Final2022 Week 2

Empower Field at Mile High, Denver, CO

Houston Texans vs Denver Broncos, Week 2 2022

Houston Texans

Away

9

Denver Broncos

HomeWon

16

Scoring by quarter
TeamQ1Q2Q3Q4Final
Texans33309
Broncos3301016

HOU 9DEN 16 Final

  • Passing leader

    Russell Wilson

    DEN · QB

    12.1PPR pts

    14/31, 219 YDS, 1 TD, 1 INT

  • Top fantasy scorer

    Courtland Sutton

    DEN · WR

    19.7PPR pts

    7 REC, 122 YDS

  • Texans leader

    Nico Collins

    HOU · WR

    9.8PPR pts

    4 REC, 58 YDS

  • Defensive playmaker

    Christian Kirksey

    HOU

    1 INT, 0.5 SACK, 5 TKL

Broncos 16, Texans 9: Denver rallies in the fourth quarter

Denver broke a 6–6 halftime tie, outscoring Houston 10–3 after the break to win 16–9. The Broncos finished with a 350–234 edge in total offense and averaged 5.4 yards per play.

The Texans went 2-for-13 on third down, while the Broncos kept the ball for 32:33.

Key advantages

  • +1.4 yards/play DEN 5.4 · HOU 4.0
  • +116 total yards DEN 350 · HOU 234
  • +10% third-down rate DEN 25% · HOU 15%

Game Highlights

Official NFL highlights · Opens from YouTube

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Why the Broncos Won

Denver won the efficiency, third-down, and time of possession battles.

Team stats comparison, Texans vs Broncos
TexansStatBroncos
4.0Yards per play5.4
234Total yards350
15%Third-down conversion25%
Other team stats
59Plays65
0Turnovers1
27:27Time of possession32:33

Scoring Summary

The Broncos scored one touchdown and three field goals; the Texans scored three field goals.

Scoring plays, Texans vs Broncos
TimeTeamPlayHOUDEN
1st quarter
5:30DENBrandon McManus 20-yard FG Takes lead03
2:19HOUKa'imi Fairbairn 40-yard FG Ties game33
2nd quarter
7:20HOUKa'imi Fairbairn 44-yard FG Takes lead63
0:20DENBrandon McManus 24-yard FG Ties game66
3rd quarter
8:33HOUKa'imi Fairbairn 24-yard FG Takes lead96
4th quarter
12:37DENRussell Wilson → Eric Saubert, 22-yard TD Game winnerBrandon McManus XP913
3:36DENBrandon McManus 50-yard FG Extends lead916

Fantasy Points: Texans vs Broncos, Week 2 2022

Fantasy leaders

  1. Courtland SuttonDENWR19.7 PTSWR16
  2. Russell WilsonDENQB12.1 PTSQB24
  3. Nico CollinsHOUWR9.8 PTSWR47
  4. Javonte WilliamsDENRB9.5 PTSRB25

Player Stats

Quarterbacks

Quarterback statistics
PlayerFPTSFINCMP/ATTPass YDSTDINTRush ATTRush YDSRush TDRateStart/Sit
Russell WilsonDENQB12.1QB2414/312191123066.5
Davis MillsHOUQB5.2QB3019/381770021063.2Start/Sit →
Jeff DriskelHOUQB1.0QB34————1100—

WRs, RBs, & TEs

Receiver, running back and tight end statistics
PlayerFPTSFINPOSRush ATTRush YDSRush TDTGTRECRec YDSRec TDStart/Sit
Courtland SuttonDENWR19.7WR16WR1501171220Start/Sit →
Nico CollinsHOUWR9.8WR47WR———94580Start/Sit →
Javonte WilliamsDENRB9.5RB25RB1575041100Start/Sit →
Brandin CooksHOUWR9.4WR48WR———104540Start/Sit →
Eric SaubertDENTE9.2TE14TE———21221Start/Sit →
Dameon PierceHOURB8.7RB29RB156901180Start/Sit →
Melvin GordonDENRB6.3RB42RB104701160
Pharaoh BrownHOUTE5.4TE25TE———53240
Tyrie ClevelandDENWR4.8WR77WR———32280
Chris MooreHOUWR3.4WR85WR———42140Start/Sit →
Kendall HintonDENWR3.0WR93WR———11200
Rex BurkheadHOURB2.9RB61RB———3290
Brevin JordanHOUTE2.3TE39TE———4230Start/Sit →
Jerry JeudyDENWR2.2WR100WR11031110Start/Sit →
Montrell WashingtonDENWR1.9WR105WR11901000
O.J. HowardHOUTE1.7TE44TE———1170
Albert OkwuegbunamDENTE0.0—TE———2000
Andrew BeckDENRB-0.1—RB1-10————

Fantasy Usage

Houston Texans

Snap Share

  1. Brandin CooksWR55 snaps87%
  2. Pharaoh BrownTE45 snaps71%
  3. Nico CollinsWR42 snaps67%
  4. Chris MooreWR41 snaps65%
  5. Dameon PierceRB39 snaps62%

Target Share37 targets

  1. Brandin Cooks27%, 10 targets
  2. Nico Collins24%, 9 targets
  3. Pharaoh Brown14%, 5 targets
  4. Chris Moore11%, 4 targets
  5. Brevin Jordan11%, 4 targets
  6. Other14%, 5 targets

Carry Share18 carries

  1. Dameon Pierce83%, 15 carries
  2. Davis Mills11%, 2 carries
  3. Jeff Driskel6%, 1 carries

Denver Broncos

Snap Share

  1. Courtland SuttonWR66 snaps92%
  2. Kendall HintonWR55 snaps76%
  3. Javonte WilliamsRB47 snaps65%
  4. Albert OkwuegbunamTE38 snaps53%
  5. Tyrie ClevelandWR31 snaps43%

Target Share28 targets

  1. Courtland Sutton39%, 11 targets
  2. Javonte Williams14%, 4 targets
  3. Jerry Jeudy11%, 3 targets
  4. Tyrie Cleveland11%, 3 targets
  5. Eric Saubert7%, 2 targets
  6. Other18%, 5 targets

Carry Share31 carries

  1. Javonte Williams48%, 15 carries
  2. Melvin Gordon32%, 10 carries
  3. Russell Wilson6%, 2 carries
  4. Courtland Sutton3%, 1 carries
  5. Andrew Beck3%, 1 carries
  6. Other6%, 2 carries
View full usage tableHide full usage table
Offensive snaps and share for the skill positions
PlayerSNAPSSNAP %TGTTGT %CAR
Courtland SuttonDENWR6692%1139%1
Brandin CooksHOUWR5587%1027%0
Kendall HintonDENWR5576%14%0
Pharaoh BrownHOUTE4571%514%0
Nico CollinsHOUWR4267%924%0
Javonte WilliamsDENRB4765%414%15
Chris MooreHOUWR4165%411%0
Dameon PierceHOURB3962%13%15
Albert OkwuegbunamDENTE3853%27%0
Tyrie ClevelandDENWR3143%311%0
Rex BurkheadHOURB2337%38%0
Brevin JordanHOUTE2337%411%0
Eric SaubertDENTE2636%27%0
Eric TomlinsonDENTE2433%00%0
Melvin GordonDENRB2332%14%10
Chris ConleyHOUWR2032%00%0
Andrew BeckDENRB2129%00%1
O.J. HowardHOUTE1829%13%0
Montrell WashingtonDENWR1217%14%1
Jerry JeudyDENWR1014%311%1
Troy HairstonHOURB711%00%0
Mike BooneDENRB710%00%0
Dare OgunbowaleHOURB12%00%0

Fantasy Points vs Expected

Expected points (xFP) are what a player's pass attempts, carries and targets are worth at the league's average rates; the difference is what the player made of them.

Usage and expected fantasy points
PlayerPTSxFPvs xFPSnap%UsageRte%Pass attCarCar%TgtTgt%
Courtland SuttonDEN · WR19.719.0+0.792%39% tgt—013%1139%
Davis MillsHOU · QB7.217.4−10.295%38 att—38211%00%
Brandin CooksHOU · WR9.416.7−7.387%27% tgt—000%1027%
Javonte WilliamsDEN · RB9.516.3−6.865%48% car—01548%414%
Nico CollinsHOU · WR9.815.0−5.267%24% tgt—000%924%
Russell WilsonDEN · QB12.114.4−2.3100%31 att—3126%00%
Dameon PierceHOU · RB8.711.3−2.662%83% car—01583%13%
Pharaoh BrownHOU · TE5.48.3−2.971%14% tgt—000%514%
Melvin Gordon IIIDEN · RB6.38.1−1.832%32% car—01032%14%
Brevin JordanHOU · TE2.36.7−4.437%11% tgt—000%411%
Chris MooreHOU · WR3.46.7−3.365%11% tgt—000%411%
Jerry JeudyDEN · WR2.25.6−3.414%11% tgt—013%311%
Rex BurkheadHOU · RB2.95.0−2.137%8% tgt—000%38%
Tyrie ClevelandDEN · WR4.85.0−0.243%11% tgt—000%311%
Albert Okwuegbunam Jr.DEN · TE0.03.3−3.353%7% tgt—000%27%
Eric SaubertDEN · TE9.23.3+5.936%7% tgt—000%27%
Montrell WashingtonDEN · WR1.92.3−0.417%4% tgt—013%14%
Kendall HintonDEN · WR3.01.7+1.376%4% tgt—000%14%
O.J. HowardHOU · TE1.71.70.029%3% tgt—000%13%
Andrew BeckDEN · RB-0.10.6−0.729%3% car—013%00%
Jeff DriskelHOU · QB1.00.6+0.45%0 att—016%00%

Team totals: Texans 37 targets and 18 carries; Broncos 28 targets and 31 carries. Shares are from the box score. Snap counts are from the weekly player logs (Sleeper), and include plays wiped out by penalties. Route counts, air yards and red-zone touches appear when the tracking feed is connected. League-average rates from the 2022 season: 1.67 PPR points per target (67% catch rate), 0.64 per carry and 0.42 per pass attempt. They don't adjust for field position or target depth.

Fantasy Verdicts

Davis Mills Unlucky

HOU · QB · 7.2 pts on 17.4 expected

19 of 38 passing for 177 yards; 2 carries for 1 yard.

Verdict: The role was there, worth 17.4 points at league-average rates; the production wasn't.

Start/Sit: Davis Mills →

Russell Wilson

DEN · QB · 12.1 pts on 14.4 expected

14 of 31 passing for 219 yards, 1 touchdown, 1 interception; 2 carries for 3 yards.

Verdict: The points matched the role, 14.4 expected.

Brandin Cooks Unlucky

HOU · WR · 9.4 pts on 16.7 expected

10 targets (27% of the team's), 4 catches for 54 yards.

Verdict: The role was there, worth 16.7 points at league-average rates; the production wasn't.

Start/Sit: Brandin Cooks →

Nico Collins Unlucky

HOU · WR · 9.8 pts on 15.0 expected

9 targets (24% of the team's), 4 catches for 58 yards.

Verdict: The role was there, worth 15.0 points at league-average rates; the production wasn't.

Trend: Season high in targets (9).

Start/Sit: Nico Collins →

Courtland Sutton Strong role

DEN · WR · 19.7 pts on 19.0 expected

11 targets (39% of the team's), 7 catches for 122 yards; 1 carry (3% of the team's) for 5 yards.

Verdict: The points matched the role, 19.0 expected.

Trend: Season high in targets (11).

Start/Sit: Courtland Sutton →

Javonte Williams Unlucky

DEN · RB · 9.5 pts on 16.3 expected

4 targets (14% of the team's), 1 catch for 10 yards; 15 carries (48% of the team's) for 75 yards.

Verdict: The role was there, worth 16.3 points at league-average rates; the production wasn't.

Trend: Season high in carries (15).

Start/Sit: Javonte Williams →

Eric Saubert Ran hot

DEN · TE · 9.2 pts on 3.3 expected

2 targets (7% of the team's), 1 catch for 22 yards and 1 touchdown.

Verdict: The opportunities were worth 3.3 points; the touchdowns supplied the rest, and they are the part least likely to repeat.

Start/Sit: Eric Saubert →

Dameon Pierce Volume, no payoff

HOU · RB · 8.7 pts on 11.3 expected

1 target (3% of the team's), 1 catch for 8 yards; 15 carries (83% of the team's) for 69 yards.

Verdict: The points matched the role, 11.3 expected.

Trend: Season high in carries (15).

Start/Sit: Dameon Pierce →

Stock Up, Stock Down

Houston Texans

  • Stock up: Dameon Pierce led the backfield with 62% of the snaps after trailing Rex Burkhead before this game.
  • Stock up: Chris Moore played 65% of the snaps, up from a 49% season average.
  • Stock down: Rex Burkhead lost the backfield lead: 37% of the snaps to Dameon Pierce's 62%.

Denver Broncos

  • Stock up: Tyrie Cleveland played 43% of the snaps, up from a 12% season average.
  • Stock down: Jerry Jeudy played 14% of the snaps, down from a 89% season average.

Fantasy Matchups

Fantasy points allowed per game by position, 2022 through Week 18.

Fantasy points allowed per game by position, Texans defense and Broncos defense
Points allowed toTexans DBroncos D
QBs13.614.6
RBs30.723.5
WRs25.726.0
TEs11.614.5

Regular season, summed from each game's box score and scored with this page's rules.

How the Game Swung

Denver opened at 77% win probability and passed 98% in the fourth quarter on the way to the win.

Broncos win probability

Broncos win probability by game minuteBroncos started at 77%, stood at 70% at halftime and finished at 100%, across 7 scoring plays.Q1Q2Q3Q4100%50%0%

Key Swings

  1. +7McManus 20-yd FG75% → 82%Q1 5:30
  2. −10Fairbairn 44-yd FG72% → 62%Q2 7:20
  3. +12McManus 24-yd FG58% → 70%Q2 0:20
  4. −14Fairbairn 24-yd FG68% → 54%Q3 8:33
  5. +40Wilson → Saubert, 22-yd TD44% → 84%Q4 12:37

Swing in Broncos win probability, in points

Play Calling and Possessions

Play calling, Texans vs Broncos
Houston TexansMeasureDenver Broncos
59Plays65
69%Pass rate52%
3.8Yds / dropback5.9
4.4Yds / carry4.8
2/13Third downs3/12

Efficiency edge Denver ran 6 more plays and gained 2.1 more yards per dropback.

  • Top targets
  • HOU Cooks 27% · Collins 24% · Brown 14%
  • DEN Sutton 39% · Williams 14% · Jeudy 11%

Possession Results

How each possession ended, Texans vs Broncos
ResultHOUDEN
Touchdowns01
Field goals33
Punts55
Turnovers01
Turnovers on downs20

HOU turnover edge: +1

  • The Broncos opened the scoring on their second possession, a 8-play, 63-yard drive that ended in a field goal.
  • The Broncos drained the clock with two second-half drives of five to seven minutes.
All 22 possessions, drive by drive
Drive chart
TeamStartPlaysYardsTimeResult
HOUQ1 15:00381:31Punt
DENQ1 13:296442:43Punt
HOUQ1 10:466162:58Punt
DENQ1 7:488632:18Field goal
HOUQ1 5:3010543:11Field goal
DENQ1 2:198264:27Punt
HOUQ2 12:5210545:32Field goal
DENQ2 7:205141:42Punt
HOUQ2 5:383-61:34Punt
DENQ2 4:049703:44Field goal
HOUQ2 0:201-10:20End of half
DENQ3 15:002-61:18Interception
HOUQ3 13:4211395:09Field goal
DENQ3 8:338345:31Punt
HOUQ3 3:02341:29Punt
DENQ3 1:336623:56Touchdown
HOUQ4 12:375302:49Punt
DENQ4 9:4812546:12Field goal
HOUQ4 3:366382:14Downs
DENQ4 1:223-60:29Punt
HOUQ4 0:534-10:40Downs
DENQ4 0:131-10:13End of game
About these numbers

Possessions that ended with the clock running out at the half or the end of the game aren't counted.

Personnel groupings, average depth of target and pass rate over expected appear when the tracking feed is connected.

Texans vs Broncos Head-to-Head

The Texans and Broncos first met in 2004 and have played 11 times since.

All-time series
7–4Broncos lead, 11 meetings since 2004
Postseason
0No playoff meetings
Largest Texans win
31–132007
Largest Broncos win
37–132013

Since 2021

2–1 Broncos lead

3 meetings since the 2021 season, regular season and playoffs.

Oldest to newest. B = Broncos win, T = Texans win, outlined = this game.

Recent Meetings

Season to Date (Through Week 18)

The 2022 regular season, from each game's box score.

Season to date, Texans vs Broncos
TexansStatBroncos
3-13-1Record5-12
17.0Points per game16.9
283.5Yards per game325.1
4.7Yards per play5.1
24.7Points allowed per game21.1
379.5Yards allowed per game320.0

Texans vs Broncos Odds and Results

How this game finished against the betting lines.

Spread
DEN −10Broncos failed to cover by 3
Total
45.5Under: 25 points scored (by 20.5)

Expected vs Actual Scoring

Implied team totals against the actual score
TeamImpliedActualDifference
Broncos27.816−11.8
Texans17.89−8.8

Both offenses finished under the market's expectation, which matches the low fantasy output in the Fantasy tab.

Betting Trends

Each team's 2022 season through this game. Over/under is overs first.

Houston Texans

Against the spread
2–0
Over/under
0–2
ATS as underdog
2–0
ATS on the road
1–0

Denver Broncos

Against the spread
0–2
Over/under
0–2
ATS as favorite
0–2
ATS at home
0–1

Lines: ESPN's consensus, captured at kickoff. Individual sportsbooks varied.

21+. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER. Betting availability depends on your state.

Texans and Broncos in Fantasy

The two teams don't meet again this season. If you roster a Texan or a Bronco, these answer the week-to-week question.

Keep Exploring

2022 Game Logs for Players in This Game

Texans vs Broncos Game FAQ

Who won the 2022 Texans vs Broncos Week 2 game?

The Denver Broncos beat the Houston Texans 16–9 in Week 2 of the 2022 season. The game was played at Empower Field at Mile High in Denver, CO, on September 18, 2022. See the Broncos' 2022 schedule.

What was the final score of Texans vs Broncos?

The final score was Broncos 16, Texans 9. The teams were tied 6–6 at halftime, and the second half went Texans 3, Broncos 10.

What happened in the Texans vs Broncos game?

Denver broke a 6–6 halftime tie, outscoring Houston 10–3 after the break to win 16–9. The Broncos finished with a 350–234 edge in total offense and averaged 5.4 yards per play. Courtland Sutton led all players with 7 catches for 122 yards, plus a carry for 5 rushing yards. The Broncos committed 1 turnover, the Texans none.

What was the game-winning score in Texans vs Broncos?

Russell Wilson's 22-yard touchdown pass to Eric Saubert with 12:37 left in the fourth quarter gave the Broncos a 13–9 lead they never gave up.

Who scored the most fantasy points in Texans vs Broncos?

Courtland Sutton led the game with 19.7 PPR fantasy points, the WR16 of Week 2, on 7 catches for 122 yards, plus a carry for 5 rushing yards. Russell Wilson was next with 12.1 (QB24). See Courtland Sutton's 2022 game log.

Who led Texans vs Broncos in passing, rushing and receiving?

Russell Wilson (DEN) led all passers with 14 of 31 for 219 yards, a touchdown and an interception. Javonte Williams (DEN) led in rushing with 15 carries for 75 yards. Courtland Sutton (DEN) led in receiving with 7 catches for 122 yards.

Who outperformed and underperformed expected fantasy points in Texans vs Broncos?

Eric Saubert outperformed his expected fantasy points the most, scoring 9.2 PPR points on 3.3 xFP (+5.9). Davis Mills fell furthest short, with 7.2 points on 17.4 xFP (−10.2). A gap either way reflects efficiency and touchdowns in one game; it is not a forecast. For matchups ahead, see fantasy points allowed by position.

Who had the highest expected fantasy points in Texans vs Broncos?

Courtland Sutton had the most fantasy opportunity in the game, worth 19.0 expected PPR points (xFP) at league-average rates, and scored 19.7. Expected points measure the volume of a player's pass attempts, carries and targets, not how well he used them.

How did the Broncos beat the Texans?

The Broncos beat the Texans 16–9 because they averaged 5.4 yards per play to 4.0 and outgained them 350–234. Russell Wilson's 22-yard touchdown pass to Eric Saubert put them ahead for good.

Which team won the turnover battle in Texans vs Broncos?

The Texans won the turnover battle 1–0: the Broncos gave the ball away 1 time and the Texans not at all. The Broncos won the game anyway.

What is the all-time Texans vs Broncos record?

The Broncos lead the all-time series 7–4 across 11 meetings since 2004.

When did the Texans and Broncos last play before this game?

Before Week 2 of 2022, they last met in the 2019 season on December 8, 2019, when the Broncos beat the Texans 38–24.

What was the closing spread for Texans vs Broncos?

The consensus closing spread at kickoff was Broncos −10, making the Denver Broncos 10-point favorites, with a closing total of 45.5. That implied about 27.8 points for the Broncos and 17.8 for the Texans.

Did Texans vs Broncos go over or under the total?

The game went under. The consensus closing total was 45.5, and the teams combined for 25 points, 20.5 under the number.

Who covered the spread in Texans vs Broncos?

The Texans covered as 10-point underdogs against the closing line of Broncos −10. The final margin was 7 points.