From the first drive of the game in which team captain Andre Johnson converted a 3rd and 14 for a first down and then follwed the 1st down conversion with a 32 yard catch on the following play on 1st and 10.
The Texans offense came out and smashed the Gregg Williams coached Saints defense square in the mouth from the Texans intitial drive of the game.
The Houston Texans went 87 yards in 9 plays after the opening kickoff win they were originally pinned inside their own 15 yard line after a dismal kick-off return. Capping the drive was a touchdown pass from Matt Schaub to Owen Daniels for 14 yards.
Matt Schaub went 4/5 for 75 yards anda touchdown on Houston’s first drive of the game.
Forcing the New Orleans Saints to punt on New Orleans first offensive possesion. The Texans quickly got a second shot with the ball and on a second offensive possession from deep in their own territory yet again on a long 3rd and 8 play Matt Schaub hit a wide open James Casey for a 56 yard pass reception against a blitzing Saints defense.
The Texans reached the red zone yet only managed to muster a field goal to go up 10-0 on the New Orleans Saints.
The Houston Defense held strong during the rest of the first quarter forcing a three and out on the Saints next offensive possesion. The Houston Texans defense spent the majority of the first quarter watching the Texans offense provide the team with an early cushion.
The defense after the first quarter yielded a mere 29 yards total offense to the dangerous Drew Bress led New Orleans Saints.
Andre Johnson is the only wide receiver in NFL history to have 60 more receptions in a players first eight seasons. Johnson finished the 1st quarter with 56 yards on 4 catches.
The Houston Texans during first quarter play this year have out scored opponents 33-3.
Time of possession after one quarter was very one-sided. Houston controlled the clock for 10:37 of the first quarter compared to New Orleans 4:23.
A rocky first quarter for the new Orleans Saints would be putting it mildly but the Saints quickly turned it on in the 2nd quarter. Darren Sproles capped a 86 yard drive with a 30 yard scamper for a touchdown.
The Houston Texans quickly answer back after the touchdown drive by Darren Sproles and the Saints. On the first play after the aforementioned touchdown by New Orleans the Texans’ Matt Schaub and Andre Johnson connect on a 48 yard catch and run only to stall out on the New Orleans 9 yard line and Houston settled for a field goal.
Midway through the 2nd quarter Andre Johnson was responsible for 112 yards of offense while the whole New Orleans Saints team only had 115 yards.
Free agent signee Jonathan Joseph paid immediate dividends on the next offensive possession for the New Orleans Saints. Joseph stepped in front of a Dew Brees pass for an interception giving the ball back to the Houston offense on the Saints 34 yard line.
Settling for yet another field goal after the Jonathan Joseph interception the Texans were up 16-7 with 3:53 left in teh half. Willl the lack of redzone efficiency come back to haunt Houston in the second half of the game? There is a good chance with an exposive team like the New Orleans Saints.
During the last three minutes of the half the Saints manage to piece together a 62 yard drive in which rookie J.J. Watt was able to get his first NFL sack of the season on Drew Bress, holding the Saints to a field goal making the score 16-10 in favor of the Texans.
Houston red zone efficiency numbers are 1-4 for 25% after one half of play.
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