Football Watch
Horns win a big one in Lubbock, and more
By Mark Fagan, Fri., Sept. 24, 2010
The 3-0 Longhorns picked up a big win last week, beating the Red Raiders of Texas Tech 24-14, in part by controlling the ball for 37:44 of the game. A Garrett Gilbert-led 22-play drive toward the end of the game was a clincher; it included a successful fourth-and-one fake punt, and finished with a 1-yard TD pass to Barrett Matthews. Congrats to Blake Gideon for addressing the elephant in the room and snagging a 22-yard interception return. The No. 7 Horns enter their home matchup with UCLA this Saturday at 2:30pm as two-touchdown-plus favorites, hoping to carry the momentum they've gained from Lubbock. The game will be aired live on ABC and on KVET radio (98.1FM, 1300AM).
The Texans star keeps rising as the Cowboys star continues to fade. Houston's thrilling come-from-behind 30-27 overtime win against the Washington Redskins (on the road!) goes down as possibly the biggest victory in team history. And those words could apply to several upcoming games this season if the Texans continue on the path to their first-ever playoff appearance. While quiet in the Texans first-game win against the Colts (due in large part to Arian Foster's 231 yards on the ground), future Hall of Famer Andre Johnson went off for 158 yards on 12 receptions, including an amazing 34-yard touchdown snag on fourth down to tie the game with 2:03 remaining in the fourth quarter. All this after tweaking his ankle during the game. Matt Schaub passed for a franchise record 497 yards with three TDs and one interception. Kevin Walter caught 11 passes for 144 yards, Foster had another nice outing with 69 yards on 19 carries and three receptions for another 69 yards, and second-string tight end Joel Dreessen made an impressive leaping grab in OT picking up 28 yards to set up Neil Rackers' 35-yard game-winning kick. After a slow start to the game, superstud Mario Williams ended up with three sacks for the day, bringing his season total to four.
The Texans are not the team the Cowboys want to face, coming into Houston with an 0-2 record after dreadful performances in both games this season. Where to start? The lack of a running game? The defense giving up big plays and not being able to hold leads? David Buehler's missed kicks? Roy Williams' late-game fumble? There's a lot more wrong with the Cowboys than there is right, and if they fall to the Texans this Sunday (noon on Fox), as they are predicted to, it's gonna be a long and painful campaign for the Cowboys. I can just hear the angry sports radio callers now. Wade Phillips needs to update his résumé, and he might not want to include this season.
Area bars and the football teams/fans they cater to:
Aussie's catered to Browns fans last year but is focusing more on the Texans and Cowboys this season. 306 Barton Springs Rd., 480-0952.
B.D. Riley's Irish Pub is the place go if you're a fan of Tom Brady's tresses or his football team, the Patriots. 204 E. Sixth, 494-1335.
Bikinis Sports Bar & Grill (both locations) is a straight-up Steelers bar. 6901 N. I-35, 454-2247; 214 E. Sixth, 469-0001.
Billy's on Burnet is the "unofficial Packers bar of Austin." 2105 Hancock Dr., 407-9305.
Black Sheep Lodge has a good contingent of Saints, Redskins, Vikings, Texans, and Titans fans. 2108 S. Lamar, 707-2744.
Hog Island Italian Deli hosts Eagles watch parties. 1612 Lavaca, 482-9090.
Shoal Creek Saloon is the home of the Saints. 909 N. Lamar, 474-0805.
The Tavern sees a lot of Steelers and Ravens fans show up for NFL Sundays. 922 W. 12th, 320-8377.
Third Base Round Rock caters to Giants, Chargers, and Steelers fans. 3107 S. I-35, Round Rock, 512/388-2273.
Third Base South Park Meadows is the place to be for Saints, Vikings, and Steelers supporters. 9600 S. I-35, 381-2273.
Third Base Downtown has a good group for the Texans, Saints, and Vikings and generally a "pretty mixed" crowd. 1717 W. Sixth, 476-2273.
The Warehouse Saloon & Billiards sees a lot of Vikings fans, among others. I've also heard Dolphins and Bears fans have been known to congregate there. 509 E. Ben White, 443-8799.
Weirdos is a Chargers bar. 12408 MoPac N., 291-6703.
Hit me up at gameplans@austinchronicle with additional info.
