stellar 1.06 WHIP and 84 strikeouts. With the Astros bullpen having absorbed some heavy usage earlier this week, Valdez will be counted on to give Houston quality length.
Opposing him will be right-hander Davis Martin (2-6, 3.62 ERA), who has pitched better than his win-loss record suggests. Martin has maintained a 1.21 WHIP and will try to quiet an Astros lineup that broke out for 10 runs in Wednesday’s win.
Houston’s offense has been led lately by Jeremy Peña, who is batting .439 over his last 10 games with five doubles, two homers, and six RBIs. Isaac Paredes continues to be a steady power threat, leading the team with 14 home runs and a .468 slugging percentage. José Altuve, fresh off his 2,300th career hit, adds veteran stability to the top of the order.
The Astros are 23-13 at home this season and have gone 6-4 over their last 10 games. When they avoid giving up home runs, they win — as shown by their 20-4 record in games where they keep the ball in the yard. That will be a key Thursday against a White Sox team that’s light on power but capable of grinding out runs when they out-hit opponents (16-9 when doing so).
Chicago, meanwhile, has struggled mightily on the road, going just 7-27 away from Guaranteed Rate Field. Still, they’ve had unexpected success against the Astros this season, winning three of the first five matchups. Andrew Benintendi and Mike Tauchman have been among the few bright spots in a lineup that’s hit just .227 over its last 10 games and been outscored by six runs.
With the series on the line and the division-leading Astros looking to stay hot, Thursday night offers a chance to assert their edge with a trusted ace on the hill and momentum building in the lineup.
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