Texans edge Cardinals to continue win streak: Can they win the AFC South?

The Houston Texans secured a 21-16 victory over the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday, in a game marked by key defensive plays and a standout performance from rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud, despite his season-high three interceptions.

The game started with the Cardinals taking an early lead when Rondale Moore caught a 48-yard touchdown pass from Kyler Murray who returned from injury on their first drive. However, the Texans quickly responded, with Stroud connecting with his receivers for two touchdowns. Stroud finished the game with 336 yards, completing 27 of 37 passes. Texans receiver Tank Dell caught a game-high eight of 10 passes.

Despite Stroud’s interceptions, the Texans’ defence played a crucial role in securing the win. In the second half, the Texans’ defence was particularly dominant, with three drives stalling in Houston territory. Will Anderson had his best game as a pro, and Christian Harris made two key plays at the end of the game. The Texans’ defence sealed the win with back-to-back crucial stops to hold off the Cardinals in the final minutes of play.

In addition to the strong defensive performance, the Texans’ running game also contributed to the victory. Devin Singletary, the AFC Offensive Player of the Week, capped a 10-play drive with an 11-yard touchdown run to give the Texans a 14-10 lead over Arizona in the second quarter.

Despite the Texans not scoring after halftime and Stroud being picked off on consecutive drives in the fourth quarter, the Texans managed to hold off the Cardinals’ comeback attempt. The Cardinals had a chance to win late, but Steven Nelson batted down a deep pass intended for Marquise Brown with 35 seconds left.

Here are a few takeaways from the game at NRG Stadium.  

CJ Stroud ascendant continues

The Houston Texans incredible run continues as they march on with CJ Stroud at the helm. The quarterback is having a season not many in their rookie have, making himself a potential MVP candidate in a wide open race and helping the Texans become a legitimate playoff contender with their sixth win. Stroud managed to pass for 336 yards and two touchdowns, he completed 18 of 24 passes for 259 yards and two scores in the first half alone.

The Texans were unstoppable in the first half, they ripped off 21 points and if they did not throw a key pick and run an inexplicable fourth down pitch play then they could have 27 or even 31 points. Simply put, the Cardinals could not stop Stroud and the passing game. However after the half it was a different story as he had two fourth-quarter interceptions with both of them coming in the red zone as he missed two opportunities to put the game out of reach for the Cardinals.

Stroud’s interceptions did not deter the Texans from securing a victory, but they did leave the door open for an Arizona comeback which the Texans defence stopped as they edged a win in the last minutes. For the former Ohio State quarterback, Stroud continues to ascend as he plays to his best and shows off all of his skillset. Even in the challenging circumstances today, he showed why he has Head Coach DeMeco Ryans trust to be the leader of this team.

While this was not his best game as a Texan, he has helped them get into a good position to push for a Playoff spot.

Texans defense wins the game

While the defence in the first half did not need to do much as the offence did all the work, they had to come out in the second half and do all the heavy lifting to help the Texans win and keep the Cardinals from winning. The Texans’ defence limited the Cardinals to just 86 yards in the second half, preventing them from scoring any points. They also forced two turnovers, which were crucial in maintaining their lead.

There were several key defensive plays that helped secure the win from the Texan players One of them was Derek Stingley, who had recently returned to the field after an early-season injury, made a significant impact by intercepting a pass from Kyler Murray.

Another was Will Anderson Jr. also had a standout performance, generating a sack and a pass-rush win rate of over 17%. Anderson’s sacking proved important in taking momentum away from the Cardinals. In the fourth quarter, the Texans’ defence made several key plays that helped secure their victory. Christian Harris made two key plays at the end of the game, and the defence successfully stalled three drives in Houston territory. 

If not for the defence on the day, we could have indeed been talking about how the Texans did a complete collapse, instead they live to push for a playoff spot.

Kyler Murray’s performance

Kyler Murray’s performance in the game against the Houston Texans was a mixed bag, showcasing both his strengths and weaknesses. He completed a 13-yard pass to Hollywood Brown and found Greg Dortch for a 31-yard gain, demonstrating his ability to make big plays. He also had two key scrambles, one of which included a face mask penalty against the Texans. By the end of the game, Murray had completed 10 out of 15 passes for 118 yards and a touchdown, and had five carries for 41 yards and a touchdown.

However, Murray also had moments of struggle. He missed some easy throws and had the ball batted down. He also threw an interception, which was caught by Texans’ cornerback Derek Stingley. This interception was a key moment in the game, as it halted a promising drive for the Cardinals.

Despite these setbacks, Murray’s performance was not without highlights. He had an explosive opening touchdown to Rondale Moore and a dazzling escape from Texans’ pass rushers to score a crucial touchdown. However, his tendency to turn the ball over persists, which was evident in this game.

Cardinals failed opportunities

The Cardinals grappled with fourth-down conversions throughout the game, managing only 1 successful attempt out of 4. The critical juncture arose in the fourth quarter when head coach Jonathan Gannon opted for a fourth-and-3 instead of attempting a 41-yard field goal with 12:54 remaining. This decision left the Cardinals with a five-point deficit, squandering a potential opportunity to narrow the gap to just two points.

Despite the Cardinals’ defence intercepting Texans’ rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud three times, including twice in the second half, the offence failed to capitalise on these turnovers. The inability to convert these defensive gains into points proved costly and played a role in determining the game’s outcome.

A significant blunder occurred on special teams when a Texans’ punt seemingly hit Cardinals’ defensive back Antonio Hamilton, who was blocking for returner Greg Dortch. The ball was recovered by Houston, and despite a review, there was insufficient evidence to overturn the call. As a result, the Texans retained possession, adding to the Cardinals’ missed opportunities.

The Cardinals’ offence faltered in critical moments, hindering their ability to fully capitalise on available opportunities. Quarterback Kyler Murray’s missed throws and having the ball batted down contributed to the team’s struggles in converting chances into points.

The combination of these missed opportunities proved decisive in the Cardinals’ inability to overcome the Texans’ lead. Despite a robust second-half defensive performance, these shortcomings ultimately cost them the game.

What’s next?

After securing their third consecutive victory against the Arizona Cardinals, the Houston Texans have improved their record to 6-4, putting them in a strong position for the playoffs. They will play their next game against their AFC South rivals, Jacksonville Jaguars (7-3) as they look to gain the tie-breaker and take the top spot in the division at home on Sunday.

While the Cardinals record drops to 1-8, making their chances at the number one pick even more realistic now. But they’ll continue to have opportunities to develop the talent around Murray. They will host the Los Angeles Rams (4-6) on Sunday at the University of Phoenix Stadium as they return home.