MANY HAPPY RETURNS: Saints vs. Texans
By Andrea de Vera
OnlineTickets.com
With the Patriots routing the Bills and the Colts winning gritty against the Chiefs in NFL Week 11, the Houston Texans–New Orleans Saints game offered fresh headlines Sunday as the Texans hosted the Saints inside Reliant Stadium before a Texas-sized crowd of 70,780.
Who Came, Saw, and Conquered: With a swagger in their step and their two biggest playmakers QB Matt Schaub and WR Andre Johnson healthy and back in the starting lineup, the Texans topped the Saints 23-10. Riding a two-game win streak, the Texans improved to 5-5, while the Saints fell to 4-6 after losing two games in a row.
Lookin’ Good: DE Mario Williams and the Texans defense
In one of the Texans’ best defensive showings of the season, DE Mario Williams – the first overall pick of the 2006 NFL Draft – shined like a proven veteran, sacking Saints QB Drew Brees, forcing a fumble, turning in six tackles, and playing big on a Houston defense that kept the Saints scoreless in the second half.
Seen Better Days: RB Reggie Bush and the Saints run game
Unable to establish any consistency in the ground game – especially with the absence of RB Deuce McAllister – the Saints finished with just 47 rushing yards. Give credit to the Texans Big D that limited RB Reggie Bush – the second overall pick in the 2006 NFL Draft – to 34 rushing yards on 15 carries, 70 receiving yards on 12 catches, and two fumbles on the day.
Keep an Eye On: Texans WR Andre Johnson
After sitting out the last seven games with a knee injury, the Texans’ Pro-Bowl wide out, Andre Johnson, returned for 120 receiving yards and connected with Schaub for a 73-yard TD in the first quarter. In the coming weeks, expect #80 to provide the offensive spark and consistency in the passing game that the Texans have been lacking.
Week 12 Watch: Houston Texans (5-5) v. Cleveland Browns (6-4)
With a Week 11 win, the Texans are in the thick of the AFC Wild Card race despite sitting at the bottom of a tough AFC South division, while the Browns vie to stay right on the heels of the AFC-North-leading Pittsburgh Steelers. Look for a healthy Andre Johnson to exploit the Browns’ worst-ranked defense in the NFL, and find out if the Texans can tally three straight wins for the first time in franchise history.
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