TEXANS WIN AFC CHAMPIONSHIP (pictures)

[dogwood30]

The Houston Texans will be making their 3rd trip to the Super Bowl with a 21-7 win over the defending AFC champion Buffalo Bills. The Texans will play the winner of the Redskins-Falcons game in Super Bowl 48.

1st Qtr- Dominated by both defenses. Bills missed a 50 yd FG. No scoring.

2nd Qtr- Defenses continued to dominate. Texans missed a 52 yd field goal just before halftime. No Scoring.

3rd Qtr. Finally some scoring. Houston took the ball on their own 31 and marched down the field. Dominack Williams(37)helped set up the games first score with a 24 yd run into Buffalo territory after a punishing pancake block on Bills LB Cornelieus Bennett(see picture 1). Two plays later Steve Slaton scored the first of his 2 TD's scoring on a 27 yd run to give Houston a 7-0 lead with 8:47 left in the 3rd Qtr. A 15 yd penalty was called on the Bills after the extra point for unsportsmanlike conduct which was assessed on the kickoff. Buffalo began the drive from their own 14. RB Joe Cribbs had a nice run out to the Bills 35(see picture 2) but the Texans defense continued to pressure Jim Kelly into bad throws and the Bills went 3 and out. Texans return man Adre Davis fielded the Buffalo punt at his own 46 and made a spectacular weaving run down the middle of the field barely eluding 4 Buffalo defenders on route to a 54 yd punt return for a TD. The xp made it 14-0 Texans. On the insuing kickoff Bills KR Roscoe Parrish made a nice return to his own 48 giving the Bills their best field position of the day. Kelly hit Andre Reed on a post pattern to the Texans 35. After a 6 yd run by Thurman Thomas, Kelly hit WR Eric Moulds for a 29 yd TD to cut the lead to 14-7 with 1:09 left in the 3rd Qtr. Beginning the 4th both teams exchanged punts. Houston began a drive at their own 38 and drove the ball downfield featuring a 19 yd pass from Matt Schaub to Andre Johnson down to the Bills 5 yd line. After Williams lost 2 yards, Steve Slaton scored form 7 yards to give Houston a 21-7(picture 3) lead with just 3:15 left in the game. Buffalos Roscoe Parrish was again able to return the kick out to midfield. On 2nd and 10 Kelly hit TE Pete Metzelars on a slant but was jarred by Texans DB Aaron Glenn and fumbled. Marcus Coleman recovered for Houston at their own 37 to just about end things with 2:31 left. Houston was able to run the ball on successive plays making Buffalo spend a timeout . After the 2 minute warning Houston kept the ball on the ground and got it to the Buffalo 21 as the Bills used their final 2 timeouts. On 4th down K Chris Brown hit the right upright from 35 yds out and gave the Bills the ball back with 1:21 to go. With no time outs Kelly missed Eric Moulds on 1st down. The next play Kelly hit Cribbs who got down to the Houston 39 and Buffalo scrammbled to the line and Kelly spiked the ball to kill the clock at :45. Kelly then hit Moulds who got out of bounds at the Houston 21 but the play was called back for holding putting the Bills back to the Houston 49. The clock was at :29. Kelly dropped back one last time and was sacked by Houston's Travis Johnson(97- picture 4) at the Bills 40. Buffalo could no longer stop the clock and time ran out. The Texans celebrated their 21-7 victory as they became AFC Champions(picture 5). On to the Big Apple for Super Bowl 48.

[mark robin]

go TEXANS. nice oics again man.

[RooMorgans]

All the photos are great, as usual, but that last one is fantastic.

Way back when, when I first starting playing in leagues, if I won a road game, I'd gather all the players in the middle, then put the MVP on top and turn the board on for celebrations.

After you get Richmond in the next couple days, what's your next highest priority in terms of your league schedule and the teams you have coming?

Ed

[Michigan Joe]

Thanks for sharing all of your pictures and the recaps of your game...you've got a great looking field and teams!
Joe

[allftbl]

I'm enjoying your league history along with these games and pictures!!!I too loved the "celebration pic"......keep posting and go Texans!!!!!!