TEXANS 23, REDSKINS 21
Texans defense keeps win streak alive with victory over Redskins
Nov 18, 2018, 3:20 pm
Brennan Scarlet (57) made a big play. Joe Robbins/Getty Images
The Texans powered their way through turnovers and offensive struggles to win their seventh in a row, 23-21 on the road in Washington D.C. It looked like it would be all Houston early as they jumped to a 17-7 lead before the half, but the Redskins fought back and took a late lead. In the end, the defense made sure their team stayed on top of the division with a 7-3 record.
Defense was the name of the game today as the Texans and Redskins combined for five turnovers and only 598 yards of offense. The difference in the game was a 101-yard interception returned for a touchdown by standout rookie Justin Reid. That score gave the Texans a 17-7 lead on a day where Deshaun Watson was not playing the way the Texans have come to expect during their six-game winning streak. He finished the day with two interceptions and three sacks while throwing for 208 yards and a touchdown, completing 16 of 24 passes.
Houston still ran the ball well, even after injuries to interior linemen Zach Fulton and Senio Kelemete early in the game. Lamar Miller averaged 4.3 yards per carry on his way to an 86-yard effort. Alfred Blue had another solid day backing him up with eight carries for 46 yards.
Keke Coutee had a good game in his return from injury, collecting five receptions for 77 yards, keeping pace with DeAndre Hopkins who had five receptions for 56 yards and a touchdown. Rookie tight end Jordan Akins only had two receptions on the day for 42 yards, but it was his 28-yard catch and run on the Texans first drive that really got the offense started early.
Houston moved the ball 68 yards in 10 plays on the first drive but settled for a field goal at the five-yard line. They didn’t settle on their second drive as Watson connected with DeAndre Hopkins for the eighth time this season as the Texans took a 10-0 lead.
Washington cut into the lead with a touchdown run by Adrian Peterson and Watson followed with his first interception of the day but after both teams punted Alex Smith had his team back in the red zone. Justin Reid made sure that drive ended the Texans way by intercepting the ball in the end zone and running it back for a touchdown and a 17-7 lead. That play was the difference in the game because the second half defense by the Redskins stymied Houston and allowed only six points.
From the start, J.J. Watt and the Texans front seven applied constant pressure on Alex Smith. The defense finished the game with seven quarterback hits and five sacks. One of those sacks, a third quarter takedown by Kareem Jackson, resulted in a gruesome injury to Smith. The injury was listed as an ankle injury, but the replay looked much worse. Colt McCoy took over and led two touchdown drives to give the Redskins their first lead, and their first lead change in a game all season.
Through the air, the Texans pass defense made life difficult, breaking up eight passes and intercepting two of them. Houston might have scored on the second, a great one-handed grab by Brennan Scarlett that set his team up on the Washington 22-yard line. But Ka’imi Fairbairn missed his first field goal of the day. It was not his only one.
With 52 seconds left in the game and the Texans leading by only two points he had a chance to make it a five-point game when he badly booted a 45 yarder that never had a chance. That gave the Redskins one last chance to kick a game winner, which came up short from 63-yards.
Houston is still in control of the AFC South after another Jacksonville loss and the Colts beating up on the Titans to even each teams’ record to 5-5, two games back of the Texans. Next week Houston comes home to face the Tennessee Titans on Monday night. Houston lost the early season matchup to Tennessee and will need to keep the win streak rolling in a crucial divisional game.
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NFL insiders hint at eye-opening future for Houston Texans offense
Dec 7, 2024, 2:38 pm
C.J. Stroud faced criticism in Houston's last few games as the Texans hit a rough patch after losing just two of their first eight games.
But the second-year quarterback remained confident and his strong performance last Sunday helped the Texans (8-5) to a 23-20 win over the Jaguars to enter their bye with a two-game lead atop the AFC South.
“When he is leading and playing the way he is playing, our entire team feeds off of him,” coach DeMeco Ryans said. “I am excited for his second year. I think he is showing a ton of growth, he is in a really great spot for us physically, mentally. I really love where he is and I am excited to see how he comes back after the break.”
Stroud threw for 242 yards and a touchdown against Jacksonville to leave him ranked fourth in the NFL with 3,117 yards passing this season. That game came after he threw two interceptions in a 32-27 loss to Tennessee a week before for the team’s third loss in four games.
Those two interceptions brought his season total to nine, which are four more than he threw in 15 games a rookie. But the Texans aren’t worried about that statistic and believe he has grown in his second year.
“He’s made a lot of progress,” general manager Nick Caserio said. “There are some plays, like all of our players, that we probably wish he could have back, but happy he’s our quarterback, happy with what he brings to the table. ... Wouldn’t want anyone else leading this team.”
The Texans are in position to win their division for a second straight season despite dealing with several significant injuries on offense. Running back Joe Mixon missed three games early with an ankle injury and leading receiver Nico Collins was sidelined for five games with a hamstring injury.
They also lost four-time Pro Bowler Stefon Diggs for the season when tore an ACL in Week 8.
Mixon leads the team with 887 yards rushing and 11 touchdowns and has added four touchdown receptions. His work in his first season in Houston after a trade from Cincinnati has helped the team deal with those significant injuries to the receiving corps.
Mixon ranks third in the NFL by averaging 88.7 yards rushing a game and has had at least 100 yards rushing in seven games.
Stroud has continually raved about Mixon’s contributions on and off the field.
“He’s a servant, a helper,” Stroud said. “That’s ultimately what I want to be as well. Who can I serve and how can I help? That’s ultimately what the game of football is.”
While Mixon has been the team’s most important new acquisition on offense, Danielle Hunter has been Houston’s new defensive star. The defensive end spent his first eight seasons in Minnesota before joining the Texans this year.
He has helped Houston lead the NFL with 84 tackles for loss after piling up 15 this season, which is tied for third most in the league. He also leads the Texans with 10½ sacks to help them rank second with 42.
Hunter been a great addition to a team that already had defensive end Will Anderson Jr., last year’s AP Defensive Rookie of the Year. Anderson ranks second to Hunter on the team with 13 tackles for loss and 9½ sacks.
Ryans said this week’s break is much needed for a team that opened the preseason on Aug. 1 in the Hall of Fame game.
“It’s here and we’re going to take advantage of it,” he said. “We’ve been going at it for a long time.”
The Texans need to recharge this week with a brutal stretch of three games in 10 days when they return from their bye. Houston hosts Miami on Dec. 15 before a trip to Kansas City on Dec. 21 and a visit from the Ravens on Christmas Day.
“It’s Christmas and all that, but we can’t worry about that. All we can do is focus on Miami,” Caserio said. “And then when we get through the Miami game, then we kind of turn the page to the next. ... We’re either going to earn it or we’re not. Not to oversimplify it, but that’s the truth.”
The Texans will play those game without starting linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair after he received a three-game suspension for his violent hit to the head of Jacksonville’s Trevor Lawrence, which led to a concussion.
Al-Shaair will be eligible to return for Houston’s regular-season finale against Tennessee.