Texans Recap: Week Nine
Sunday at Reliant stadium the Texans came back home to host the Tampa Bay Buccaneers lead by Baker Mayfield. The Bucs are 0-6 all time in Houston and Baker was looking to end their 3 game losing streak.
The Texans started their first drive with a turnover. Dalton Schultz had the ball punched out and Tampa Bay recovered deep in Houston territory. The Bucs kicked a 35 yard field goal to go up 3-0. That was the Bucs first lead in the first quarter all year.
The Texans answered with a 14 yard grab from Nico Collins off his slant route. CJ had his offense lined up with heavy personnel on the right side and threw to the left where Collins was single covered.
The score was 3-7 with 9 minutes left in the first quarter. Baker Mayfield found Chris Godwin a couple of times, and the Texans helped the Bucs with a few penalties. Baker ended up throwing a touchdown to tight end Cade Otton to make it 10-7. The Bucs ate up 7 minutes on 12 plays for 75 yards.
Both teams traded punts to go into the second quarter. On their 4th drive Tampa Bay efficiently got down the field. Their rookie running back Rachaad White from ASU was crucial all day. He walked into the end zone to make it 17-7.
The Texans got the ball back and the drive ended with a 50 yard field goal to make it 17-10.
The second half was all Texans. Even without a kicker. Ka’imi Fairbairn the Texans kicker injured his quad. They didn’t have a backup kicker so in comes running back Dare Ogunbowale to kickoff.
After a Tampa Bay field goal to make it 20-10, CJ Stroud threw Noah Brown a short pass, and Brown hugged the sideline for a 75 yard touchdown on the first play of the drive. Without a kicker the Texans elect to go for 2 and fail. With 12 minutes left in the 3rd it’s 20-16 Tampa.
CJ Stroud gets another turn and he threw a strike to Tank Dell for a 29 yard touchdown. 23-22 after a missed 2 point try. After another Bucs punt, CJ managed to throw a touchdown to Shultz to take the lead 23-30 with 14 minutes left in the 4th.(Ogunbowale hit the P.A.T.)
Mayfield put the Buccaneers on top with a 14-yard touchdown pass to Cade Otton with 46 seconds left.
But the Texans (4-4) drove down the field and Stroud found Tank Dell in the end zone with 6 seconds left to give the Texans the lead.
Stroud kneeled instead of attempting the 2-point conversion with kicker Kaʻimi Fairbairn out with an injury.
Rookie C.J. Stroud threw for five touchdowns and a rookie-record 470 yards to lift Houston Texans to a 39-37 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in a wild back-and-forth game.
