Texans secondary decimated; also lose key wide receiver
Injuries pile up during loss to Eagles
Dec 23, 2018, 3:40 pm
Demaryius Thomas was carted off. Brett Carlsen/Getty Images
The Texans lost more than just the game against the Eagles in Philidelphia on Sunday. Injuries mounted before and during the game helping the Eagles best the Texans in the closing moments with a field goal.
No injury will sting as much as the loss of Demaryius Thomas. He went down without contact on a screen play in the fourth quarter. He was then carted off the field, unable to put weight on his injured leg. He was officially ruled out with an Achilles injury. It is the second Achilles injury in Thomas' career. He was traded for earlier in the season to replace Will Fuller who was lost for the season due to injury.
Rookie wideout Vyncint Smith caught a touchdown in Thomas' absence hauling in a 35-yard perfectly placed pass from Deshaun Watson. Smith is the only outside receiver besides DeAndre Hopkins as the team released Sammie Coates earlier in the week.
The secondary didn't fare well either. Johnathan Joseph left the game in the second half with a neck injury and was questionable to return (though he later did). Earlier in the game Kareem Jackson left with a knee injury and didn't return to the game. Kayvon Webster, who was recently activated for this game off the Reserve/Injured list, didn't finish the game. He hurt his thigh. Earlier in the season Webster made his debut and lasted just two plays before heading to the previously mentioned list.
Starting left guard Senio Kelemete missed the game due to illness. Martinas Rankin started in his place allowing a few pressures and committing a couple of false start penalties.
Lamar Miller, the team's leading rusher, and rookie pass catcher Keke Coutee didn't make the trip to Philadelphia. Miller has an ankle injury while Coutee has been missing time with a hamstring injury.
The injuries in the secondary are very concerning as they all seem to be things that could linger beyond the week. It is safe to assume Thomas will be done for the year meaning Smith will have to step up or the team will need to find help in free agency.
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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.