View Full Version : Official Texans vs. Saints Game Thread, 11/29/2015
The 5-5 Texans take on the 4-6 New Orleans Saints Sunday in an early game at NRG stadium. The Saints are coming off their bye week and the recent dismissal of defensive coordinator Rob Ryan. Sometimes this results in an uptick in play even though the Saints defense is presently rated last in the league in some categories and metrics.
QB Brian Hoyer returns to the Texans lineup after going through the concussion protocol. TJ Yates filled in well with fine relief in the Cincy game and by leading the Texans to a victory over the NY Jets last week, 24-17.
Texans are 3-0 ATS and the Saints are 0-3 ATS in their last three games but I'm expecting a close game, however.
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TV = FOX (channel 26 local), Sunday, noon CST, Nov 29
Announcers (http://506sports.com/nfl.php?yr=2015&wk=12) = Joe Davis, David Diehl
The line (http://www.madduxsports.com/nfl-odds.php) = Texans by 3
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Thursday/Thanksgiving games:
Philadephia @ Detroit, 11:30 am, FOX
Carolina @ Dallas, 3:30 pm, CBS
Chicago @ Green Bay, 7:30 pm, NBC
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Other Sunday viewing in the Houston area:
CBS (late) = Pittsburgh @ Seattle -- Jim Nantz, Phil Simms, 3:25 pm
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Other prime time:
SNF = New England @ Denver, NBC, 7:30 pm
MNF = Baltimore @ Cleveland, ESPN, 7:30 pm
Hopefully, Brees likes it here so much on Sunday he'll decide to come here after he's cut this offseason and be our QB for the next couple of years while they're grooming a youngster. ;)
The Saints O isn't what it used to be. That happens when you trade your best weapon. I can't imagine what Graham would've done to this LB group.
Hopefully, Hoyer can remember the plays, and we can stretch our streak to 4.
HPF Bob
11-26-2015, 12:25 PM
A low-scoring game favors the Texans. A high-scoring game favors the Saints.
Please, let's have another Kareem Jacksonless week. Our defense looks so much better without him drawing flags on third down.
@AaronWilson_NFL
Texans listed all of their injured players as probable
This marks the first time the Texans haven't had any players listed as questionable or worse all season, healthiest they've been all year
Good time of the year to be fully healthy.
Reading the tea leaves, the spread has taken a last minute jump to 3.5 and 4 which is a good sign for the Texans....
Gametime in about 3 minutes....
Saints win the toss and elect to receive.
Kickoff is a touchback.
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Saint's ball at their 20.
Pass to Snead gets 5.
Pass to Cooks gets 8 and the 1st down.
Ingram for 1.
Low pass to Watson goes inc. Brings up 3rd and 9.
Pass to Cooks too tall, inc. Saints will have to punt.
Mumph brings the punt back to the Texan 30.
Texan's ball at their 30.
Blue goes right side for 11.
Rollout pass to Fido goes to the Saint 45.
Blue for 4.
Flags presnap. False start, Brooks, -5. Make it 2nd and 11 coming up.
Pass to Hop over the middle gets 8. 3rd and 3 coming up.
Pass to Hop in the flat gets 6 or 7 and the 1st down. Ball at the Saint 31.
Pass to Griffin gets 4.
Blue for 2. 3rd and 4 coming up.
Hoyer hits Shorts in the flat for the 1st down at the Saint 17.
Blue for 3.
Pass to Blue over the middle gets 4. 3rd and 3 coming up.
Hoyer pressured, finds Griffin in the flat for the TD!
Texans 7, Saints 0
6:57 left in the 1st qtr.
Big Texas
11-29-2015, 12:15 PM
An instant game plan that I notice is the hard counts. This is definitely causing the D Line to hesitate...
The ensuing kickoff is a touchback.
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Saint's ball at their 20.
Screen to Ingram gets sniffed out for a loss of 2.
Quick pass to Cooks in the flat loses 2. 3rd and 14 coming up.
Dumpoff to Spiller only gets 1 or 2. Saints will have to punt.
Mumph brings the punt back to midfield.
Big Texas
11-29-2015, 12:30 PM
It feels like it's been forever since I've seen a back come out our backfield as FAST as Hunt just did...wow
Texan's ball at midfield.
4:58 left in the 1st qtr.
Pass to Hop over the middle gets 13.
Polk runs for 6.
Polk for almost 3. 3rd and 1 coming up.
Flags presnap. Offsides defense, 5 yards and a 1st down.
Shorts takes an end around for 6 yards.
Polk for 2. 3rd and 2 coming up.
Akeem Hunt takes the pitch right all the way to the 3 yard line. 1st and goal.
Timeout Texans.
Sweep play to Shorts goes for the TD!
Texans 14, Saints 0
1:29 left in the 1st qtr.
Spiller brings the ensuing kickoff back to about the Saint 22.
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Saint's ball at their 22.
Ingram loses 2.
Brees pressured throws inc in the flat. 3rd and 12 coming up.
Pass to Cooks gets 11..... Saints will have to punt.
Mumph gets smothered catching the punt at the Texan 16.
End of the 1st qtr.
Big Texas
11-29-2015, 12:44 PM
Hoyer just said "alright ummmm 50s the Mike"
Texan's ball at their 16.
Polk for 4.
Nice touch pass to Griffin goes for 21.
Screen to Hop just gets 1.
Hoyer's pass is INT'ed by Byrd... flag on the run back...illegal block in the back on the Saints after the INT places the ball at the Saint 49.
Saint's ball at their 49.
Ingram for a loss of 1.
Pass to Cooks gets 11 and the 1st down.
Sweep to Spiller goes for a loss of 2.
Brees's pass nearly INT'ed but flag on the Saints for (holding?) backs it up 10 yards. 2nd and 22 coming up.
Screen to Ingram loses 1. 3rd and 23 coming up.
Deep pass is overthrown out of bounds, inc. Saints will have to punt.
Punt goes out of bounds at the Texan 11.
Texan's ball at their 11.
10:21 left in the half.
Blue for 6.
Screen to Hunt gets sniffed out for loss of 3. 3rd and 7 coming up.
Pass to Washington over the middle goes inc. Texans have to punt.
Saints bring the punt back to the the Texan 48.... flag is down.... (must've been against the Texans and declined.)
No flag on the punt.
Saint's ball at the Texan 48.
Brees can't find a receiver and throws it away, inc.
Ingram sweeps right and gets loose for 29 yards. Ball at the Texan 19.
Flag presnap.....delay of game on the Saints, -5. 1st and 15 coming up.
Pass to Watson gets 4.
Brees throws over the middle inc. 3rd and 11 coming up.
Brees hits Watson for about 9. Saints going for the 30 yard FG.
Forbath's FG is good.
Texans 14, Saints 3
6:31 left in the half.
Warren
11-29-2015, 01:07 PM
Has Fox said why they're not showing the first down line on the broadcast? Or are they just cutting costs on a lower-profile game?
The ensuing kickoff is brought back to about the Texan 23.
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Texan's ball at their 23.
Grimes for 3.
Grimes takes the snap for a 1st down.
Dumpoff to Grimes gets about 8.
Grimes for 3 and the 1st down. About 4 minutes left in the half.
Hoyer pressured, throws it away, inc but a flag is down.... holding on the Texans (Brown) makes it 1st and 20.
Grimes for a couple. Saints use a timeout.
On 2nd and 18, Hoyer's pass is tipped in the air and Polk comes down with it for 6 yards. 3rd and 12 coming up.
Pass to Shorts goes for 7. Ball at midfield and the Texans will have to punt.
Lechler's punt goes into the endzone, touchback.
2:31 left in the half.
Has Fox said why they're not showing the first down line on the broadcast? Or are they just cutting costs on a lower-profile game?
No idea. They're not very quick with the down and distance info either...
Saint's ball at their 20.
Pass to Colston goes for 11.
Brees pressured, gets rid of the pass and gets called for grounding. Makes it 2nd and 21 coming up.
Screen to Ingram goes for 17. 3rd and 4 coming up.
2 minute warning.
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On 3rd and 4, pass to Snead goes for 24 and the 1st down.
Pass to Snead off the mark, inc. Ball at the Texan 40.
On 2nd and 10, pass in the flat not close to anyone, inc. Brings up 3rd and 10.
Pass is defensed by Pleasant, inc. Saints will try the long range FG....
Saints use their last timeout.
Forbath's 57-yarder is good.
Texans 14, Saints 6
1:12 left in the half.
The ensuing kickoff is brought back by Mumph to the Texan 21.
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Texan's ball at their 21.
Pass to Hop off the mark, inc.
Grimes for 3. Brings up 3rd and 7.
Grimes for only a couple.
Time expires, halftime.
Texans 14, Saints 6
2nd half kickoff is a touchback.
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Texan's ball at their 20.
Pass to Washington in the flat draws the PI on the Saints. Ball at the 30.
Blue for almost 6.
Deep pass to Shorts is overthrown, but holding on the Saints places the ball at the Texan 41.
Blue for 1.
Pass over the middle to Griffin goes all the way to the Saint 21. 37 yards.
Pass to Fido gets 6. 2nd and 4 coming up.
Pass to Hop goes to the 8 yard line, 1st and goal....
Blue punches it in from the 8!
Texans 21, Saints 6
11:28 left in the 3rd qtr.
The ensuing kickoff is a touchback.
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Saint's ball at their 20.
Ingram powers for 16 up the gut.
Watt with the sack! Loss of 5.
Flags presnap. False start Saints, -5. 2nd and 20 coming up.
Pass to Ingram off the mark, inc. 3rd and 20 coming up.
Pass to Ingram is dropped, inc. Saints will have to punt.
Punt goes out of bounds at the Texan 30.
Texan's ball at their 30.
Polk for 2.
Wooo, Shorts loses the ball going for the 1st down but the Texans recover it at the Texan 41.
Polk for 4.
Pass to Washington goes for 38. Ball at the Saint 23.
Pass to Hop in the endzone broken up, inc.
Pass to Griffin behind him, inc. Brings up 3rd and 10.
Pass to Washington goes for almost 7..... Texans will go for the FG.
Novak's 34-yarder is good.
Texans 24, Saints 6
6:05 left in the 3rd qtr.
The ensuing kickoff is brought back to the Saint 23 but flags are down.... illegal block in the back on the Saints, 1/2 the distance....
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Saint's ball at their 7.
Screen to Ingram gets 3.
Ingram for 1. Brings up 3rd and 6.
Brees' pass towards Cooks goes inc. Saints will have to punt.
Mumph brings the punt back to the Texan 48 but a flag is down.....unsportsmanlike penalty on the Saints gunner places the ball at the Saints 37.
Texan's ball at the Saints 37.
4:30 left in the 3rd qtr.
Shorts keeps the snap for 8 yards.
Blue gets about 4 but a flag is down... holding on Texans brings it back. Makes it 2nd and 12 coming up.
Dumpoff pass to Hunt doesn't go anywhere. 3rd and 15 coming up.
Grimes for about 4 or 5.
Texans take a delay of game penalty preceding the punt.....
Punt goes into the endzone, touchback.
Saint's ball at their 20.
Watt with the sack! Loss of 5.
Ingram for 5. Brings up 3rd and 10. About 1 minute left in the 3rd qtr.
Pass to Watson gets a 1st down at the Saint 35.
Ingram for 4.
End of the 3rd qtr.
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On 2nd and 6, pass to Snead goes for 17 and the 1st down in Texan's territory.
Ingram for maybe 1 yard. Ball at the Texan 49.
Saints use a timeout. 13:44 left in the game.
Pass to Spiller gets about 7. 3rd and 4 coming up.
Pass to Watson goes to the 16 yard line of the Texans, 1st down.
Brees' pass in the endzone can't find a home, inc. 2nd and 10 coming up.
Brees' pass is INT'ed by KJ at the goal line! Brings it all the way back to near midfield!
Texan's ball at midfield.
Blue for 2.
Blue for 4. Brings up 3rd and 4.
Pass to Washington gets just enough for the 1st down.
Hoyer throws it near the sideline towards Hop but inc. 2nd and 10 coming up.
Flags presnap, offsides Fido, -5. Brings up 2nd and 15.
Blue for 4 or 5. Brings up 3rd and 11.
Hoyer sacked. Loss of 9 or 10. Texans will have to punt. 9:14 left in the game.
Lechler's punt goes into the endzone, touchback.
chuck
11-29-2015, 02:37 PM
Why don't punters punt the mfing ball out of bounds anymore? I am sick of watching this Aggie redneck punt the ball into the end zone. I see nothing but this all over the league and it drives me fn crazy.
If you're at midfield and you can't punt the ball out of bounds within a linear space of 20 yards then turn in your jersey and go back to work at the dirt factory.
Give them the ball at the 20 and two plays later they're at midfield.
Saint's ball at their 20 with 9:06 left in the game.
Pass to Colston gets 19.
Pass to Cooks gets 7.
Screen to Ingram gets 5 and the 1st down in Texan's territory.
Short pass to Ingram gets 6. 2nd and 4 coming up.
Pass to Snead gets the 1st down at the Texan 35.
Pass to Ingram goes to the Texan 19.
Pass to Watson in the endzone goes inc. 2nd and 10 coming up.
Pass to Watson gets 4 and a flag is down..... holding on Cushing = 5 yards and an auto 1st down at the Texan 14.
Pass to Watson off his hands, inc. 2nd and 10 coming up. 6:18 left in the game.
Pass to the Hoo-man is over his head, inc.
On 3rd and 10, pass to Colston gets 9. Saints going for it on 4th and 1.
Brees throws a jump ball into the endzone but it is knocked down, inc. Texans take over on downs at their 6 yard line.
Texan's ball at their 6.
Blue gets about 11 or 12.
Blue for no gain.
Blue loses 1 or 2 on the sweep right. Brings up 3rd and 12.
Hunt goes for 14 and the 1st down. 3:16 left in the game.
Blue for 3 or 4. Ball at the Texan 37.
Blue runs to the Texan 49 yard line, 1st down.
2 minute warning.
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Texans kneeling it. Saints out of timeouts.
Kneel #2.
Kneel #3.
Final score:
Texans 24, Saints 6
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A couple of blips but the Texans looked in full control today. Good job. Is our little team getting it together?
HPF Bob
11-29-2015, 03:05 PM
Nice boring win. Hoyer was efficient. Defense came up big when they needed a stop. Kareem Jackson kept his hands to himself.
If we got to the Colts game tied for the division lead, that would be amazing. If we left Indy with the division lead, that would be miraculous.
Nconroe
11-29-2015, 03:20 PM
That was a great all around game by Texans.
The Oline with Sua Filo in seems much better getting the ground game and passing game going. So Blue had a pretty good 76 yards and overall over 150 yds on ground. So that led to 36 minutes time of possession.
And defense, wow. Drew Breeze had 49 straight games with a TD pass, but not today. Lots of pressure on Breeze and two more sacks by Watt. And nice interception by Kareem Jackson.
Even special teams seems to cover and tackle as well as get a few returns showing up.
Always helps overall attitude by everyone to win four in a row.
nunusguy
11-29-2015, 04:46 PM
Nice, relaxing win by the Texans. That was sweet.
I want NE to beat the Broncos tonight and Philly next week, and then come into NRG in 2 weeks still unbeaten. Why not, we've already rose to the occasion and beaten an unbeaten team on the road this year, why not beat one at home. If Obrien is worth his salt as a HC, he'll have the Texans sky high for the Pats, and nobody would rather beat them than him.
Solid W.
December football matters. That's all you can ask for.
Huge game this week to keep pace with the Colts.
Goodness. The Texans are now the 6th seed in the playoffs (http://espn.go.com/nfl/standings/_/view/playoff). Yep, if the season ended tomorrow, the Texans would be in the playoffs.....
barrett
11-29-2015, 07:19 PM
Why don't punters punt the mfing ball out of bounds anymore? I am sick of watching this Aggie redneck punt the ball into the end zone. I see nothing but this all over the league and it drives me fn crazy.
If you're at midfield and you can't punt the ball out of bounds within a linear space of 20 yards then turn in your jersey and go back to work at the dirt factory.
Give them the ball at the 20 and two plays later they're at midfield.
It's hilarious that this is your only comment on a 24-6 win.
Hmmm, early line (http://www.madduxsports.com/nfl-odds.php) has the Bills as a 3 to 3.5 pt favorite.... Thought this might be closer to a pickem.... Bills are one of the wild card contenders so, no doubt it would be a good time to keep winning...
chuck
11-29-2015, 11:24 PM
It's hilarious that this is your only comment on a 24-6 win.
Do you know what's really hilarious? It's that I posted this solely to elicit this exact reaction from you. It's as if I wrote it and you simply clicked Submit Reply.
So I win. I guess now I'll have to move on to more interesting subjects.
barrett
11-29-2015, 11:36 PM
Do you know what's really hilarious? It's that I posted this solely to elicit this exact reaction from you. It's as if I wrote it and you simply clicked Submit Reply.
So I win. I guess now I'll have to move on to more interesting subjects.
As I typed it I realized the irony of me making that my only comment on a 24-6 win. And yet I still couldn't resist myself.
About the game, I am now dangerously close to caring about this Texans team.
HPF Bob
11-29-2015, 11:41 PM
In Chuck's defense, he may opt not to check the board when the momentum is going well. I post more often during the game when we suck than when we are doing well because I want to leave well enough alone.
Not that Chuck isn't capable of defending himself, but it explains my absenses during the game. Chuck may be the same way.
barrett
11-29-2015, 11:47 PM
I just enjoy checking in on the weekly Chuck negativity rating (CNR). It's like watching the stock market even when you don't own stock. I'm not invested in it, but I'm more than curious enough to make it noteworthy to me.
Truthfully though, Chuck is usually a more expressive version of what I'm feeling. But occasionally like today, I lose all my pessimism and get fooled into being an old fashioned fan.
chuck
11-29-2015, 11:59 PM
As I typed it I realized the irony of me making that my only comment on a 24-6 win. And yet I still couldn't resist myself.
About the game, I am now dangerously close to caring about this Texans team.
I didn't mention that that was your only post because I knew I didn't have to. I'm basically in the same spot, almost ready to care. I guess in my case it's sort of like the Astros. I can't really call myself a fan because I've distanced myself emotionally from the team and I watch with interest but dispassionately.
I'm finding myself in the same space with the Texans. I'm interested but not really emotionally involved. If they win I can enjoy it and if they lose I can enjoy that, too.
Arky owns the game thread with his pbp. There's less and less game talk during the game. That's why I mainly stay out. I would like to see more and would participate more if there were more. Probably a lot of us are in that same situation.
People that attend the home games are shut out because McNeck won't pay for decent cell coverage inside the stadium, something he surely sees as some bizarre teenage fad like the drive-in movie or the ham radio.
chuck
11-30-2015, 12:02 AM
CNR Market Perform.
Comments are always welcome in the game day thread. I'm just kinda doing my own thing logging every play just to keep my own gameday antsy-ness in place....I can work around any rants/enthusiasm/praise/criticisms, etc. Some days there's just not a whole lot of people logged in....:)
popanot
11-30-2015, 07:20 AM
Thanks for the hard work, Arky. I'd probably be throwing in a few F'Bombs if I were doing play-by-play.
On a side note, can someone please give us a damn hand and beat the Colts?!?!!! :mad:
I thought there were a couple of plays that were telling yesterday...
On the pass KJ INT'ed at the goal line, he catches Brees' pass and falls down untouched. Instantly, Andre Hal comes up to him and tries to pick him up (Get up mf'er! Get up!) To his credit, KJ gets up and returns the INT - about as fast as I've ever seen KJ move - to about the 40 yard line where he runs up the back of Clowney and is eventually tackled. IMO, that was some quick thinking on Hal's part, not so much on KJ but a good result, nonetheless..
Hoyer had excellent pass protection all day (good job, OL) with just one sack. Several times, I saw him in the pocket surveying the field (2 seconds, 3 seconds, 4 seconds....) and thought he was fixin' to uncork a 20 or 30 yard pass only to see him end up checking down..... I think that early (bonehead) INT had him playing it super safe for the rest of the game... Hoyer finished 21/27, 205 yards, 2 TDs, 1 INT, 107.6 rating.
Akeem Hunt - goodness, what a change of pace back he is. A couple of nice runs, one a 14-yarder on 3rd and 12 to help ice the game. I always worry about young, inexperienced speed guys and ball protection but so far, so good.
Keith
11-30-2015, 02:48 PM
chuck is just embodiment of site traffic here. Page hits and unique visitor counts are at their highest when the team is at its worst. It was this way back in the HPF days as well. Not sure I'd call it human nature as much as I'd call it Houston nature. We've been raised to expect the worst and aren't sure how to handle success imo.
Also, game thread posts are typically slower for home games than for away, probably because away games find us more likely to be watching from our recliners with a laptop near by. Old school boards like this aren't as social friendly like Twitter and Facebook with mobile devices. Back to the early 2000's I've been a willing tech dinosaur as it relates to this.
As for the game, if the D can shut down the Saints, then there is no telling how far it can carry this team. We'll certainly find out over the next three games though just how good it is. I can't figure out why it took two months for this unit to get it together... this is what we all expected from game 1. Seems the D got better right around the time Rahim Moore began being a regular healthy scratch.
It took just one carry from Akeem Hunt to make me wonder if he is the best active RB on the roster, talent-wise. Blue, Grimes, and Polk... they are what we thought they were. Each has distinctive traits to help, but it seems none have the ceiling that Hunt has.
Keith
12-03-2015, 01:49 PM
J.J. Watt earned defensive player of the month after this game. He was also mic'd up for it. There are two videos on the official site, and both are must watch. No "sno caps" like last year, but fun to see J.J. being J.J.
http://www.houstontexans.com/tv-media/videos/Inside_the_NFL_JJ_Watt_Micd_Up/957e92b6-3ed1-4c3b-98bf-1abeff8e4d98
http://www.houstontexans.com/tv-media/videos/Bonus-Footage-JJ-Watt-Micd-Up/fc01550e-6033-4d54-ab24-32e5531b6cd6
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