Texans stymie Raiders in 27-14 wild-card win
The Sports Xchange
Jan 7, 2017
HOUSTON -- With their top-ranked defense meeting expectations against a rookie quarterback making his first career start, the Houston Texans cruised to a 27-14 victory over the Oakland Raiders in an AFC wild-card playoff game on Saturday at NRG Stadium.
Raiders quarterback Connor Cook looked every bit like a third-stringer pressed into emergency duty, completing 18 for 45 passes for 161 yards with a touchdown and three interceptions. With starter Derek Carr (leg) and backup Matt McGloin (shoulder) out, Cook was the lone option.
The Texans, who led the NFL in yards allowed for the first time in franchise history, showed Cook no mercy.
Making their first postseason appearance since the 2002 Super Bowl, the Raiders did not eclipse 100 total yards until their first possession of the fourth quarter, doing so on a 10-yard pass from Cook to tight end Mychal Rivera that also marked their first third-down conversion after an 0-of-11 start.
By that point, the Texans led by 20 points behind a solid performance from quarterback Brock Osweiler.
Osweiler passed for 168 yards and a touchdown and turned a 1-yard bootleg into a 27-7 lead with 12:28 to play.
In guiding the Texans to a 20-7 halftime lead, Osweiler posted a 110.0 rating and did not commit a turnover.
Houston took advantage of two poor kicks from Raiders punter Marquette King in the first half, grabbing a 3-0 lead after a 31-yard punt gave the Texans possession at the Oakland 40-yard line.
Late in the first half, the Texans covered 60 yards in four plays after a 38-yard punt, with Osweiler connecting with wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins on a 2-yard slant for a touchdown and 20-7 lead.
Texans Pro Bowl defensive end Jadeveon Clowney was again a disruptive force, with his juggling interception of a Cook pass midway through the first quarter giving Houston possession at the Oakland 4. On the next snap, running back Lamar Miller beat the defense to the far pylon for a touchdown and a 10-0 lead.
Houston linebacker Whitney Mercilus produced seven tackles, three tackles for loss and two sacks. The Raiders averaged just 2.9 yards per play and finished 2 for 16 on third down.
The Texans will face New England or Kansas City in the divisional round next.
NOTES: Raiders PR-RB Jalen Richard produced a 37-yard punt return in the first quarter, the longest postseason punt return in franchise history. ... DE Jadeveon Clowney joined J.J. Watt as the only Texans defensive linemen with an interception in the postseason. ... Raiders LT Donald Penn (knee) was inactive for the first time in his 10-year career. Penn had participated in all 160 regular-season games since 2007 and started every game since 2008. He made one postseason start with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2007. ... Texans SS Quintin Demps was lost to a hamstring injury in the first quarter and did not return. Demps was named AFC Defensive Player of the Month and led all NFL safeties with six interceptions.
Jan 7, 2017
HOUSTON -- With their top-ranked defense meeting expectations against a rookie quarterback making his first career start, the Houston Texans cruised to a 27-14 victory over the Oakland Raiders in an AFC wild-card playoff game on Saturday at NRG Stadium.
Raiders quarterback Connor Cook looked every bit like a third-stringer pressed into emergency duty, completing 18 for 45 passes for 161 yards with a touchdown and three interceptions. With starter Derek Carr (leg) and backup Matt McGloin (shoulder) out, Cook was the lone option.
The Texans, who led the NFL in yards allowed for the first time in franchise history, showed Cook no mercy.
Making their first postseason appearance since the 2002 Super Bowl, the Raiders did not eclipse 100 total yards until their first possession of the fourth quarter, doing so on a 10-yard pass from Cook to tight end Mychal Rivera that also marked their first third-down conversion after an 0-of-11 start.
By that point, the Texans led by 20 points behind a solid performance from quarterback Brock Osweiler.
Osweiler passed for 168 yards and a touchdown and turned a 1-yard bootleg into a 27-7 lead with 12:28 to play.
In guiding the Texans to a 20-7 halftime lead, Osweiler posted a 110.0 rating and did not commit a turnover.
Houston took advantage of two poor kicks from Raiders punter Marquette King in the first half, grabbing a 3-0 lead after a 31-yard punt gave the Texans possession at the Oakland 40-yard line.
Late in the first half, the Texans covered 60 yards in four plays after a 38-yard punt, with Osweiler connecting with wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins on a 2-yard slant for a touchdown and 20-7 lead.
Texans Pro Bowl defensive end Jadeveon Clowney was again a disruptive force, with his juggling interception of a Cook pass midway through the first quarter giving Houston possession at the Oakland 4. On the next snap, running back Lamar Miller beat the defense to the far pylon for a touchdown and a 10-0 lead.
Houston linebacker Whitney Mercilus produced seven tackles, three tackles for loss and two sacks. The Raiders averaged just 2.9 yards per play and finished 2 for 16 on third down.
The Texans will face New England or Kansas City in the divisional round next.
NOTES: Raiders PR-RB Jalen Richard produced a 37-yard punt return in the first quarter, the longest postseason punt return in franchise history. ... DE Jadeveon Clowney joined J.J. Watt as the only Texans defensive linemen with an interception in the postseason. ... Raiders LT Donald Penn (knee) was inactive for the first time in his 10-year career. Penn had participated in all 160 regular-season games since 2007 and started every game since 2008. He made one postseason start with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2007. ... Texans SS Quintin Demps was lost to a hamstring injury in the first quarter and did not return. Demps was named AFC Defensive Player of the Month and led all NFL safeties with six interceptions.
