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The Texans served a 50-burger to the Falcons as they improved to 3-2 in a 53-32 romp. They took care of business against a team they should have. Here are my observations:
The Good
-Deshaun Watson and Will Fuller both had career games. Watson threw for 426 yards (career high), five touchdowns (tied career high) while completing 84.8% of his passes(career High). Fuller pulled in 14 of his 17 targets (career high when targeted over 10 times) for 217 yards and three touchdowns (both are career highs).
-Keeping with the offensive explosion theme, they scored on eight of their 10 possessions. Make it nine of 11 if you include the pick six. That kind of output is beyond impressive. It's a conversion of playing a bad team, and...
-...Bill O'Brien calling a great game. He finally put together a gameplan inwhich he took full advantage of the team they were up against while playing into the stregnths of his own team. I know I've crushed him in the past, but I also give credit when it's due. These are the kinds of games I wish O'Brien could have more of.
The Bad
-Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan completed 69% of his passes. Against better teams, this would've been a sure sign of a loss. 60% is a low end benchmark. Anything above that is considered pretty good. When you approach 70%, it's rare air. A quarterback in that range usually wins. This can't keep happening if they expect to build upon this win.
-Giving up 9/16 3rd down conversions is pretty damn bad. 56.3% is enough to by far lead the league in this category. A team with around 50% could lead the league, anything above that...well, you got the drift from the previous entry.
-Carlos Hyde averaged only 2.9 yards per carry. The team ran for 166 yards on 34 carries. Take out Hyde's 21 carries, and they ran for 106 yards on 13 carries for a 8.2 yards per carry average. Not saying they would've kept up that production, but Hyde gas to get it into gear if he expects to take advantage of playing time and touches.
The Ugly
-The Texans committed nine penalties accepted for 89 yards. Penalties are one of the poor themes this team has had going all year so far. If they don't find a cure for this ailment, it'll take them apart eventually.
-DeAndre Carter muffed a punt on the first play of the fouth quarter when the Texans were up 33-17. It led to a Falcons touchdown and two-point conversion that drew them within one score, 33-25. This could've been much worse had the offensive explosion not continued into the 4th quarter.
-Speaking of fumbles, the Texans coughed it up a total of five times, but managed to recover four of them. Had they not recovered four of the five fumbles, this score could've easily been reversed. Better teams tend to convert turnovers into points and don't pass on an opportunity to get them.
The Texans have the sniffles early on this season. As in what can best be described as the early signs of a full-blown cold, they have issues, but not bad enough to call it the flu. This was a chicken noodle soup game for them. The Falcons came into this game with a wealth of talent, and an underwhelming 1-3 record. While chicken noodle soup soothes the throat and can also warm you up, it only masks the symptoms. If the symptoms worsen or progress, they'll need some over the counter or prescription meds depending on the severity. So far, so good. They've been able to stave off the hard core cough, congestion, and stuffy breathing. They showed they can put up video game numbers if given the chance. Next week, they're rewarded with the Chiefs in Kansas City. That will be the thermometer game to see if the fever has broken, or if it has gotten worse.
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The Houston Astros wrapped up yet another series win this week, this time taking two of three from the struggling Colorado Rockies at Coors Field. Despite missing several key players and a bullpen that wasn’t fully available, the Astros continued their recent run of success, pushing their record to 52-35.
Manager Joe Espada appeared to be playing the long game in the rubber match on Thursday. After Houston rallied to tie the game in the seventh inning, Espada stuck with reliever Jordan Weems instead of turning to his high-leverage arms. That decision, while frustrating to some fans hoping for the sweep, underscored the team’s cautious approach to workload management as they navigate a long season.
One bright spot continues to be rookie Cam Smith, who delivered again in the clutch with a two-run triple in the seventh inning on Thursday. Smith has been Houston’s most dependable bat with runners on base and is quickly settling into the cleanup role—a rarity for a first-year player but one he’s earned with his poise and production.
Astros cleanup hitter RBIs this season:
Cam Smith: 10 RBIs in 7 games
All others: 28 RBIs in 80 games
— Matt Kawahara (@matthewkawahara) July 3, 2025
Off the field, the biggest storyline continues to be Yordan Alvarez’s injury. After reports surfaced that the slugger had experienced a setback in his return from a fractured hand, the team clarified that the issue is inflammation, not the fracture itself. Astros general manager Dana Brown said Alvarez received injections to address the irritation and is expected to rest for now. Encouragingly, the Astros say the fracture is no longer a concern, and while there’s still no definitive timeline for his return, the overall tone from the club was optimistic.
The transparency around Alvarez’s situation is part of a larger shift. After being criticized in recent seasons for vague injury updates, the Astros have begun issuing daily availability reports. It’s a move that signals the front office is trying to regain some trust with the media and fans after a stretch of frustrating ambiguity around player health.
Now, the Astros head to Los Angeles for a marquee matchup with the defending champion Dodgers. Friday’s opener will feature Lance McCullers Jr. making just his second start since returning from the injured list. McCullers gave up eight runs in his return against the Cubs and will be under the spotlight as he looks to settle back into form. Control will be the key, as walks have long been McCullers’ Achilles’ heel.
Saturday sets the stage for one of the most anticipated pitching matchups of the season: Framber Valdez versus Shohei Ohtani. With both teams fighting for positioning in their respective divisions, this weekend in LA should serve as a measuring stick—and perhaps a postseason preview.
There's so much more to get to! Don't miss the video below as we examine the topics above and much, much more!
The MLB season is finally upon us! Join Brandon Strange, Josh Jordan, and Charlie Pallilo for the Stone Cold ‘Stros podcast which drops each Monday afternoon, with an additional episode now on Thursday.
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