Jets-Texans key play: Slaton's fumble
Written by davemundy, Sunday September 13 2009
The key play in Sunday’s season opener between the Jets and Texans came midway through the second quarter when the Jets’ Donald Strickland forced a fumble by Texans running back Steve Slaton. The ball was recovered by the Jets’ Mike DeVito and New York launched a 10-play, 78-yard scoring drive to grab a 10-0 halftime lead.
"I thought our defense played good early in the game and offensively we needed to make a play to get going in the game,” Houston head coach Gary Kubiak said. “We kind of made it and turned the ball over on the 15 I think it was. They go right down and score to make it 10-0.”
“We tried to move the ball and then had a turnover,” quarterback Matt Schaub added. “It was hard to get ourselves going.”
The Jets frustrated Slaton and the Houston running game while harrying Schaub, but the Texans turned to Slaton and backfield mate Vonta Leach to build some momentum in the second quarter, trailing 3-0.
A screen to Slaton on third-and-13 at the Houston 27 got the Texans’ first serious drive of the game going, and a dump pass to Leach got the ball to the New York 34. Two plays later, Schaub found Slaton again out of the backfield and the second-year running back put the Texans inside the 20 for the first—and only—time in the game.
In making the tackle, however, Strickland got his helmet on the ball, which popped straight up into the air behind Slaton and into DeVito’s waiting mitts, giving the Jets possession at their own 22.
"I hurt my team,” Slaton said. “I promised to hold on to the ball. To let it go on the 15 when we were so close to scoring is just a big blow to the team."
Ten plays later, quarterback Mark Sanchez found Chansi Stuckey wide open on a blown coverage by the Houston defense and hit him in stride for a 30-yard touchdown and a 10-0 lead.
“It could have made a momentum swing for us, instead it went the other way,” Texans tight end Owen Daniels noted. “It definitely could have changed the game, but we had opportunities out there to make plays and put drives together, we just couldn't do it.”
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