DeAndre Hopkins almost singlehandedly beat the Cowboys. Tim Warner/Getty Images
DeAndre Hopkins set the Texans up for plenty of success today but none bigger than his overtime dash to get the Texans into field goal range for the game-winning kick in the 19-16 win over the Cowboys.
Hopkins beat his man catching the ball and spinning out of a tackle for a 49-yard gain on the biggest offensive play of the night. A few plays later the Texans kicked a field goal for a win.
"I think it was man to man," he said. "Deshaun (Watson) put the ball on the money."
Hopkins joked his spin moves on the big play didn't make him dizzy but said he was trying to set the Texans up for a win knowing the team needed just a field goal.
"I fumbled, but I knew I had to make a play," Hopkins said. "I wasn't trying to go down easy."
He contributed without making a play as well. In the fourth quarter with the game tied Hopkins flew into the end zone drawing a pass interference as he came up short on the catch. The penalty set the Texans up for a field goal to take the lead later in the drive.
A rare Hopkins mistake led to a Dallas score. On the third play out of halftime, Hopkins caught a pass and was tangled up with the Cowboys defense, which ripped the ball from his hands. It would lead to the lone Dallas touchdown on the ensuing Cowboys drive.
"I was just trying to make a play," he said. Hopkins said he felt like his progress was stopped so he tried to reach for more before the Dallas players dislodged the ball.
Defense was also on the box score for Hopkins as well. He batted down the Cowboys final pass attempt in regulation helping to send the game to overtime. Hopkins stood in the end zone waiting for the Dak Prescott pass knocking it out and down to the ground amongst a big pile of players.
All together Hopkins rattled off another impressive line. He caught nine passes for 151 yards. He made up for his mistake in the third quarter by drawing a big pass interference call and a huge overtime play to set the Texans up for the winning kick.
He's almost unguardable at this point. Hopkins really isn't slowed in any way these days, getting open with even the stingiest defenses on him. He's arguably the most consistent wideout in football, succeeding even on a day when the offense sputters and has a tough time getting into a flow.
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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.