Jan 7 (The Sports Xchange) - The Houston Texans, behind a defense that smothered rookie Oakland quarterback Connor Cook throughout, cruised to a 27-14 victory over the Raiders in an AFC wild card playoff game in Houston on Saturday.
Cook, a fourth-round pick out of Michigan State, looked every bit like a third-stringer pressed into emergency duty, completing 18 of 45 passes for 161 yards with a touchdown and three interceptions.
With starter Derek Carr (leg) and backup Matt McGloin (shoulder) out, Cook was the lone option. The Texans, who led the NFL in total defense for the first time in franchise history, showed Cook no mercy.
“We make it difficult on a lot of quarterbacks,” Texans coach Bill O’Brien said. “I think the guy (Cook) has a future in this league. He completed some passes and had some nice plays. We have a good scheme and more importantly than that, we have a bunch of good players. Guys that play good team defense.”
Making their first postseason appearance since the Super Bowl following the 2002 season, the Raiders did not eclipse 100 total yards until their first possession of the fourth quarter, doing so on a 10-yard pass from Cook to tight end Mychal Rivera that also marked their first third-down conversion following an 0 for 11 start.
During an eight-possession stretch bracketed by their two touchdowns in the first and fourth periods, the Raiders punted eight times, produced just three first downs, and amassed 28 net yards on 28 plays. The Raiders finished 2 of 16 on third downs and averaged just 2.9 yards per play.
“It was his first start, on the road, in a playoff game, against the No. 1-ranked defense,” Raiders coach Jack Del Rio said of Cook. “It was a tough draw for him.
“We had hopes that we would be able to do enough around him so he wouldn’t have to do as much.”
By the time Cook found some rhythm and engineered an 11-play, 75-yard touchdown drive in the fourth, Houston led by 20 points behind a solid performance from quarterback Brock Osweiler.
Osweiler reclaimed his starting job when Tom Savage suffered a concussion last week at Tennessee and he made the most of his second opportunity, passing for 168 yards and a touchdown. He added a rushing touchdown for a 27-7 lead with 12:28 to play, eluding Raiders linebacker Cory James in the open field before scrambling into the end zone. In guiding the Texans to a 20-7 halftime lead, Osweiler posted a 110.0 passer rating and did not commit a turnover. He was, for once, the picture of consistency.
“It just goes back to having confidence in my teammates,” Osweiler said. “Believing in what you see and just rip it. Cut it loose and don’t have any hesitation. I trust that my teammates, the skill guys, they’re going to be where they’re supposed to be ... and they’re going to make me look good in the end.”
The Texans will face either New England or Kansas City in the divisional round next weekend.
(Editing by Andrew Both)