The Texans won their sixth consecutive game, beating up on the Cardinals 40-20 on Sunday afternoon.
Houston improved to 9-5, while Arizona fell to 3-11.
Houston dominated from start to finish, taking a 10-0 lead before the Arizona offense ever took the field. The Texans outgained the Cardinals 399 to 307 and forced two turnovers.
It could have been worse. The Texans went only 3-of-6 in the red zone, and kicker Ka’imi Fairbairn had a 52-yard field goal attempt blocked on the final play of the first half.
C.J. Stroud went 22-of-29 for 260 yards and three touchdowns. He had touchdown throws of 57 yards to Nico Collins, 4 yards to Dalton Schultz and 4 yards to Collins.
Collins caught three passes for 85 yards and two touchdowns, and Schultz had eight receptions for 76 yards and a score. Woody Marks was credited with a 1-yard fumble recovery touchdown after the snap bounced to him in the wildcat formation, and he ran it in the end zone.
Jacoby Brissett was 27-of-40 for 249 yards with three touchdowns and an interception. Trey McBride caught 12 passes for 134 yards and two touchdowns, giving him more than 100 catches and 1,000 yards for the second consecutive season.
Cardinals wide receiver Andre Baccellia was transported to a Houston hospital for further evaluation after being injured on a kickoff return late in the first half.
The Cardinals report that Baccellia was “alert and had full movement of all this extremities.”
He has a neck injury.
Baccellia was injured a the end of a 26-yard kickoff return with 1:38 remaining in the first half. He was stretchered off the field on a backboard but gave a thumbs-up as he left.
The Cardinals also updated injuries to linebacker Cody Simon (knee) and running back Bam Knight (ankle), ruling both out for the second half.
The Texans still have problems in the red zone, but today it won’t matter.
Houston leads Arizona 23-7 at halftime despite going 1-for-3 in the red zone. The Texans kicked field goals on drives that ended at the Cardinals 12 and the Cardinals 3, and Ka’imi Fairbairn had a 52-yard attempt blocked by Calais Campbell on the final play of the half.
The Texans had 35 plays for 230 yards in the first half, while the Cardinals had 26 for 94.
C.J. Stroud is 13-of-17 for 177 yards and a touchdown. He hit Nico Collins for a 57-yard touchdown on the second play, and after the Cardinals fumbled the ensuing kickoff, the Texans led 10-0 before the Cardinals offense ever took the field.
Jacoby Brissett is 12-of-17 for 74 yards and a touchdown. Trey McBride has seven catches for 69 yards, including a 2-yard touchdown. Michael Carter has five carries for 23 yards, with Bam Knight in the training room with an ankle injury.
McBride now has 100 catches and 1,006 yards for the season, his second consecutive with at least 100 catches and 1,000 yards.
Cardinals special teamer Andre Baccellia was injured on a kickoff return near the end of the half. Medical personnel removed Baccellia’s facemask, strapped him to a backboard and placed him on a stretcher. He raised his hand and gave a thumbs-up as he left the field.
The Cardinals, who trail the Texans 17-0 in the first quarter, have had injury added to insult.
Running back Bam Knight was carted to the X-ray room with a left ankle injury. The Cardinals list him as questionable to return, but Knight could not put any weight on his left leg and appeared in significant pain as he left.
His only carry came on the Cardinals’ first play from scrimmage when Derek Stingley tackled him for a 2-yard loss.
Knight has 82 carries for 269 yards and four touchdowns this season.
Houston has 93 yards to minus-7 for Arizona and leads big on a 57-yard touchdown reception by Nico Collins, a 30-yard field goal by Ka’imi Fairbairn and a 1-yard touchdown run by Woody Marks in the wildcat after the snap bounced off the ground.
Well, that didn’t take long.
Only 49 seconds into the game, the Texans have a 7-0 lead on the Cardinals.
Jaylin Noel returned the opening kickoff 39 yards to the Houston 41. Woody Marks ran for 2 yards on first down before C.J. Stroud found Nico Collins downfield.
Collins ran 57 yards to the end zone for a quick-strike score.
The Texans kicked off, and Jalen Brooks fumbled. Jamal Hill forced the fumble, and Dare Ogunbowale recovered at the Arizona 27. Houston reached the Arizona 11 before stalling and settling for a 30-yard Ka’imi Fairbairn field goal.
The Texans lead 10-0 only three minutes into the game, and without the Cardinals offense seeing the field.
