Houston Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson escaped an almost certain sack to set up Ka’imi Fairbairn’s game-winning 28-yard field goal as the Texans beat the Buffalo Bills 22-19 in overtime in a classic American Football Conference wild-card playoff game on Saturday.
Watson pulled away from two Buffalo defenders to hit Taiwan Jones with a 34-yard pass at the Buffalo 10-yard line that paved the way for the winning points in Houston.
The Texans, 10-6 in the regular season, face the Kansas City Chiefs in the divisional round next weekend.
Photo: EPA-EFE
Buffalo, who at one point led 16-0, had forced overtime after Stephen Hauschka kicked a 47-yard field goal that tied the score at 19-19 with five seconds remaining in regulation time.
“We never quit regardless,” Watson told reporters. “Whatever it takes to get the win we are going to keep fighting however we need to play.”
After being outplayed in the first half, the Texans found new life in the third quarter.
Watson, who passed for 247 yards, bulled into the end zone with less than two minutes left in the quarter for Houston’s first points.
Fairbairn’s first field goal and a 5-yard pass from Watson to Carlos Hyde and a two-point conversion in the fourth quarter then completed a 19-point comeback for the Texans.
A big sack by three-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year J.J. Watt, who was returning from injury, rallied the Houston defense.
Buffalo quarterback Josh Allen caught a 16-yard touchdown pass from John Brown on a trick play on Buffalo’s opening drive. He also rushed for 92 yards and passed for 264 yards.
Hauschka kicked three other field goals for the Bills, who were seeking their first playoff win since 1995.
Inter on Sunday were given a letoff when they snatched a late 1-1 derby draw with AC Milan, while league leaders SSC Napoli were held by a late goal at AS Roma. Reigning champions Inter remain three points behind Napoli, who looked to be heading five clear as they led in Rome until Angelino volleyed in a stunning leveler in the first minute of stoppage-time. Angelino’s strike gave even more significance to Stefan de Vrij’s last-gasp equalizer at the San Siro. The defender forced home Nicola Zalewski’s knockdown just as it looked like Tijjani Reijnders’ opener would be enough for Milan. “I can
The Washington Capitals and Winnipeg Jets on Saturday did not disappoint in a thrilling midseason matchup in front of a fired-up sellout crowd of more than 18,500 fans. The top two teams in the NHL delivered with a combined nine goals, including the 877th of Alex Ovechkin’s career to put him 18 back of breaking Wayne Gretzky’s record. That tied the score, the Jets pulled it out in overtime and just about everyone involved got their money’s worth out of the 5-4 game. “We knew how we were both sitting in the standings and both having real good years,” Winnipeg coach Scott
BACK-TO-BACK: The League One club, which is owned by stars Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, is sparing no expense to clinch promotion to the Championship Hollywood endings are pricey, even in England’s third division. In pursuit of their third straight promotion, Wrexham AFC splashed some cash at League One rival Reading to secure the services of striker Sam Smith. The Welsh club owned by actors Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney confirmed the signing of the 26-year-old Smith on Friday. He is one of the top scorers in the third division. The transfer fee was not disclosed, but British media widely reported it to be about £2 million (US$2.48 million) — not extravagant, but a hefty price at this level and it would be about the same figure that
Santiago Castro on Tuesday had an immediate impact off the bench as he scored the goal to send Bologna into the Coppa Italia semi-finals for the first time in 26 years. Bologna won 1-0 against last year’s runners-up, Atalanta BC, and are to play either holders Juventus or Empoli in the final four. Juventus are to host Empoli in their quarter-final on Feb. 26. The last time Bologna reached the semi-finals was in 1999, when they lost 4-2 to ACF Fiorentina. There were chances for both sides in a high-tempo match in Bergamo, but it was Bologna who broke the deadlock 10 minutes from