Miami WR DuBose taken off the field on a stretcher after hit to the head against Texans

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Miami WR DuBose taken off the field on a stretcher after hit to the head against Texans

2024-12-16 07:18 Last Updated At：07:20

HOUSTON (AP) — Miami receiver Grant DuBose was hospitalized in stable condition and undergoing further evaluation after being taken off the field on a stretcher following a helmet-to-helmet hit against the Houston Texans on Sunday.

“There’s been some positive feedback related to some head and neck imaging,” coach Mike McDaniel said. “He will stay here overnight, and we’ll find out more by (Monday.)”

DuBose tried to make a catch in the third quarter, but was hit in the head by rookie Calen Bullock before his head violently hit the turf. He appeared to clench both fists after the hit — movements consistent with what’s referred to as the “fencing response,” which can be common after a traumatic brain injury — before remaining motionless as medical personnel rushed to his side.

“Very tough to have seen live,” quarterback Tua Tagovailoa said. “I’m my toughest critic when it comes to ball placement, when it comes to knowing where to go with the ball and all that. I just feel bad that I even put him in that situation to have gotten hit. It was tough to move on after that happened.”

Bullock was given a flag for unnecessary roughness for hitting a defenseless receiver on the play.

“I was praying that he would be OK,” Bullock said. “I wasn’t trying to go out there and hurt nobody.”

DuBose remained on the field for more than 10 minutes as he was tended to by emergency medical personnel. His jersey was cut off him and a neck brace was put on him while players from both teams watched with concern.

At one point while he was down, the Dolphins moved away from him and into a circle where they kneeled and appeared to be praying. McDaniel and Houston coach DeMeco Ryans embraced at one point while he was still on the field.

DuBose was eventually put on a spine board where his arms and legs were strapped down and he was taken off the field. A tube of some kind was in his mouth and no movement could be seen as he was taken off the field.

Tagovailoa, who has had multiple concussions in his NFL career, including one that had him taken off the field on a stretcher at Cincinnati in 2022, hated to see his teammate go through that.

“We all know that I’ve gone through something similar, and that’s no fun,” he said. “You never want to be put in any of those situations, but you also understand that this is a physical sport. It’s a contact sport. Again, I just think of what I could have done to not put Grant in that situation.”

Ryans said it was tough for both teams to move on after the injury.

“When you see a guy down on the field like that it’s very hard to see and we’re just praying that all is well with him and that he recovers as quickly as possible,” he said.

McDaniel agreed and said it's difficult to refocus on the game after something traumatic such as that happens.

“There’s nothing that I can say or anything,” he said. “You have a lot of prideful guys that are trying to go back to work, and I think that (they’re) motivated by knowing Grant and how he’d want us to finish the game. It’s unfortunately something you have to go through once in awhile in the game. It’s not easy.”

DuBose was a seventh-round pick last season and returned Sunday after injuring his shoulder early in the season.

It's the second straight Texans game where an opposing player has been injured by an illegal hit to the head after linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair's hit to the head of a sliding Trevor Lawrence gave him a concussion Dec. 1.

Lawrence was scrambling in the second quarter in that game. He initiated a slide before Al-Shaair raised his forearm and unleashed on the defenseless quarterback. He also displayed the “fencing response” but soon got up on his own power and walked to a cart which took him off the field.

Al-Shaair was ejected for the hit and given a three-game suspension, which was upheld on appeal.

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Collins has 2 TD catches, Texans force 4 turnovers in 20-12 win over Dolphins

2024-12-16 07:07 Last Updated At：07:11

HOUSTON (AP) — Tasked with shadowing Miami's star receiver Tyreek Hill for most of Sunday's game, Houston cornerback Derek Stingley shined.

Houston’s defense forced four turnovers, highlighted by two fourth-quarter interceptions by Stingley, to help the Texans to a 20-12 win over the Miami Dolphins on Sunday.

“Stingley is playing just unbelievable football right now,” Houston coach DeMeco Ryans said.

Stingley was asked about his performance against Hill, who had just two receptions for 36 yards.

“It’s a good opportunity going against somebody that’s the face of the NFL,” he said. “So anytime you get to go out there on the field, it’s just a good time, just time to have fun.”

Nico Collins had two TD receptions as the Texans (9-5) got a second straight victory. They can clinch the AFC South title for a second consecutive season with a loss by the Colts later Sunday.

Collins had a 6-yard TD reception in the second quarter and his second 6-yard scoring grab made it 20-6 in the third. That score was set up by a 35-yard run by Dare Ogunbowale on a fake punt.

Tua Tagovailoa threw a 7-yard TD pass to Jonnu Smith with about 4½ minutes left in the third quarter, but the kick failed to cut the lead to 20-12.

The Dolphins were driving again with about 10½ minutes left when Stingley hopped in front of Hill to grab an interception at the Houston 20.

The Texans had two drives after that, but had to punt both times to give the Dolphins a last chance. Stingley came through again, intercepting another pass intended for Hill to recure the win.

“Defensively our guys stepped up and did a really good job of closing out the game the way we needed to,” Ryans said.

Houston quarterback C.J. Stroud is so impressed with Stingley's skill set that he's been campaigning to get him on his side of the ball.

“He’s one of a kind,” Stroud said. “Trying to get him a play on offense one of these days. I think he’s that good with the ball in his hands.”

Stroud threw for 131 yards and two touchdowns for Houston on a day Joe Mixon managed just 23 yards rushing on 12 carries after being shaken up by a hard hit early.

Tagovailoa lost a fumble and threw three interceptions for Miami (6-8) on a day he played without starting tackles Terron Armstead and Kendall Lamm. Tagovailoa threw for 196 yards.

“Plain and simple, my fault,” he said. “I've got to protect the ball. I’ve got to play better ball for our guys, especially in the situation where the team is counting on me to drive our offense down to potentially tie the game up. That is not what I did.”

There was a scary scene in the third quarter when Miami receiver Grant DuBose was taken off the field on a stretcher after a helmet-to-helmet hit. The team said he is in stable condition and being taken to a local hospital for further evaluation.

“There’s been some positive feedback related to some head and neck imaging,” coach Mike McDaniel said. “He will stay here overnight, and we’ll find out more by (Monday).”

DuBose tried to make a catch in the third quarter, but was hit in the head by rookie Calen Bullock before his head violently hit the turf. Bullock was given a flag for unnecessary roughness for hitting a defenseless receiver on the play.

The Texans got a 44-yard field goal on their first possession and the Dolphins tied it with a 55-yard field goal early in the second.

Will Anderson Jr. sacked Tagovailoa from his blind side, causing a fumble which Tim Settle recovered on the Miami 28. Stroud put the Texans on top when he scrambled away from pressure and found Collins in the end zone for his first TD about seven minutes before halftime.

Miami cut the lead to 10-6 on a 36-yard field goal with about two minutes left in the second quarter.

Stroud wasn’t ready for a snap on Houston’s next drive and it bounced off his chest for a fumble which the Dolphins recovered.

But they came away empty when Tagovailoa was intercepted by Bullock four plays later. Bullock returned it 68 yards to the Miami 5 and the Texans added a field goal at the end of the half to extend the lead to 13-6.

Miami WR Jaylen Waddle sustained a knee injury in the second quarter and didn’t return. …Houston TE Cade Stover missed the game after having an emergency appendectomy Saturday night. … DT Foley Fatukasi injured an ankle in the second quarter and didn’t return.

Dolphins: host San Francisco next Sunday.

Texans: visit Kansas City on Saturday.

AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl