Jonathan Joseph had a big game. Bob Levey/Getty Images
He is one of the elder statesmen of the secondary and with veteran intuition Johnathan Joseph made the biggest play of his season, picking off Nathan Peterman and taking the lead for the Texans on their way to squeaking out the win on Sunday against the Bills.
On second and 10 with just under two minutes left, Peterman let one rip towards Kelvin Benjamin but Joseph stepped in front of the Bills pass and returned it 28 yards for the go-ahead score.
"We had a great call for the defense," Joseph said. "Zone pressure and I think Kareem (Jackson) did a great job all day disguising things and we hadn't called that play all day."
The Texans trailed by three points but had first and goal from the one. Unfortunately, the red zone woes continued. The Texans managed to just tie the game, giving the Bills the ball back with a chance to take the lead.
With no timeouts and just under two minutes, the Bills were committed to passing with their backup. Joseph made them pay. The ensuing drive saw Kareem Jackson add an interception of his own.
Jadeveon Clowney joked after the game it was an "old guy" day with two of the longest-tenured Texans making plays in the game. Jackson laughed when he heard that and implored the young guys to play until they have an "old guy" game.
Joseph was active on the day scoring six tackles and adding a couple of pass deflections to his stat line. He said postgame he hurt his shoulder earlier in the game but stayed in. It was his first interception of the season. Joseph tied Jackson for the Texans career lead in interceptions with his grab making it 14 for his career. Jackson would break that tie with his 15th on the next drive.
Most Popular
SportsMap Emails
Are Awesome
Listen Live
Jeremy Peña homered and Yordan Alvarez got his first hit this season, a tiebreaking double in the sixth inning that lifted the Houston Astros to a 2-1 win over the New York Mets on Saturday night.
Houston took two of three in a season-opening series between 2024 playoff teams.
Spencer Arrighetti (1-0) allowed just one hit, a first-inning double to Juan Soto, and one run with five strikeouts in six innings. Astros closer Josh Hader walked Soto to start the ninth before retiring the next three batters for his second save, completing the one-hitter.
The game was tied with two outs in the sixth when Alvarez knocked a double off the wall in center field to send Isaac Paredes home from first base, putting Houston on top 2-1.
Griffin Canning (0-1) gave up four hits and two runs over 5 2/3 innings in his Mets debut.
Canning had allowed just one hit on a leadoff single to Jose Altuve when Peña gave the Astros their first homer this season on his shot to the seats in left field with no outs in the fifth to make it 1-0.
Soto doubled with one out in the first and Brandon Nimmo walked with two outs. Arrighetti retired the next 13 batters before walking Jose Siri to start the sixth.
Siri stole second against his former team before advancing to third on a flyout by Francisco Lindor.
Soto then grounded out to Arrighetti and Siri dashed home, sliding in just before the tag to tie it at 1.
The Mets went 0 for 8 with runners in scoring position.
Key moment
The double by Alvarez that gave Houston the lead for good.
Key stat
Canning, who spent his first five seasons with the Angels, fell to 0-4 in 10 career starts against the Astros.
Up next
Both teams are off Sunday before Houston hosts the Giants for a three-game series beginning Monday night and the Mets play at Miami that night.