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Rookie C.J. Stroud threw for 199 yards and two touchdowns and the Houston Texans got two defensive stops late to hold on for a 20-13 win over the New Orleans Saints on Sunday.
The victory matches Houston’s win total from last season when the team finished 3-13-1.
The Saints (3-3) trailed by 7 when Derek Carr threw a 51-yard pass to Rashid Shaheed to get them to the Houston 35. Five consecutive runs by Alvin Kamara got them to the 14. But Carr’s pass to Kamara on fourth-and-4 was short to give Houston the ball back with 4½ minutes to go.
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Shaquill Griffin and Blake Cashman combined to take Kamara down near the Texans sideline where coach DeMeco Ryans celebrated with his defense.
Houston (3-3) couldn’t move the ball after that and punted it back. New Orleans got to the Houston 24 on the next drive, but Carr’s throw on fourth-and-10 was intercepted by Steven Nelson with 21 seconds left to secure the win.
Carr threw for a season-high 353 yards and a touchdown but often couldn’t finish drives as the Saints, lost for the third time in four games after opening the season 2-0.
The Texans led 17-10 at halftime and made it 20-10 on a 22-yard field goal with about seven minutes left in the third quarter. Houston had a first down at the 1-yard line after a pass interference call against Marshon Lattimore in the end zone. But two incomplete passes and a 3-yard loss on a run by Dameon Pierce forced the Texans to settle for the short field goal.
Blake Grupe's 45-yard field goal cut the lead to 20-13 with about two minutes remaining in the third. Carr was sacked by Sheldon Rankins for a loss of 11 yards on second down and threw an incomplete pass on third to bring up fourth down.
TEXANS PULL OFF HUGE UPSET OVER JAGUARS; FULLBACK TAKES KICK RETURN FOR TOUCHDOWN
New Orleans had a shot to cut the deficit on its next drive, but Grupe’s 29-yard attempt sailed wide right.
Kamara had 19 carries for 68 yards and Chris Olave had seven receptions for 96 yards.
The Saints missed a 52-yard field-goal attempt on their first drive.
Stroud threw his first interception of the season in the first quarter after setting an NFL record for attempts without a pick to start a career. Stroud entered the game having thrown 186 passes without an interception to pass Dallas quarterback Dak Prescott, who threw 176 passes before being intercepted.
Dalton Schultz #86 and Xavier Hutchinson #19 of the Houston Texans react during the game against the New Orleans Saints at NRG Stadium on October 15, 2023 in Houston, Texas. (Tim Warner/Getty Images)
Stroud threw five passes Sunday to stretch the streak to 191 before a pass intended for Dalton Schultz was intercepted by Zack Baun with about six minutes left in the first quarter.
But receiver Nico Collins hit Baun after the interception and forced a fumble, which was recovered by Tytus Howard, to give the Texans the ball back.
Stroud put the Texans up 7-0 when he threw a 1-yard touchdown pass to Schultz to give him a TD in three straight games.
New Orleans tied it when Carr connected with Shaheed on a 34-yard touchdown pass late in the first quarter.
Houston added a 24-yard field goal with about 10½ minutes remaining in the second quarter to make it 10-7.
The Texans made it 17-7 when Robert Woods caught a 6-yard TD pass from Stroud about three minutes until halftime. Collins got that drive going with a 28-yard reception.
New Orleans cut the lead to 17-10 when Grupe made a 48-yard field goal just before halftime.
INJURIES
Houston S Eric Murray injured a knee in the first quarter. … New Orleans LG James Hurst injured an ankle in the second quarter. … RT Ryan Ramczyk left in the fourth quarter to be evaluated for a concussion.
SACKED
Stroud was sacked two times Sunday after the Texans entered the game having not allowed a sack in a franchise-record three games. Carl Granderson had one and Demario Davis had the other.
UP NEXT
Saints: Host Jacksonville Thursday night.
Texans: Are off next Sunday before visiting Carolina Oct. 29.
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