Gary Kubiak said Trindon Holliday had to do something spectacular to make the Houston Texans’ final roster.
How is this, Coach?
Holliday returned a punt 87 yards for a touchdown, a week after scoring on a 90-yard kickoff return, and Matt Schaub threw a touchdown pass to Lestar Jean in the Texans’ 20-9 win over the San Francisco 49ers on Saturday night in Houston.
The 5-foot-5 Holliday was a sixth-round draft pick in 2010, but missed his rookie year with a left thumb injury.
“It’s two weeks in a row,” Kubiak said. “We still have a couple weeks to go, but he’s definitely making a tremendous case for himself.”
Schaub completed 11 of 14 passes for 128 yards in two quarters, near-perfect in his second game since fracturing his right foot in Week 10 last season.
The Texans held the 49ers to 267 yards and stopped the 49ers twice on fourth down. Alex Smith completed 5 of 9 passes for 49 yards for the 49ers and was sacked twice.
“Most self-inflicted by me,” Smith said. “On the first play, a miscommunication with me and the other 10 guys in the huddle, and resulted in a hit. Then down the line, I tried to make a couple of plays by getting out of the pocket, and they’re good up front.”
Niners running back Brandon Jacobs left in the first quarter with a left knee injury after a hit by Texans cornerback Kareem Jackson, and second-round pick LaMichael James limped off in the fourth quarter.
San Francisco coach Jim Harbaugh said Jacobs will “miss a little time,” but that his injury isn’t serious. He said James is fine and is expected back at practice on Monday.
Randy Moss made three catches for 24 yards, his first receptions of the preseason for San Francisco.
At Rams 31, Chiefs 17: Sam Bradford threw touchdown passes on his first two drives, and St. Louis made improvements on the other side of the ball in a victory over Kansas City in the annual Governor’s Cup game.
Lance Kendricks and Danny Amendola scored on catches of 23 and 8 yards, and Steven Jackson ran for 49 yards on seven carries in a 151-yard first quarter that handed the backups a two-touchdown cushion.
Giants 26, at Jets 3: Rookie Jayron Hosley returned an interception of Mark Sanchez 77 yards for a touchdown, and the defending Super Bowl champions stifled the Jets.
Tim Tebow, making his home debut, led the Jets to their only points of the night on a 30-yard field goal by Josh Brown.
At Bears 33, Redskins 31: Jay Cutler and Brandon Marshall looked sharp from the start in their first appearance together for the Bears.
Cutler and Marshall picked up where they left off when they starred together in Denver. They connected on a 41-yard pass on Chicago’s first play from scrimmage to set up the first of two first-quarter touchdown runs by Michael Bush.
At Chargers 28, Cowboys 20: Shareece Wright’s electrifying 73-yard interception return set up Jackie Battle’s go-ahead, 2-yard touchdown run early in the fourth quarter, and former Seahawks QB Charlie Whitehurst threw two touchdown passes for San Diego.
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