WATCH: Dalton Schultz Touchdown Gives Houston Texans 7-0 Lead

Houston Texans tight end Dalton Schultz ended the first scoring drive of the game in the corner of the end zone.

Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud threw the first interception of his career. To the surprise of Texans fans, they ended the play with a smile on their faces.

On the interception return, New Orleans Saints linebacker Zack Baun fumbled the football, recovered by Texans receiver Nico Collins.

Stroud wouldn’t make the same mistake twice.

Schultz and quarterback C.J. Stroud in the preseason / © Thomas Shea-USA TODAY Sports

Three plays later, he would hit receiver Noah Brown in stride for a gain of 34 yards, putting Houston firmly in the red zone. After a handoff to rookie receiver Xavier Hutchinson, the Texans had the ball at New Orleans’ one-yard line.

Instead of getting the run game going, they opted for a play-action pass. Stroud found tight end Dalton Schultz in the back right corner of the end zone.

The contest grab gave Houston the first lead of the game.

It was Stroud’s ninth attempt of the game. He has four completions for 65 yards with a score and an interception—coming on that same drive.

The touchdown was Schultz’s fourth target of the afternoon. He’s clearly a focal point against a stingy Saints defense. It was his second catch, putting him at 20 yards for the day.

Schultz has been an important security blanket for Stroud, but he’s been a downfield target, too. He scored a potential game-winning touchdown in Week 5 against the Atlanta Falcons before kicker Younghoe Koo beat the Texans in the game’s final seconds.

He’s become a valuable member of this passing attack and is clearly in Stroud’s circle of trust, which continues to put up big numbers early in the season.