HOUSTON (SportsRadio 610) -- Despite a litany of injuries Sunday, the Texans rallied in the fourth quarter to beat the Oakland Raiders 27-24 at NRG Stadium.
They did it despite losing defensive end J.J. Watt to a shoulder injury in the second quarter. Rookie cornerback Lonnie Johnson Jr., who started the game because both starters are injured, also left in the second quarter with a concussion. Starting safety Tashaun Gipson Sr. did not play due to injury.
That left the Texans to manage with a makeshift secondary.
The Raiders led 21-13 after three quarters, but Houston rallied with two touchdowns in the fourth and held the Raiders offense to a field goal. It was the first lead the Texans held all game.
Houston's offense did not play well in the first half. They were just 2-of-7 on the third downs and trailed 14-10.
The first touchdown of the game was a 65-yard pass play from Derek Carr to Hunter Renfrow, who beat Johnson on the play and broke a tackle by Jahleel Addae to make way for the score.
¡TOUCHDOWN @Raiders! ☠️⁰@derekcarrqb encontró a @renfrowhunter para un pase de 65 yds. y así abrieron el marcador. 7-0 #OAKvsHOU⁰#NFLMX #RaiderNation #WeAreTexans pic.twitter.com/JwdZCoOBuS
— NFL México (@nflmx) October 27, 2019The Texans responded with a 12-yard touchdown pass to Duke Johnson with less than two minutes to go in the second quarter.
Raiders tight end Darren Waller, who is the team's top receiver, caught an 8-yard touchdown pass from Carr in the second quarter to put Oakland ahead of Houston.
Ka'imi Fairbairn made a 33-yard field goal at the end of the second to cut the Texans' deficit to four points.
The Texans played better offensively in the second half. A 40-yard field goal by Fairbairn made it 14-13.
Tyrell Williams caught a 46-yard touchdown pass, but the Texans responded with a score of their own to tight end Darren Fells. An Oakland field goal made it 24-20 before the game-winning touchdown drive -- another pass from Watson to Fells.
But this time, Watson was grabbed, escaped then kicked in the face before delivering a strike to Fells.
Still trying to wrap our minds around @deshaunwatson making this play. #OAKvsHOU pic.twitter.com/0xtrkAS7IU
— SportsRadio 610 (@SportsRadio610) October 27, 2019The big takeaway is the injury list and concern going forward -- Watt, Johnson and left tackle Laremy Tunsil, who left in the second half and did not return because of a shoulder injury. Houston was starting recently signed backup Chris Clark at right tackle, who replaced backup Roderick Johnson, who had been playing for the injured rookie starter Tytus Howard.
The Texans improved to 5-3 with the win. The Raiders dropped to 3-4.
Next week, the Texans travel to London to face the Jacksonville Jaguars.
