Official Texans @ Saints Game Thread, 9/25/2011
 

This is the place for all the game action conversation as the Texans travel to New Orleans in an effort to prove how different their 2011 season will be from the past.

Going with 2 RB's this week....hope they hold up.
Glad to see Vilma and Porter are out. Should be a great, explosive game.
Interesting they deactivated the 3rd QB, as well as Anderson.

From the Chronic:

Running back Arian Foster will not play against the Saints. He was made inactive. Ben Tate will start, and Steve Slaton will back him up.

Other inactives are cornerback Sherrick McManis, offensive tackle Andrew Gardner, quarterback T.J. Yates, receiver David Anderson, running back Derrick Ward and guard Thomas Austin.

Among the inactives for the Saints are three starters: receiver Marques Colston, cornerback Tracy Porter and middle linebacker Jonathan Vilma.

Texans win the toss and will receive.

Manning only gets back to the 13 yard line on the kickoff.

Flag presnap. D Brown offsides -5. 1st and 15.

Schaub bootlegs and can't find a receiver, throws it away. 2nd and 15 coming up.

Tate for about 1. Makes it 3rd and 14 coming up.

Pass to AJ gets about 14 and the 1st down.

Deep pass down the left sideline to AJ goes all the way to the Saints 46.

Pass to OD over the middle good for 12.

Slaton sweeps right for about 5. 2nd and 5 coming up at the Saints 26.

Flags presnap - game clock needs resetting - no foul.

Tate powers to the Saints 15 yard line, 1st down.

Tate goes left for about 1.

Pass over the middle to OD good for the TD!

Texans 7, Saints 0

10:13 left in the 1st quarter.

I am so excited that we did not just play into what the expected us to do thus far. Keep it up Kube.

Thats what I'm talking about Kube...Keep it up...

That was freaking impressive....

:D

Hartmann's kickoff goes out of the endzone so Saints ball at their 20.

Brees stumbles after taking the snap and goes down -3. 2nd and 13 coming up.

Thomas for about 2. 3rd and 11 coming up.

Pass to Moore good for about 14 and a 1st down.

Pass to Graham over the middle goes inc. 2nd and 10 coming up.

Thomas gets about 9 up the gut. 3rd and 1 coming up.

Flags presnap. False start Saints -5. Makes it 3rd and 6.

Pass to Graham goes inc. Saints have to punt.

JJ fields the punt and gets nailed right away at the Texan 13.

Thor!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ball at the Texans 14.

Tate for about 2. 2nd and 8 coming up.

Schaub's pass to OD comes up short, inc. 3rd and 8 coming up.

Pass to Casey beats the blitz for a huge gainer. Casey all the way to the Saints 22.

Tate for about 11. Ball is at the Saints 11.

Tate for 3 or 4.

Pass to OD in the endzone goes inc. 3rd and 6 coming up.

Pass to AJ only gets about 3 so Texans have to go for the FG.

Rackers 25-yarder is good.

Texans 10, Saints 0

3:17 left in the 1st quarter.

Hartmann's kickoff goes out of the endzone so Saints ball at their 20.

Pass to Henderson gets about 7 along the sideline. 2nd and 3 coming up.

Ingram for about 1. 3rd and 3 coming up.

Pass to Sproles, too low/dropped inc but flag on the play. Facemask on Saints is declined, Saints have to punt.

Punt goes out of bounds at the Texans 27 yard line.

Schaub can't find a receiver and loses about 3 on the scramble. 2nd and 13 coming up.

Johnson gets about 8 on the end around. 3rd and 5 coming up at the Texan 32. Saint is injured on the play. Injury timeout.

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Pass to AJ gets about 5, refs call in the chains. 1st down.

Slaton for maybe 1. 2nd and 9 coming up.

End of 1st quarter.

Pass to AJ gets about 14. Flag on the play. Illegal use of the hands against Myers brings it back. Makes it 2nd and 19.

Tate for about 5. Makes it 3rd and 14.

Dump to Casey only gets about 8 so the Texans have to punt.

Sproles brings the punt all the way back to the Saints 48 but flag on the play. Block in the back on Saints places the ball at the Saints 14.

Dump to Thomas gets about 7. 2nd and 3 coming up for the Saints.

Ingram runs left for big gain. Ball at the Saints 38.

Pass to Meachem good into Texan territory at the 49.

Ingram TFL by Cush -1.

Shovel pass to Thomas gets 13 and a 1st down.

Thomas wrapped up by Cody for only a gain of 1.

Sproles goes right for 6. Makes it 3rd and 3.

Sproles takes it to the house on a pitch right, 30 yards.

Texans 10, Saints 7

8:23 left in the half.

Saints kickoff goes out of the endzone so Texans ball at their 20.

Pass to AJ goes for huge gainer! Ball at the Saints 32.

Pass to OD goes all the way to the Saints 9! 1st and goal at the 9!

Dump to JJ goes nowhere. 2nd and goal at the 9.

Schaub pass to OD comes up short. 3rd and goal.

Timeout Texans.

Gotta have 7 here, fellas.....

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Owch, quick pass off the mark to AJ. Texans have to go for the FG.

Texans 13, Saints 7

6:20 left in the half.

Sproles brings Hartmann's kickoff back to the Saints 28.

Whoop! JJo picks Brees! Texans ball at the Saints 34!

Tate for about 2. 2nd and 8 coming up.

Tate goes left for nice gainer - all the way to the Saints 14.

Tate for no gain.

Tate rumbles to the 8. 3rd and 4 coming up.

Timeout Saints, 4:00 left in the half.

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Dump pass to OD comes up short. Texans will go for the FG.

Rackers 27-yarder is good.

Texans 16, Saints 7

3:53 left in the half.

Well, well, well...JJo has more picks this year than Asomugha.

While our zone blocking scheme is very effective between the 20's, the lack of size on our Oline causes major issues in the redzone...We need to get some 7s on the board. We should be up 28-7 right now.

Look for Brees to bring out the guns, for this last two minutes.

Sproles brings the kickoff back to the Saints 21.

Pass to Meachem good for 10, 1st down.

Pass to Meachem sails inc. 2nd and 10 coming up.

Pass to Henderson big gainer, goes all the way to the Texan 25.

Ingram for 3. 2nd and 7 coming up.

2 minute warning.

Schaub's thrown some lousy passes in the redzone....:(

Brees is sacked by Watt! Loss of 10, makes it 3rd and 17.

Dump to Sproles goes for nice gain but comes up short of the 1st down. Saints are going for it on 4th and 2.

Timeout Saints. 38 seconds left in the half.

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Saints change their mind and go for the FG.

Kasay's FG is good from 35.

Texans 16, Saints 10

35 seconds left in the half.

Kickoff by the Saints goes out of the endzone so Texans ball at their 20.

Tate goes right for 7. 2nd and 3 coming up.

Clock runs out. Halftime.

Score remains:

Texans 16, Saints 10

Halftime stats:

Passing: Schaub 11/17, 223 yards, 1 TD

Rushing: Tate 12/66, Slaton 2/7, AJ 1/8

Receiving: AJ 5/104, Casey 2/70, OD 3/49, JJ 1/0

Tackles: GQ/Watt 3 each, Allen/Ryans/Cushing/Nolan 2 each

Time of possession: Texans 17:25, Saints 12:35

1st downs: Texans 11, Saints 7

3rd down efficiency: Texans 3/7, Saints 2/5

Redzone: Texans 1/4, Saints 0/1

Penalties: Texans 2/15, Saints 2/14

Turnovers: Texans 0, Saints 1

Total yards: Texans 301, Saints 177

They refuse to give our team credit...."As bad as the Saints are playing"...really!?!...How about the Texans defense is playing really well.

Sproles brings the 2nd half kickoff back to the Saints 27.

Flag presnap. Encroachment on Cody, makes it 1st and 5.

Pass to Moore good for 19.

Dump to Moore gets about 2. 2nd and 8 coming up.

Dump off is sniffed out by DeMeco, TFL -3. 3rd and 11 coming up. Strief is injured on the play.

Pass over the middle to Meachem is good for the 1st down at the Texan 39.

Saints rush for 2. Makes it 2nd and 8.

Pass to Graham goes all the way to the Texan 4. 1st and goal.

Thomas for 2. 2nd and goal.

Brees has all day and finds Meachem in the endzone for the TD.

Saints 17, Texans 16.

10:34 left in the 3rd quarter.

Clearly the Saints have went into the half with the intent on making half-time adjustments. And they did just that...That's what makes a winning team...

Time to see if we are as good as we should be...

Manning brings the kickoff back to the Texan 27.

Pass to Casey too long, inc. Makes it 2nd and 10 coming up.

This one good to Casey for about 14, 1st down.

Tate for 4 or 5 but flag on the play. Offsides Saints, makes it 1st and 5 at the Texan 47.

Tate gets 2. 2nd and 3 coming up.

Slaton gets 2. 3rd and 1 coming up.

Pass to AJ goes to the Saints 37, 1st down.

Schaub misses Tate on the dump off. 2nd and 10 coming up.

Pitch to Casey goes right side for 11, 1st down.

Tate motors for 8 or 9. Makes it 2nd and 2.

Slaton TFL -2. Brings up 3rd and 4.

Pass to AJ goes inc. Should've been PI on Saints. Texans to go for the FG.

Rackers 36-yarder is good.

Texans 19, Saints 17

5:08 left in the 3rd quarter.

Oh my goodness...I don't know whether to be upset with Kubiak for not calling another play when Slaton came in...

OR

Mad at Slaton for that pathetic attempt at picking up that first down....


We are gonna be known as the best field goal kicking team in the NFL

We cannot get into a shootout with this team. COME ON DEFENSE...

We are getting no pass rush...

Hartmann's kickoff hits the goalpost so Saints ball at their 20.

Brees can't find a receiver and scrambles for 4. 2nd and 6 coming up.

Screen goes nowhere - nice tackle by Cush. 3rd and 6 coming up.

Pass to Moore gets 7 and the 1st down.

Brees pitches it forward to (Sproles?) for a couple of yards. 2nd and 8 coming up. Mario shaken up on the play. Injury timeout...

On 2nd and 8, pass to Graham is broken up by Nolan. Makes it 3rd and 8.

Pass to Henderson gets 10 and the 1st down.

Brees' pass is INT'ed by Manning! Return places it at the Saints 42!

YES SIR...Both free agent acquisitions with picks today...


Now lets get in the endzone...

Pass to AJ gets 12, 1st down.

Tate powers for 8 on the left side. 2nd and 2 coming up. Less than a minute in the 3rd quarter.

Tate TFL -4, makes it 3rd and 6.

End of the 3rd quarter.

On 3rd and 6 at the Saints 26, what a catch by Thor! TD! 26 yards!

Texans 26, Saints 17

14:54 left in the game.

Thor!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Casey is big-time. Thank goodness we converted that turnover for seven.

Let's go D.

Hartmann's kickoff is downed by Sproles in the endzone so Saints ball at their 20.

Thomas rushes for 7. Brings up 2nd and 3.

Thomas gets 4, 1st down.

Pass to Thomas is broken up by DeMeco. 2nd and 10 coming up.

Brees is sacked by A Smith! -7 yards! 3rd and 17 coming up.

Pass(?) to Sproles doesn't get much - Saints have to punt.

JJ gets a modest return but flag on the Texans on Reed (block in the back). Places the ball at the Texan 14.

I'd like a nice time-consuming drive that ends up in a score, please...

Ow, Tate can't hang on to the dump pass. Makes it 2nd and 10.

Tate for about 1. 3rd and 9 coming up. Less than 12 minutes left in the game.

Schaub is pressured, pass is too tall for AJ, Texans have to punt.

Hartmann's punt goes out of bounds at the Texan 49. Saints ball.

11:20 left in the game.