Texans 22, Bills 19
Texans pull off late rally against Bills, escape with rare playoff win in OT
Jan 4, 2020, 7:14 pm
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The Texans needed a little bit of magic on Saturday. In overtime, Deshaun Watson gave them just that.
Watson made one of his magical escapes from a sack, hit Taiwan Jones for a 37-yard play to set up the game-winning field goal in a dramatic 22-19 win over the Buffalo Bills.
The win featured a little bit of everything. A typical Texans playoff first half where they went down 13-0 when they were badly outplayed and outcoached.
But then they rallied from down 16-0 - something they had never done under Bill O'Brien - took a 19-16 lead, blew it on defense, went to overtime where they managed to get a game winning field goal on their second possession thanks to Watson.
They won it in spite of a standard playoff performance early. They found themselves in a 16-0 hole late in the third quarter and looking at yet another first round embarrassment.
Turning the tide
But then J.J. Watt came up with a sack, and held the Bills to a field goal attempt that made the 16-0 margin. After that, the offense finally figured they could run the ball up the gut, and they needed to get Deshaun Watson moving on designed running plays. They marched down and made it 16-8 with a two-point conversion. They forced a fumble that led to a field goal. Then they forced the Bills into their first three and out of the game, and the stage was set with just over nine minutes left in the fourth quarter.
Watson at his best
Watson led them on a scoring drive that resulted in a touchdown and two point conversion and a 19-16 lead with just under five minutes left. They made clutch play after clutch play to take the lead.
But then the defense, bad late in games all season, let the Bills march right down the field and have a chance to tie the game. However, Whitney Mercilus forced an intentional grounding penalty and a fourth and 27. the Jacob Martin followed it up with a sack. Still, the Texans could not run out the clock, and the Bills had one last chance with 1:16 left and no timeouts. The Bills once again got into field goal range, and this time they tied it and send the game to overtime.
Doesn't mask the problems
The victory should not excuse some of the coaching errors. Bill O'Brien wasted a challenge on a PI call that was never being overturned. His play calling was conservative and predictable for the better part of three quarters. He handcuffed Watson early with poor play calling.
But the Texans overcame that. As bad as the play calling was early, it was excellent in the fourth quarter. It put the game in Watson's hands, and the stars came to play. Watson and DeAndre Hopkins led the offense. Watt led the defense. Players made plays. Watson. Hopkins. Mercilus. Watt. There is a saying in the hockey playoffs; your best players have to be your best players. When it counted, the Texans best players were the best players.
What's next?
The Texans will face Kansas City next week, based on the Titans beating the Patriots. The Texans will have to play significantly better - and coach better - to be competitive. They won in KC earlier this year, but Pat Mahomes was hobbled and the defense has improved, so they will be significant underdogs. But they did something few expected them to do - come back from a massive deficit and advance to the next round. They were 0-22 in the Bill O'Brien era down 16 points or more. Now they are 1-22 and O'Brien has his second playoff win in five tries.
Getting more will be difficult, but they showed some heart and grit, and in the end, they escaped with a win.
And Watson made it happen.
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Ronel Blanco struck out a career-high 11 in eight innings and Shawn Dubin completed the two-hitter to lead the Houston Astros to a 6-0 win over the Cincinnati Reds on Sunday.
Yainer Diaz hit a three-run homer in the third to give Houston an early lead and Christian Walker added two hits and three RBIs to help the Astros take the series 2-1.
It was the second-longest start of Blanco's career and longest since he tossed a no-hitter in his season debut last year in a 10-0 win over the Blue Jays on April 1.
Blanco (3-3) retired the first nine batters, with six strikeouts, before walking TJ Friedl to start the fourth. He sat down the next four batters before Spencer Steer got Cincinnati’s first hit on a double to the corner of left field with one out in the fifth.
But Blanco quickly got back on track and retired the next nine batters before Jose Trevino doubled with one out in the eighth. Will Benson grounded out before Blanco struck out Santiago Espinal to end his day and head to the dugout to a standing ovation.
It was a much-needed performance for a team that used six relievers in a 13-9 loss Saturday night after starter Lance McCullers Jr. allowed seven runs and was pulled after getting just one out.
The soaring home run by Diaz off rookie Chase Petty (0-2) came with one out in the third inning to make it 3-0 and extend his hitting streak to nine games.
The Astros led by four when they loaded the bases with no outs in the sixth. Walker singled on a line drive to center field to score two and make it 6-0.
Petty allowed six hits and four runs with six walks in three-plus innings in his second major league start.
The Astros were without Jose Altuve a day after he left in the third inning with tightness in his right hamstring.
Manager Joe Espada said Altuve was feeling better Sunday and he expects him to return to the lineup in a couple of days.
Key moment
Blanco struck out the side in the first inning to set the tone for a dominate outing.
Key stat
Blanco had struck out nine batters three times before his career-high strikeout performance Sunday.
Up next
The Reds are off Monday and RHP Ryan Gusto (3-1, 2.93 ERA) will start for Houston in the opener of a three-game series against Kansas City on Monday night.