There was little to smile about in the aftermath of Sunday's 37-13 loss to the Broncos. But one Texan who turned in a few signature plays was Keshawn Martin.
The second-year wide receiver caught the team's lone touchdown of the game, and also returned a punt for 51 yards in the second quarter. The 15-yard scoring grab with 10:33 remaining in the third quarter was one where he and quarterback Matt Schaub had to freelance a bit.
"It was kind of a broken play," Martin said. "Matt scrambled out, so I just kind of scrambled with him. He found me in the back of the end zone."
That touchdown pulled the Texans to within 3, as they trailed 16-13. The Broncos scored three touchdowns in the final quarter to put the game out of reach. Martin tied his career-best with four receptions on the afternoon, and that totaled 35 yards.
"As a receiver, I'm just gaining confidence every game, every week," Martin said. "I'm just trying to to go out there and have fun and also make plays for the team."
The 51-yard punt return was the ninth-longest in franchise history, and it's the third time in Martin's two seasons as a pro that he's taken a punt for longer than 50 yards.
"It was a right return," Martin said. "All I had to do was get to the sideline. Those guys on the punt return team did a great job of boxing everybody in for me and I just took it down the sideline."
On the season, Martin is averaging 8.8 yards per punt return.
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