
Deshaun Watson is lost for the season. Bob Levey/Getty Images
The Lord giveth.
The Lord taketh away.
Less than 24 hours after Houston finally wins its first World Series, the joy got sucked out of the air.
The superstar in the making, record-setting quarterback DeShaun Watson is done for the year. He tore his ACL in a non-contact drill during the Texans practice.
The National Championship star from Clemson will be replaced by Tom I have never thrown an NFL touchdown pass in four limited seasons. Savage.
A former fourth-round pick from Pitt, Savage has a solid arm but the mobility of an overweight sumo wrestler. The scouting report -- as well as the eye test -- indicates he holds on the ball too long, causing sacks.
No. 3 has limited mobility, along with feet of clay. The offensive line has done it with smoke and mirrors thanks to the freakish nature of Watson’s running and escapability.
Hurricane Harvey was followed by season-ending injuries to Whitney Mercilus and J.J Watt. Now? This for a franchise that appears cursed.
With the trade of left tackle Duane Brown to Seattle, fourth round pick Juliien Davenport will be making his first start.
So, who will be the backup quarterback? None other than a kid coached by Bill O’Brien at Penn State, Matt McGloin, cut from the Eagles in training camp.
General Manager Rick Smith McNair informed the coaches immediately after the injury.
The Texans could have put a stop to the collusion case of Colin Kaepernick against the NFL and signed him. But the combination of the controversial quarterback’s weak arm and Mc Nair’s ill-timed remarks put an end to that thinking.
A younger and healthier McNair would have brought the former Niner in, got assurances he would stand with his teammates and ended the anthem crap all with a stroke of a pen.
That would have been a Public Relations coup, and stopping the perception held around the nation of Robert. C. McNair, Jr.
Instead, it is yet another reason why the Texans continue to make baffling moves.
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It wasn’t just a win — it was a glimpse into the Astros’ future
Jun 27, 2025, 10:43 pm
Two first-place teams, identical records, and a weekend set with serious measuring-stick energy.
The Houston Astros and Chicago Cubs open a three-game series Friday night at Daikin Park, in what could quietly be one of the more telling matchups of the summer. Both teams enter at 48-33, each atop their respective divisions — but trending in slightly different directions.
The Astros have been red-hot, going 7-3 over their last 10 while outscoring opponents by 11 runs. They've done it behind one of the best pitching staffs in baseball, with a collective 3.41 ERA that ranks second in the American League. Houston has also been dominant at home, where they’ve compiled a 30-13 record — a stat that looms large heading into this weekend.
On the other side, the Cubs have held their ground in the NL Central but have shown some recent shakiness. They're 5-5 over their last 10 games and have given up 5.66 runs per game over that stretch. Still, the offense remains dangerous, ranking fifth in on-base percentage across the majors. Kyle Tucker leads the way with a .287 average, 16 homers, and 49 RBIs, while Michael Busch has been hot of late, collecting 12 hits in his last 37 at-bats.
Friday’s pitching matchup features Houston’s Brandon Walter (0-1, 3.80 ERA, 1.10 WHIP) and Chicago’s Cade Horton (3-1, 3.73 ERA, 1.29 WHIP), a promising young arm making one of his biggest starts of the season on the road. Horton will have his hands full with Isaac Paredes, who’s slugged 16 homers on the year, and Mauricio Dubón, who’s found a groove with four home runs over his last 10 games.
It’s the first meeting of the season between these two clubs — and if the trends continue, it may not be the last time they cross paths when it really counts.
BETMGM SPORTSBOOK LINE: Astros -112, Cubs -107; over/under is 8 1/2 runs
Here's a preview of Joe Espada's Game 1 lineup.
The first thing that stands out is rookie Cam Smith is hitting cleanup, followed by Jake Meyers. Victor Caratini is the DH and is hitting sixth. Christian Walker is all the way down at seventh, followed by Yainer Diaz, and Taylor Trammell who is playing left field.
How the mighty have fallen.
Pretty wild to see Walker and Diaz hitting this low in the lineup. However, it's justified, based on performance. Walker is hitting a pathetic .214 and Diaz is slightly better sporting a .238 batting average.
Screenshot via: MLB.com
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