The Arizona Cardinals faced the Houston Texans on Nov. 19 in Week 11 of the 2023 NFL season. Here are takeaways and highlights from the game.
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Final Score: Texans 21, Cardinals 16
Entering this game, Stroud and the Texans figured to have another big day with a showdown with the Jaguars looming. The Texans instead suffered a slow start and found themselves down 10-7 after one quarter of play. Stroud also suffered a rare off day with three interceptions. Despite this, the Texans held on and kept their momentum rolling.
The Cardinals played surprisingly tough almost all afternoon. Kyler Murray’s 48-yard touchdown pass to Rondale Moore not even two full minutes in almost set the tone for the day, while the ever-ageless Matt Prater nailed a 57-yard field goal to give Arizona the last lead they would have in the game at 10-7.
The Texans would put together their second and third touchdowns on the day in the second quarter, which became their final points of the day on a Devin Singletary run and a strike from Stroud to Tank Dell, which has become a fun pairing to watch on Sunday afternoons. From there, only one more touchdown would occur from either side before the clock struck zero, with the Texans standing victorious for the third consecutive game.
Highlights
The throw 🎯
The catch 🔥 pic.twitter.com/4bJeASirK6— Arizona Cardinals (@AZCardinals) November 19, 2023
Needed it. Got it.@K1 x #BirdGang pic.twitter.com/OHzUItt8tV
— Arizona Cardinals (@AZCardinals) November 19, 2023
W 🤯 W pic.twitter.com/sUgixvhUPS
— Houston Texans (@HoustonTexans) November 19, 2023
What a play by Steven Nelson to end the game 😤 pic.twitter.com/oeBWwhA8JV
— Houston Texans (@HoustonTexans) November 19, 2023
Looking Forward
The Texans improve to 6-4 on the season while the Cardinals fall to 2-9. While expected to win this matchup, the Texans, especially Stroud, looked shaky at times throughout the day. The sometimes reckless decision-making of Stroud nearly cost Houston the game, and this can’t continue if they are to offer any realistic challenge to the Jacksonville Jaguars in the AFC South, who also won in a rather convincing fashion against mutual rival Tennessee.
For Houston, it has now become time to see what they are really made of. At 6-4, the final seven games of the Texans’ season will see them battling with several contenders and even the surprisingly resurgent Denver Broncos. The biggest tests of the remainder of their season will likely come this Sunday against Jacksonville, whom they beat 37-17 earlier this year, or with the Cleveland Browns on Christmas Eve. Cleveland has played lights-out defensively and should continue to do so.
For Arizona, this loss has otherwise effectively doomed them to miss the playoffs for the second consecutive season. To close this month out, the Cardinals welcome NFC West rival Los Angeles to town, then head back east to meet the Steelers to commence the final full month of action. Despite being out of contention in 2023, Arizona can still play spoiler as a number of their remaining games (at Pittsburgh, versus 49ers, at Eagles, at Seahawks) will come against teams in the thick of the NFC playoff hunt.
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