by Niles Carpenter/Saints Contributor

In a riveting showdown, the New Orleans Saints faced a disappointing loss on the road to the Houston Texans with a 20-13 defeat. With an impressive performance from rookie C.J. Stroud, who threw for 199 yards and two touchdowns, the Texans were able to secure their third win of the season, matching their win total from the previous year.

Stroud’s record-breaking streak without an interception was cut short in the game, but he displayed resilience, bouncing back with key touchdowns, which helped the Texans build a solid lead.

The Saints, who had started the season strongly with two consecutive wins, seemed to falter as they were unable to convert promising drives into points on several occasions. Derek Carr, with a season-high 353 yards and a touchdown, had an unfortunate miss when a pivotal pass to Alvin Kamara on fourth-and-4 fell short, giving Houston the ball back.

Despite their late efforts and getting as close as the Houston 24, a final pass by Carr was intercepted by Steven Nelson, sealing the Saints’ fate. New Orleans, with their third loss in four games, appeared to struggle in converting their offensive advances, reflecting in their missed opportunities throughout the game.

Although the Saints were able to register some points, thanks to a 34-yard touchdown pass from Carr to Rashid Shaheed and a couple of field goals, they consistently found themselves on the back foot. The Texans capitalized on these lapses, with Stroud connecting for touchdowns with Dalton Schultz and Robert Woods.

Houston’s defense, celebrated by coach DeMeco Ryans, was crucial in halting the Saints’ comeback attempts. With both teams now sitting at a 3-3 record, it will be interesting to watch how the rest of the season unfolds for these two franchises. The Saints (3-3) face the Jacksonville Jaguars (4-2) on Thursday night football.