Where does Altuve's home run rank?
The 5 most memorable moments in Houston sports history
Oct 20, 2019, 1:02 pm
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Saturday night, Jose Altuve hit a walk-off home run to send the Astros back to the World Series. As single sports moments go, it was up there. A look at where it ranks:
5) CRAIG BIGGIO'S 3000th HIT
The Astros had a terrific run with Craig Biggio and Jeff Bagwell leading the way, but by 2007, the run was coming to an end. They never quite got over the top, but in the last great moment of the era, Biggio would get his 3000th hit on June 28 against the Colorado Rockies. It would be his third hit of a five hit night and would all but guarantee his spot in the Hall of Fame.
4) MIKE SCOTT'S CLINCHING NO HITTER
On Sept. 25, 1986, Mike Scott took the mound against the San Francisco Giants with a chance to clinch the NL West and earn the team's second all-time playoff appearance. Back then, there were two divisions in each league, and the winners of each met in the NLCS. Scott would punch the ticket in amazing fashion, striking out 13 Giants and pitching a no-hitter. It was the only time a division was clinched with a no-hit performance and it topped this list for many years. The Astros would go on to lose a classic series against the Mets, but the Scott moment would live in Houston lore forever.
3) ALTUVE'S BLAST
Tied in the ninth, Jose Altuve hit a walk-off home run off of Aroldis Chapman to send the Astros to the World Series for the third time in history and second time in three years.
2) ALEX BREGMAN'S WALK-OFF IN GAME 5 OF THE 2017 SERIES
It did not win a title - yet - but it did put the Astros up 3-2 in the Series, which they would go on to win in seven games. Alex Bregman's hit drove in Derek Fisher in the bottom of the 10th inning to give the Astros a 13-12 win in one of the greatest World Series games ever played. Without it, the Astros do not win their first World Series.
1) ROCKETS WIN GAME 7 AGAINST THE KNICKS FOR FIRST TITLE
The 1993-94 Hakeem Olajuwon led Rockets were on the cusp of their first ever NBA title, and the first major sports championship in the city's history. Olajuwon came up big in Game 7 with 25 points, 10 rebounds, 7 assists and 3 blocks as the Rockets held on for the 90-84 win as the Knicks' John Starks shot 2 for 18. As the clock ticked down to zero, the city had its first ever title in a major sport, after decades of incompetence.
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It's Week 18 of the NFL season, which means just one more weekend remains before postseason action begins.
The two-time defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs and star quarterback Patrick Mahomes look like a formidable opponent once again and have already clinched the No. 1 seed in the AFC bracket with a 15-1 record.
Over in the NFC, a crucial game awaits when the Minnesota Vikings (14-2) travel to face the Detroit Lions (14-2) on Sunday in a game that will decide the division winner, the No. 1 seed in the conference and home-field advantage until the Super Bowl.
Here are some more things to watch as the regular season winds down:
NFL playoff picture
AFC
Six of the seven spots in the playoff bracket are secure, though the seeding is still up for grabs in some situations. The Chiefs are the top seed while the Buffalo Bills (13-3) own the No. 2 spot. The Baltimore Ravens (11-5), Pittsburgh Steelers (10-6), Los Angeles Chargers (10-6) and Houston Texans (9-7) also know they have more football to play. The Ravens can clinch the No. 3 spot in the bracket with a win over the Browns. The Texans are locked into the No. 4 spot despite a worse record than some teams because they've clinched their division.
As for the seventh team, the Denver Broncos (9-7) are in good position though the Miami Dolphins (8-8) and Cincinnati Bengals (8-8) still have hope. The problem for the Dolphins and Bengals is the Broncos can earn the final spot with a win against Kansas City this weekend, and there's not much incentive for the Chiefs to play their starters considering they've already got the No. 1 seed wrapped up.
NFC
Much like the AFC, six of the seven spots are taken. The Vikings, Lions, Philadelphia Eagles (13-3), Green Bay Packers (11-5), Los Angeles Rams (10-6) and Washington Commanders (11-5) will be in the bracket. Minnesota and Detroit will duke it out for the No. 1 seed next Sunday while the loser falls all the way to No. 5. The Eagles have secured the No. 2 spot.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers (9-7) have the inside track for the final spot, needing a win over the New Orleans Saints this weekend to secure their place. If they lose, the Atlanta Falcons (8-8) could still sneak into the bracket if they beat the Carolina Panthers.
NFL playoff format
The 14-team bracket enters its fifth season after debuting during the 2020 season. Seven teams advance to the postseason from both the AFC and the NFC.
The four division winners in each conference earn the top four seeds, ranked by their records. The last three teams are all wild-card selections, also ranked by record.
The format means the No. 1 seed in each conference is very important because it guarantees a wild card round bye and homefield advantage until the Super Bowl. For the other 12 teams in the opening round, the No. 7 seed travels to the No. 2 seed, No. 6 goes to No. 3 and No. 5 travels to No. 4.
NFL playoff schedule
Jan. 11-13: Wild Card Round. Two games on Saturday, three on Sunday, one on Monday.
Jan. 18-19: Divisional Round. Two games on Saturday, two on Sunday.
Jan. 26: AFC and NFC Conference Championships.
Feb. 9: Super Bowl LIX at the Superdome in New Orleans.
NFL playoff betting odds
According to BetMGM Sportsbook, the Chiefs are the favorites to win the Super Bowl at +375. The Lions are right behind them at +400 while the Bills are third at +550.
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