HOUSTON — Tasked with shadowing Miami’s superstar receiver Tyreek Hill for most of Sunday’s matchup, Derek Stingley Jr. delivered a masterclass performance for the Houston Texans.
Houston’s defense forced four turnovers, with Stingley stealing the spotlight by grabbing two crucial fourth-quarter interceptions to seal a 20-12 victory over the Miami Dolphins. The win pushed the Texans to 9-5 and secured their second consecutive AFC South title after Denver knocked off Indianapolis 31-13 later in the day.
“Stingley is playing unbelievable football right now,” Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans said postgame.
The challenge of covering Hill, who finished with just two receptions for 36 yards, didn’t phase Stingley.
“It’s a good opportunity going against somebody that’s the face of the NFL,” Stingley said. “Every time you’re out there, it’s time to compete and have fun.”
Stingley’s first interception came with 10:30 left in the fourth quarter, jumping in front of Hill at the Houston 20 to snuff out a Miami drive. He sealed the game with his second pick, again undercutting a pass intended for Hill as the Dolphins attempted one final push.
“Defensively, our guys stepped up and did a really good job closing out the game,” Ryans added.
While the defense stole the show, Nico Collins led the offensive charge with two touchdown receptions. Collins scored on a pair of 6-yard grabs—one in the second quarter and another in the third—the latter set up by Dare Ogunbowale’s 35-yard run on a perfectly executed fake punt. The trick play gave the Texans a much-needed spark, stretching their lead to 20-6.
Quarterback C.J. Stroud, who finished with 131 yards and two touchdowns, couldn’t say enough about Stingley’s impact.
“He’s one of a kind,” Stroud said. “I’m trying to get him a play on offense one of these days. He’s that good with the ball in his hands.”
Miami quarterback Tua Tagovailoa struggled without both starting tackles, Terron Armstead and Kendall Lamm, throwing three interceptions and losing a fumble. He finished with 196 yards passing, including a 7-yard touchdown to Jonnu Smith late in the third quarter to cut Houston’s lead to 20-12 after a missed PAT.
“Plain and simple, my fault,” Tagovailoa admitted. “I’ve got to protect the ball and play better for my guys when they’re counting on me to get it done.”
The game wasn’t without a scary moment. Miami wide receiver Grant DuBose was stretchered off the field in the third quarter after a helmet-to-helmet hit from rookie safety Calen Bullock. DuBose remained down for over 10 minutes as medical staff attended to him before he was taken to a local hospital for evaluation. Miami head coach Mike McDaniel later shared positive news, saying DuBose was in stable condition with encouraging head and neck imaging results.
Bullock, flagged for unnecessary roughness on the play, redeemed himself earlier with a pivotal second-quarter interception. The rookie returned the pick 68 yards to set up a Texans field goal just before halftime, extending the lead to 13-6.
Will Anderson Jr. also made his presence felt, sacking Tagovailoa and forcing a fumble that Tim Settle recovered deep in Dolphins territory. That turnover set up Collins’ first touchdown of the afternoon.
Injuries continued to mount for both sides. Miami’s Jaylen Waddle exited with a knee injury in the second quarter, while Houston tight end Cade Stover missed the game after undergoing an emergency appendectomy Saturday night. Defensive tackle Foley Fatukasi also left with an ankle injury and did not return.
Up Next:
Dolphins: Host San Francisco next Sunday.
Texans: Travel to Kansas City for a Saturday showdown.
The Texans head into Week 16 with momentum on their side, fueled by standout performances and a defense that continues to rise to the occasion.
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