Texans end 3-game losing streak with win against Cardinals
HOUSTON (KTRK) -- The Houston Texans ended a three-game skid when they hosted the Arizona Cardinals. They defeated the Cardinals 31-21.
In the first quarter, the Texans took advantage of Arizona penalties and had a strong drive that ended in a touchdown, but the very next drive Savage fumbled. The Cardinals resulting drive ended in a touchdown. Fitzgerald had a one-on-one catch, tying the game.
Savage threw another interception in the second quarter, putting the Cardinals in the red zone. The Cardinals converted that turnover into another red zone touchdown.
Early in the third quarter, Savage threw a touchdown pass to DeAndre Hopkins.
Gabbert threw a touchdown pass to Seals-Jones giving the Cardinals the lead with under 5 mins left in third quarter.
The Texans were able to march down the field in the final minutes of the half, but were forced by limited time to kick. In the fourth quarter, the rookie D'Onta Foreman ran in his first and second touchdown. Foreman was injured during the second touchdown. He had to be carted off the field.
Tom Savage started for the Texans as Watson continues to recover and Blaine Gabbert had his first start for the Arizona Cardinals. Houston Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson is still recovering from surgery for his ACL injury.
Arizona Cardinals quarterback Drew Stanton, the starter the last two games, bruised his knee early in their loss to Seattle last week. He stayed in the game but has been limited in practice all week.
Tom Savage is tired of talking about how he's playing and what he needs to do to improve.
"It really doesn't matter what I say right now or how I view this upcoming week," he said. "The only thing that really matters is just winning, and that's it.
"I can sit here and tell you all day that I want to throw 75 percent or I feel like I'm getting better - that doesn't matter. No one cares about any of that stuff. What matters is winning, and that's what we're going to try to do this weekend."
The Texans are sticking with Savage despite his struggles. However, keeping him in the starting lineup is likely more out of necessity than anything else because their other quarterbacks T.J. Yates and Josh Johnson have only been with the team since Watson was injured.
Still, the Texans insist that Savage has the capability to play better as they try to get back on track.
"He works very hard, it means a lot to him and ... he's got the arm talent ... and the smarts to get it done," quarterbacks coach Sean Ryan said. "And I just feel like that combination gives him a good chance to really to fix things and to play better."
Houston inducted Andre Johnson as the inaugural member of the Texans Ring of Honor on Sunday. Johnson spent 12 seasons in Houston and is the team's all-time leader in yards receiving (13,597), receptions (1,012) and touchdown receptions (64).
The honor had people from both teams raving about Johnson's contributions in a 14-year career that ended with a season each in Indianapolis and Tennessee.
The Associated Press contributed to this report
