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Houston Texans (1-0) at Minnesota Vikings (0-1)**
Friday, August 9, 2013
Mall of America Field at H.H.H. Metrodome
FINAL GAME NOTES
WITH THE WIN…
• The Texans won their preseason opener for the third consecutive season.
• Houston improved to 2-2 all-time against Minnesota in the preseason.
• Houston earned its first road victory at Minnesota in the preseason.
• Improved to 7-5 all-time in preseason openers.
• Improved to 20-26 all-time in the preseason.
• Improved to 17-12 in the preseason under Head Coach Gary Kubiak.
• Opened the preseason with a road win for the second consecutive season.
TEXANS TEAM NOTES
• The Texans set a preseason franchise record with 439 yards of total offense. The previous record was 436 yards against New Orleans on Aug. 20, 2011.
• Houston's 306 net passing yards was the second-most in franchise preseason history. It was the most net passing yards for the team since it threw for 316 yards on Sept. 2, 2010.
• The Texans won the time of possession battle, 36:03-23:57. Houston held the ball for 19:45 in the second half. The team led the NFL in time of possession in 2011 and 2012.
• Houston was 9-of-15 on third downs (60 percent) and outgained Minnesota 133-51 on the ground.
• The defense did not give up a run of longer than 8 yards.
• Texans quarterbacks were a combined 31-of-44 for 310 yards, two touchdowns, zero interceptions and a 105.3 passer rating.
• 13 different players caught passes for the Texans.
• Houston took a 20-13 lead with 10:26 remaining in the fourth quarter on a 2-yard pass from QB Case Keenum to WR Lestar Jean. The drive covered 72 yards on nine plays and ate up 5:18.
• Houston outgained Minnesota in the second half, 240-49. The Texans' defense shutout the Vikings, recorded three sacks and only gave up 49 yards on 21 plays after halftime.
• The Texans racked up 27 first downs (17 pass, 10 run).
• The Texans' first touchdown drive of the preseason lasted 6:02 in the second quarter and covered 85 yards on 12 plays. It ended with a 34-yard touchdown pass on third down from T.J. Yates to rookie first-rounder WR DeAndre Hopkins.
• Houston was outgained in the first quarter 116-59, but won the turnover battle 2-0. The Texans outgained the Vikings 140-131 in the second quarter but were outgained 247-199 in the first half.
• Nine of Houston's 12 first downs in the first half came on pass plays; three came on run plays.
• Houston was 0-for-3 on third downs in the first quarter. Minnesota was 2-for-3. The Texans were 4-for-5 on third downs in the second quarter and finished the first half 4-of-8 (50 percent). Minnesota finished the first half 2-for-5 on third downs (40 percent).
• Houston held the ball for 7:19 in the first quarter. Minnesota had the ball for 7:41 in the first quarter. Houston won the possession battle in the first half, 16:18-13:42.
• Houston recorded two interceptions in the first quarter by FS Shiloh Keo and SS Eddie Pleasant. The Texans converted the two turnovers into three points.
• Houston's opening scoring drive went for 36 yards on seven plays and lasted 3:15. It ended with a 48-yard field goal by K Randy Bullock.
• Several Texans made their professional football debut: FB Zach Boren, CB A.J. Bouye, G Bryan Collins, WR Andy Cruse, ILB Ja'Gared Davis, RB Ray Graham, TE Ryan Griffin, CB Travis Howard, OLB Willie Jefferson, S Orhian Johnson, NT Chris Jones, C Alex Kupper, WR Alec Lemon, WR EZ Nwachukwu, T David Quessenberry, WR Mike Smith, S Jawanza Starling, S D.J. Swearinger, OLB Justin Tuggle, OLB Trevardo Williams and RB Cierre Wood.
• Veterans who made their Texans debut: TE Jake Byrne, C Tyler Horn, RB Deji Karim, P Shane Lechler, CB Elbert Mack, ILB Joe Mays, QB Stephen McGee, ILB Mike Mohamed, DE Daniel Muir.
• The following players did not play for Houston: WR Alan Bonner, CB Johnathan Joseph, CB Brandon Harris, FB Greg Jones, ILB Tim Dobbins, ILB Brian Cushing, OLB Sam Montgomery, OLB Whitney Mercilus, DE Delano Johnson, DE Earl Okine, T Brennan Williams, G Wade Smith, WR Andre Johnson, TE Owen Daniels, DE Antonio Smith, DE J.J. Watt.
• The Vikings won the toss and elected to receive.
• Houston's captains for the game were ILB Brian Cushing, WR Andre Johnson, SS Danieal Manning, QB Matt Schaub, DE Antonio Smith and DE J.J. Watt.
INDIVIDUAL PLAYER NOTES
• OLB Bryan Braman split a 6-yard sack of QB Bethel Thompson with NT Terrell McClain on third down to end the Vikings' last drive of the quarter.
• Randy Bullock booted a 48-yard field goal to cap Houston's first possession of the game. Bullock came up short on a 54-yard field goal attempt as time expired in the first half.
• Both of Bullock's first-quarter kickoffs reached the end zone, including one touchback.
• Bullock was 2-of-3 on field goal attempts and connected on all three extra-point attempts. Four of his six kickoffs went into the end zone with two going for touchbacks.
• TE Garrett Graham caught five passes for 49 yards.
• Rookie RB Ray Graham scored the only rushing touchdown of the night, a 5-yard run in the fourth quarter. He finished with 26 yards on four carries (6.5 average).
• Rookie WR DeAndre Hopkins caught two passes for 6 yards in the first quarter. He finished the first game with four receptions for 52 yards (13.0 average), all in the first half.
• Hopkins caught the first touchdown pass of his career on a 34-yard third-down strike from QB T.J. Yates with 6:24 remaining in the second quarter to even the score at 10-10.
• WR Lestar Jean caught three passes for 32 yards in the first half. He had a game-high six receptions for 52 yards, including a 2-yard go-ahead touchdown reception in the fourth quarter.
• Rookie RB Dennis Johnson had four carries for 14 yards in the first quarter. He finished with seven carries for 11 yards (1.6 average).
• Johnson returned three punts for 34 yards.
• QB Case Keenum started the third quarter. On his second series in the game, Keenum drove the Texans 90 yards on 15 plays in 6:33. The drive ended with a 21-yard field goal.
• Keenum was 5-of-10 for 44 yards and a 62.1 passer rating in the third quarter. He finished the game 13-of-18 for 125 yards, one touchdown and a game-high 109.7 passer rating.
• FS Shiloh Keo picked off Vikings QB Christian Ponder on the second play of the game at the Houston 25-yard line and returned the ball 10 yards.
• NT Terrell McClain finished the game with 2.5 sacks for 19 yards, two tackles for loss, three quarterback hits and tied for the team lead with five tackles.
• McClain recorded Houston's third sack of the night, dropping QB James Vandenberg for a 10-yard loss in the fourth quarter.
• NT Earl Mitchell recorded the Texans' first sack of the preseason in the first quarter, dropping QB Matt Cassel for a loss of 4 yards on Minnesota's second possession.
• Mitchell led the Texans with four tackles in the first half, including a sack and three tackles for loss.
• ILB Mike Mohamed tied for the team lead with five tackles.
• S Eddie Pleasant recorded the Texans' second interception of the first quarter, picking off Cassel at the Houston 49-yard line and returning the ball 2 yards.
• QB Matt Schaub was 5-for-5 passing for 34 yards and a 95.0 passer rating on the Texans' first possession of the game. He did not play another series in the quarter.
• Rookie P Andrew Shapiro averaged 47.3 yards on four punts. He placed his first two punts inside the 20. His first punt went for 59 yards. He had a net average of 42.5.
• Rookie RB Cierre Wood's first carry went for 4 yards in the second quarter to extend a Houston drive on third-and-2.
• Wood led all rushers with 59 yards on 10 carries (5.9 average).
• QB T.J. Yates took all the remaining snaps in the first half for the Texans following the team's first offensive series and completed 13-of-21 passes for 151 yards, one touchodwn and a 99.5 passer rating.
