Game story
In Week 11 of the 2018 NFL season on 2018-11-18, the Houston Texans took care of business against the Washington Commanders, pulling away with a 23–21 final that came down to the wire.
The highest-scoring period was Q2 with 14 combined points — the stretch that most shaped the final margin.
A. Smith (Washington Commanders) paced the passing game, with -14.11 total EPA, and -16.0% completion percentage over expected.
On the individual side, J. Akins (Houston Texans) delivered the top overall EPA impact at +3.98 — the clearest player-of-the-game signal on the analytics sheet.
The momentum swing (-32.4% win probability) landed in the second quarter when Washington Commanders changed the game: (2:38) (Shotgun) 11-A.Smith pass short left intended for 86-J.Reed INTERCEPTED by 20-J.Reid [95-C.Covington] at HOU -1. 20-J.Reid for 101 yards, TOUCHDOWN.
Line score
Final score and points by quarter.
| Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Q4 | — | T | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Houston Texans | 10 | 7 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 23 |
| Washington Commanders | 0 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 21 |
Stars of the game
Top performers by total expected points added (EPA) across passing, rushing, and receiving.
- 1 J. Akins · Houston Texans · Receiving · +3.98 total EPA · 2 snaps · +1.99 EPA/play
- 2 T. Quinn · Washington Commanders · Receiving · +3.80 total EPA · 4 snaps · +0.95 EPA/play
- 3 C. McCoy · Washington Commanders · Rushing · +1.93 total EPA · 2 snaps · +0.97 EPA/play
- 4 M. Floyd · Washington Commanders · Receiving · +1.46 total EPA · 3 snaps · +0.49 EPA/play
- 5 C. McCoy · Washington Commanders · Passing · +1.19 total EPA · 16 snaps · +0.07 EPA/play
- 6 A. Blue · Houston Texans · Rushing · +1.14 total EPA · 8 snaps · +0.14 EPA/play
- 7 A. Smith · Washington Commanders · Rushing · +1.03 total EPA · 1 snaps · +1.03 EPA/play
- 8 K. Coutee · Houston Texans · Receiving · +0.67 total EPA · 9 snaps · +0.07 EPA/play
Player of the game
FantasyHQ analytics player-of-the-game pick based on total EPA and signature plays.
J. Akins — HOU · Receiving
J. Akins posted the highest total EPA (+3.98) in the game, making the biggest overall impact on Houston Texans's efficiency. Across 2 counted snaps, they averaged +1.99 EPA per play.
The signature play (-10.58 EPA) came from Washington Commanders: (2:38) (Shotgun) 11-A.Smith pass short left intended for 86-J.Reed INTERCEPTED by 20-J.Reid [95-C.Covington] at HOU -1. 20-J.Reid for 101 yards, TOUCHDOWN.
Who scored touchdowns and field goals
Every touchdown and field goal with the player named in official play-by-play.
Touchdowns
- Houston Texans — D. Hopkins (D. Watson pass)
- Washington Commanders — A. Peterson
- Houston Texans — J. Reid
- Washington Commanders — J. Reed (C. McCoy pass)
- Washington Commanders — A. Peterson
Field goals
- Houston Texans — K. Fairbairn
- Houston Texans — K. Fairbairn
- Houston Texans — K. Fairbairn
How it unfolded, quarter by quarter
A quarter-by-quarter recap built from live scoring plays and play descriptions.
The opening quarter: Houston Texans won the period 10–0. Houston Texans connected on a field goal from the WAS 5 (Q1 54:35) — (9:35) 7-K.Fairbairn 23 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-46-J.Weeks, Holder-8-T.Daniel.; Houston Texans found the end zone from the WAS 16 (Q1 48:20) — (3:20) (Shotgun) 4-D.Watson pass short left to 10-D.Hopkins for 16 yards, TOUCHDOWN.; Houston Texans added 1 points from the WAS 15 (Q1 48:15) — 7-K.Fairbairn extra point is GOOD, Center-46-J.Weeks, Holder-8-T.Daniel..
The second quarter: The quarter finished even at 7–7. Washington Commanders found the end zone from the HOU 3 (Q2 44:19) — (14:19) 26-A.Peterson left end for 3 yards, TOUCHDOWN.; Washington Commanders added 1 points from the HOU 15 (Q2 44:14) — 3-D.Hopkins extra point is GOOD, Center-57-N.Sundberg, Holder-5-T.Way.; Houston Texans found the end zone from the HOU 9 (Q2 32:38); Houston Texans added 1 points from the WAS 20 (Q2 32:23) — 7-K.Fairbairn extra point is GOOD, Center-46-J.Weeks, Holder-8-T.Daniel..
The third quarter: Washington Commanders won the period 7–3. Washington Commanders found the end zone from the HOU 9 (Q3 19:52) — (4:52) (Shotgun) 12-C.McCoy pass short left to 86-J.Reed for 9 yards, TOUCHDOWN.; Washington Commanders added 1 points from the HOU 15 (Q3 19:47) — 3-D.Hopkins extra point is GOOD, Center-57-N.Sundberg, Holder-5-T.Way.; Houston Texans connected on a field goal from the WAS 15 (Q3 16:22).
The fourth quarter: Washington Commanders won the period 7–3. Washington Commanders found the end zone from the HOU 7 (Q4 12:02) — (12:02) 26-A.Peterson left end for 7 yards, TOUCHDOWN.; Washington Commanders added 1 points from the HOU 15 (Q4 11:57) — 3-D.Hopkins extra point is GOOD, Center-57-N.Sundberg, Holder-5-T.Way.; Houston Texans connected on a field goal from the WAS 36 (Q4 7:35) — (7:35) 7-K.Fairbairn 54 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-46-J.Weeks, Holder-8-T.Daniel..
Turning points
Plays that moved win probability the most — the swings that decided the game.
- Washington Commanders (Q2 32:38) — (2:38) (Shotgun) 11-A.Smith pass short left intended for 86-J.Reed INTERCEPTED by 20-J.Reid [95-C.Covington] at HOU -1. 20-J.Reid for 101 yards, TOUCHDOWN.
- Houston Texans (Q4 0:56) — (:56) 7-K.Fairbairn 45 yard field goal is No Good, Wide Right, Center-46-J.Weeks, Holder-8-T.Daniel.
- Washington Commanders (Q4 0:08) — (:08) 3-D.Hopkins 63 yard field goal is No Good, Short, Center-57-N.Sundberg, Holder-5-T.Way.
- Houston Texans (Q3 20:39) — (5:39) (Shotgun) 4-D.Watson pass short left intended for 26-L.Miller INTERCEPTED by 94-P.Smith at HOU 16. 94-P.Smith to HOU 13 for 3 yards (4-D.Watson).
- Houston Texans (Q4 3:51) — (3:51) (Shotgun) 4-D.Watson pass short left to 26-L.Miller to WAS 42 for 13 yards (20-H.Clinton-Dix).
Impact plays
Highest expected-points added snaps that flipped field position and scoring chances.
- Washington Commanders (Q2 32:38) — (2:38) (Shotgun) 11-A.Smith pass short left intended for 86-J.Reed INTERCEPTED by 20-J.Reid [95-C.Covington] at HOU -1. 20-J.Reid for 101 yards, TOUCHDOWN.
- Houston Texans (Q3 20:39) — (5:39) (Shotgun) 4-D.Watson pass short left intended for 26-L.Miller INTERCEPTED by 94-P.Smith at HOU 16. 94-P.Smith to HOU 13 for 3 yards (4-D.Watson).
- Houston Texans (Q3 27:11) — (12:11) (Shotgun) 4-D.Watson pass short middle to 10-D.Hopkins to WAS 35 for 7 yards (20-H.Clinton-Dix). FUMBLES (20-H.Clinton-Dix), RECOVERED by WAS-54-M.Foster at WAS 35. The Replay Official reviewe
- Washington Commanders (Q2 31:31) — (1:31) (No Huddle, Shotgun) 11-A.Smith pass short middle intended for 46-K.Bibbs INTERCEPTED by 57-B.Scarlett at WAS 30. 57-B.Scarlett to WAS 22 for 8 yards (18-J.Doctson).
Quarterback report card
A.Smith led all passers in efficiency for Washington Commanders, setting the tone in the passing game according to FantasyHQ analytics.
- A.Smith (Washington Commanders) · 34 dropbacks · 35.3% completion · -16.0% CPOE · -0.41 EPA/play · -14.11 total EPA
- D.Watson (Houston Texans) · 34 dropbacks · 47.1% completion · -2.5% CPOE · -0.13 EPA/play · -4.27 total EPA
Team stats comparison
Side-by-side offensive and defensive efficiency from FantasyHQ analytics.
| Stat | Houston Texans | Washington Commanders |
|---|---|---|
| Offensive EPA/play | -0.124 | -0.161 |
| Offensive success rate | 46.1% | 37.9% |
| Pass EPA/play | -0.126 | -0.258 |
| Rush EPA/play | -0.036 | +0.029 |
| Defensive EPA/play | +0.161 | +0.124 |
| Defensive success rate | 62.1% | 53.9% |
By the numbers
Both offenses finished within striking distance on EPA per play (Houston Texans -0.12, Washington Commanders -0.16) — a true toss-up on the analytics sheet.
- Houston Texans: 12 drives, -9.43 total EPA, 4 scoring drives
- Washington Commanders: 12 drives, -15.34 total EPA, 4 scoring drives
Key takeaways
What to remember for fantasy research, film review, and follow-up box score digging.
- Houston Texans leaves with the win and the better postgame narrative for Week-to-week momentum.
- One-score margin — fantasy managers should double-check garbage-time stats before drawing conclusions.
- J. Akins (Houston Texans) is the first name to pull up for highlight reels and prop-retrospective research.
- A. Smith (WAS) finished below expected efficiency — volume may have masked accuracy issues.
Every scoring play
Chronological scoring with field position and full play-by-play context.
- Houston Texans FG (+3) — Q1 54:35 · WAS 5 · Score 3-0
(9:35) 7-K.Fairbairn 23 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-46-J.Weeks, Holder-8-T.Daniel. - Houston Texans TD (+6) — Q1 48:20 · WAS 16 · Score 9-0
(3:20) (Shotgun) 4-D.Watson pass short left to 10-D.Hopkins for 16 yards, TOUCHDOWN. - Houston Texans XP (+1) — Q1 48:15 · WAS 15 · Score 10-0
7-K.Fairbairn extra point is GOOD, Center-46-J.Weeks, Holder-8-T.Daniel. - Washington Commanders TD (+6) — Q2 44:19 · HOU 3 · Score 10-6
(14:19) 26-A.Peterson left end for 3 yards, TOUCHDOWN. - Washington Commanders XP (+1) — Q2 44:14 · HOU 15 · Score 10-7
3-D.Hopkins extra point is GOOD, Center-57-N.Sundberg, Holder-5-T.Way. - Houston Texans TD (+6) — Q2 32:38 · HOU 9 · Score 16-7
(2:38) (Shotgun) 11-A.Smith pass short left intended for 86-J.Reed INTERCEPTED by 20-J.Reid [95-C.Covington] at HOU -1. 20-J.Reid for 101 yards, TOUCHDOWN. - Houston Texans XP (+1) — Q2 32:23 · WAS 20 · Score 17-7
7-K.Fairbairn extra point is GOOD, Center-46-J.Weeks, Holder-8-T.Daniel. - Washington Commanders TD (+6) — Q3 19:52 · HOU 9 · Score 17-13
(4:52) (Shotgun) 12-C.McCoy pass short left to 86-J.Reed for 9 yards, TOUCHDOWN. - Washington Commanders XP (+1) — Q3 19:47 · HOU 15 · Score 17-14
3-D.Hopkins extra point is GOOD, Center-57-N.Sundberg, Holder-5-T.Way. - Houston Texans FG (+3) — Q3 16:22 · WAS 15 · Score 20-14
(1:22) 7-K.Fairbairn 33 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-46-J.Weeks, Holder-8-T.Daniel. Penalty on WAS-35-M.Nicholson, Defensive Offside, declined. - Washington Commanders TD (+6) — Q4 12:02 · HOU 7 · Score 20-20
(12:02) 26-A.Peterson left end for 7 yards, TOUCHDOWN. - Washington Commanders XP (+1) — Q4 11:57 · HOU 15 · Score 20-21
3-D.Hopkins extra point is GOOD, Center-57-N.Sundberg, Holder-5-T.Way. - Houston Texans FG (+3) — Q4 7:35 · WAS 36 · Score 23-21
(7:35) 7-K.Fairbairn 54 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-46-J.Weeks, Holder-8-T.Daniel.
Frequently asked questions
Who won Houston Texans vs Washington Commanders?
The Houston Texans beat the Washington Commanders 23-21 in Week 11, 2018 on 2018-11-18.
What was the final score of Houston Texans vs Washington Commanders?
The final score was Houston Texans 23, Washington Commanders 21 (HOU 23-21 WAS) in Week 11, 2018 on 2018-11-18.
What was the score by quarter in Houston Texans vs Washington Commanders?
Q1: Houston Texans 10, Washington Commanders 0; Q2: Houston Texans 7, Washington Commanders 7; Q3: Houston Texans 3, Washington Commanders 7; Q4: Houston Texans 3, Washington Commanders 7; Final: Houston Texans 23, Washington Commanders 21.
Who scored touchdowns and field goals in Houston Texans vs Washington Commanders?
Houston Texans touchdown — D. Hopkins (D. Watson pass) (Q1 48:20) Washington Commanders touchdown — A. Peterson (Q2 44:19) Houston Texans touchdown — J. Reid (Q2 32:38) Washington Commanders touchdown — J. Reed (C. McCoy pass) (Q3 19:52) Washington Commanders touchdown — A. Peterson (Q4 12:02) Houston Texans field goal — K. Fairbairn (Q1 54:35, 3 pts) Houston Texans field goal — K. Fairbairn (Q3 16:22, 3 pts) Houston Texans field goal — K. Fairbairn (Q4 7:35, 3 pts) Extra points followed each touchdown unless noted in the play-by-play.
How did the quarterbacks play in Houston Texans vs Washington Commanders?
A. Smith (Washington Commanders), 35.3% completion, -16.0% CPOE, -0.41 EPA per dropback, -14.11 total passing EPA. D. Watson (Houston Texans), 47.1% completion, -2.5% CPOE, -0.13 EPA per dropback, -4.27 total passing EPA.
Who was the most impactful player in Houston Texans vs Washington Commanders?
J. Akins (Houston Texans) led the game in total EPA with +3.98 on receiving plays. across 2 snaps. The top single-play swing was (-10.58 EPA): (2:38) (Shotgun) 11-A.Smith pass short left intended for 86-J.Reed INTERCEPTED by 20-J.Reid [95-C.Covington] at HOU -1. 20-J.Reid for 101 yards, TOUCHDOWN.. The biggest win-probability swing was -32.4%.
Was Houston Texans vs Washington Commanders a close game?
Yes — the margin was 2 points. Houston Texans won 23-21 in a game that came down to the wire.
Season records after this game
Houston Texans
Entered 6-3 Now 7-3 W
Washington Commanders
Entered 6-3 Now 6-4 L
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