The Texans, 19-0 over three seasons when leading at half-time and 6-0 in this campaign, could become the first team to play a Super Bowl in their own home stadium.
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The Oakland Raiders did not get the start that they were hoping for in the AFC Wild Card Round against the Houston Texans.
Clowney’s athletic interception of Raiders quarterback Connor Cook set the Texans up at Raiders’ 4-yard line midway through the first quarter.
Running back Lamar Miller would punch it in from four yards out the next play to make it 10-to-0 early in the first quarter. In guiding the Texans to a 20-7 halftime lead, Osweiler posted a 110.0 passer rating and did not commit a turnover.
The Raiders lost league MVP candidate Derek Carr to a broken right fibula in the fourth quarter of their Week 16 game against the Indianapolis Colts.
“It was his first start, on the road, in a playoff game, against the No. 1-ranked defense”. Cook looked solid at times when replacing him and that, along with McGloin’s health, led to the rookie from Michigan State getting the start.
The game delivered a combined 17.8 television rating in San Francisco (this market includes Oakland and San Jose) – the highest rating in this market for a Saturday afternoon Wild Card game since 2007 – and a 31.2 rating in Houston. They had some chances to keep the game close, but Oakland’s offense never got on track.
Osweiler ran in in the fourth before Andre Holmes scored late on for the Raiders.
Brock Osweiler saved one of his cleanest games of the season for the playoffs, and coach Bill O’Brien announced after the game that Osweiler would remain the team’s starter for the Divisional Round.
The Raiders struggled to run the ball in the first meeting against the Texans with just 30 yards on 20 carries in a 27-20 win in Mexico City on November 21.
HEALTHY MILLER: Miller was healthy on Saturday for the first time in weeks after dealing with various injuries for most of the season.
The passing game was slightly more productive, with Osweiler throwing for 168 yards, with 67 of those to Hopkins.
Maybe Raiders defensive end Khalil Mack makes such quick work of Osweiler, the Texans wind up turning to backup quarterback Brandon Weeden, which will do nothing to further their Round 2 aspirations.
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“Just take what the defense gives you and just go play football. just go have fun and go play some backyard football with your buddies”, he said. The Raiders are making their first playoff appearance since 2002.
