Andre Johnson caught eight passes for 119 yards and a touchdown Sunday against the Dolphins. (US Presswire) |
Miami Dolphins rookie QB Ryan Tannehill had a rough debut, throwing three first-half interceptions as the Houston Texans beat the Dolphins, 30-10, at Reliant Stadium in Houston on Sunday afternoon. For the game, Tannehill finished 20 of 35 for 219 yards and three interceptions. He was sacked three times.
The Texans (1-0) trailed 3-0 at the end of the first quarter but converted four Dolphins (0-1) turnovers into 24 points in the final 7:35 of the first half, including the three interceptions by Tannehill and a lost fumble by RB Daniel Thomas.
Houston QB Matt Schaub got off to a slow start, completing just five of his first 14 pass attempts. He completed 15 of 17 passes from then on to finish 20 of 31 with 266 yards and a touchdown. WR Andre Johnson hauled in eight passes for 119 yards and a touchdown.
When the game turned: The Dolphins were driving with the score tied 3-3, facing a third-and-10 with 4:06 to play in the first half. Tannehill threw a short pass intended for WR Legedu Naanee. It was tipped by Texans DE J.J. Watt and intercepted by LB Brian Cushing. The Texans turned the interception into a touchdown and began an onslaught of 21 points in the final 1:53 of the first half.
Highlight moments
- Texans RB Arian Foster scored the first touchdown of the season for Houston. He took a handoff in the second quarter and broke through the right side of the line for a 14-yard touchdown, diving over the goal line. The touchdown gave Houston its first lead of the game at 10-3.
- Miami RB Marcus Thigpen returned his first career punt 72 yards for a touchdown in the third quarter. Thigpen took advantage of some good blocking and then outran the punter. The return gave the Dolphins a little hope by brininging them within 24-10.
Top-shelf performances
- Foster was questionable coming into Sunday’s game against the Dolphins. He left practice early Thursday with a knee injury and was held out of Friday’s practice. However, he played and had 26 carries for 79 yards and two touchdowns.
- Texans DE J.J. Watt did not play in any preseason games after dislocating his left elbow on Aug. 2. He wore a brace on that elbow, but he was all over the field Sunday. Watt had 1.5 sacks and three pass deflections, two of which were intercepted by teammates.
- Dolphins RB Reggie Bush had a nice afternoon, rushing for 69 yards on 14 carries and catching six passes for 46 yards. Bush was particularly effective running inside throughout the first half.
What they said about DE J.J. Watt’s performance:
- Texans DE J.J. Watt, to Nick Scurfield of HoustonTexans.com: “I felt like I was in a cage the last four or five weeks, and they finally let me out of my cage.”
What they said about QB Ryan Tannehill’s debut:
- Dolphins coach Joe Philbin, to Omar Kelly of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel: "The game didn't appear too big for him. He had reasons why he was doing things out there."
Numbers you should know: The turnover margin tells the story of this game with the Texans finishing plus-4. While Tannehill threw three interceptions, the Dolphins also fumbled three times but lost just one. Miami will have to do a much better job taking care of the ball.
Injury update: Texans LB Tim Dobbins left the game with a neck injury. Houston coach Gary Kubiak said after the game that Dobbins was getting checked out at a hospital. Texans CB Johnathan Joseph got sick in the second half, but Kubiak said he would be fine. Dolphins RB Daniel Thomas had an undiscolsed injury after he was hit and fumbled in the second quarter. He did not return and his status is unclear.
Going forward: Texans -- Houston hits the road the next couple of weeks with games at Jacksonville and Denver. The Texans then host the Titans and travel to take on the Jets before what figures to be a big showdown in Houston with Green Bay. The Texans might be disappointed with anything less than a 4-1 start. Dolphins -- Miami plays at home the next two weeks with games against the Raiders and the Jets. Oakland will be dealing with a short week as it plays San Diego on Monday and will also have to deal with cross-country travel. The Jets beat Buffalo, 48-28, in Week 1.
Follow Texans blogger Sean Bielawski on Twitter, @CBSSportsNFLHOU.