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A20 SPORTS
Saturday 23 November 2019
Hopkins has 2 TDs, Texans beat Colts 20-17 to top AFC South

By KRISTIE RIEKEN tion on the first play of Hous-
AP Sports Writer ton's next drive, but the Tex-
HOUSTON (AP) — Deter- ans couldn't move the ball
mined to bounce back after that and settled for a
from an embarrassing loss, 36-yard field goal to cut the
the Houston Texans used lead to four.
big performances from De- The Texans led 3-0 after a
shaun Watson and DeAn- field goal early in the sec-
dre Hopkins and solid de- ond quarter.
fense to beat the Indianap- There were about 8 min-
olis Colts and move into first utes left in the second
place in the AFC South. when Kenny Moore tipped
Watson threw two touch- a pass from Watson and in-
down passes to Hopkins tercepted it. It was the first
and finished with 298 yards time Watson had thrown
to help the Texans to the an interception at home
20-17 win Thursday night. since Oct. 14, 2018, against
The Texans (7-4), who were the Bills, a streak of 303 at-
routed by Baltimore 41-7 tempts which was the lon-
on Sunday, trailed by four gest active run in the NFL.
early in the fourth quarter The Colts cashed in on
when Hopkins got in front of the mistake when Brissett
Pierre Desir and stretched scrambled 5 yards for a
out to haul in a 30-yard re- Houston Texans wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins (10) makes a catch for a touchdown against the touchdown to make it 7-3.
ception for a 20-17 lead. Indianapolis Colts during the first half of an NFL football game Thursday, Nov. 21, 2019, in Houston. There were 2 minutes left
The Texans got things going Associated Press in the first half when Wat-
on that drive with a 33-yard out of this thing," Colts "He's made chunk plays for last six games against the son avoided the rush and
run by Carlos Hyde. coach Frank Reich said. us, touchdowns, and he's a Texans and entered aver- found Hopkins wide open
"It was a good team win," "This was a playoff atmo- great player. And when we aging 133.3 receiving yards in the end zone for a 35-
coach Bill O'Brien said. sphere. Obviously, it was a get him as a part of our of- in seven career games at yard touchdown pass to
"Guys came in here on good opportunity for us to fense it really helps us and it NRG Stadium. He wasn't a put Houston back on top
Monday to turn the page take sole possession and opens up a lot of different factor, finishing with just 18 10-7.
and were very focused ... have a sweep of Houston, things." yards receiving in his return "I don't know where the
this week and it showed up but it didn't work out that Watson was able to com- after missing three games safeties and the corners
on the field." way." plete several long throws with a calf injury. Reich said were, but they weren't in
Houston's defense stepped Hopkins finished with 94 on Thursday including ones Hilton was limited on Thurs- position, so I just kind of laid
up after the touchdown yards receiving and his first for 51 and 44 yards to Fuller. day and that they wanted it out there," Watson said.
by Hopkins, forcing a punt TD reception came on a "I was able to put enough to keep him under 30 plays. Indianapolis added a field
on the next drive before 35-yard grab in the second air on the ball and let our There were about 6 min- goal at the end of the first
stopping the Colts (6-5) on quarter. guys make plays and that's utes left in the third quarter half to leave it tied at 10l at
fourth-and-7 with 3 minutes Will Fuller, who returned af- what they get paid to do, when Jonathan Williams, halftime.
left. Jacoby Brissett threw ter sitting out three games that's what they love do," who helped fill in for in- INJURIES
for 129 yards, and came up with a hamstring injury, had Watson said. "Just give jured starter Marlon Mack, Houston ILB Dylan Cole in-
a yard shy of a first down on seven catches for 140 yards them a chance and most wriggled away from three jured his calf in the second
Indy's fourth-down attempt for the Texans. likely they're going to come defenders and dashed 13 half and didn't return. ...
late in the fourth quarter. "Anytime we have a healthy down with it." yards for a touchdown to Texans DE Carlos Watkins
"There's still plenty of foot- Will ... he's been a very pro- T.Y. Hilton had topped 100 put the Colts up 17-10. left in the fourth quarter
ball left, and we're far from ductive guy," O'Brien said. receiving yards in four of his Fuller had a 51-yard recep- with a hamstring injury.q

Jets release rugby league star Holmes from practice squad

By DENNIS WASZAK Jr. players to continue working about what I was giving
AP Pro Football Writer on their football skills. up, I guess. It was just that I
NEW YORK (AP) — Valen- Holmes was a standout wanted to chase more."
tine Holmes gave his NFL winger and fullback for the Holmes is a massive star in
dream a chance. Now, Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks Australia, racking up 369
the rugby league star is set of the National Rugby points in five seasons with
to return to Australia to re- League. He headed to the the Sharks. He represented
sume his already successful United States for a chance Australia in the 2017 Rugby
career. to pursue his dream of play- League World Cup, where
The New York Jets released ing American football in the he set a record with 12 tries
Holmes, who played run- NFL. Holmes had one year — the equivalent of touch-
ning back and wide re- left on his contract with downs — in the tourna-
ceiver, from their practice the Sharks, but instead had ment.
squad Friday. the team release him and Holmes first worked out for
The 24-year-old Holmes In this Thursday, Aug. 8, 2019 file photo, New York Jets' Valentine passed up about $720,000. NFL scouts in Los Angeles
joined New York in April as Holmes warms up before the team's preseason NFL football "I just felt like I wanted to in 2016, and spent three
part of the NFL's Interna- game against the New York Giants in East Rutherford, N.J. test myself as a person and months early this year
tional Player Pathway Pro- Associated Press an athlete," Holmes told learning American football
gram. camp and the preseason AFC East teams received The Associated Press in Au- at IMG Academy in Florida
He participated in off- with New York. As part of an extra spot on their prac- gust. before joining the Jets in
season workouts, training the NFL's program, all four tice squads this season for "I wasn't really thinking the spring.q