Field Level Media
Oct 27, 2019
Deshaun Watson engineered two fourth-quarter touchdown drives as the injury-ravaged Houston Texans rallied for a 27-24 win over the visiting Oakland Raiders on Sunday.
However, the Texans learned after the game that star defensive end J.J. Watt will miss the remainder of the season.
Watson passed for 279 yards and three touchdowns, including scoring strikes of 4 and 9 yards to tight end Darren Fells in the final period to lead the comeback. Watson scrambled from pressure on the final touchdown pass to Fells, absorbing a kick through the facemask to his left eye before completing the toss that gave the Texans the lead for good with 6:26 left.
The Texans lost Watt and rookie cornerback Lonnie Johnson Jr. (concussion) late in the first half yet somehow held on defensively. Watt confirmed after the game that he suffered a season-ending injury, reportedly a torn pectoral muscle.
Raiders quarterback Derek Carr passed for 285 yards and three touchdowns, but Oakland managed just 161 yards following the intermission. The Raiders committed 11 penalties for 100 yards to undermine their effort.
Receiver DeAndre Hopkins produced 11 receptions for 109 yards for the Texans.
Carr and the Raiders caught a rhythm late in the first quarter, covering 95 yards over eight plays to take a 7-0 lead. Rookie receiver Hunter Renfrow recorded his first career touchdown at the 3:40 mark of the period, breaking a tackle on a slant route and scampering 65 yards for a score.
The Texans quickly matched that tally to pull even with less than two minutes to play in the first quarter, with Watson hitting Duke Johnson for a 12-yard touchdown that capped a six-play, 75-yard march. Raiders safety Karl Joseph rendered aid with a facemask penalty on Fells' 23-yard gain, moving the ball to the Oakland 18.
Carr hit Darren Waller for an 8-yard touchdown pass that concluded a 10-play, 70-yard drive in the second quarter, and the Raiders carried a 14-10 lead into halftime.
The Texans lost Johnson late in the half to further deplete their secondary, and when Carr hit Tyrell Williams for a 46-yard catch-and-run for a score with 7:53 left in the third quarter, Houston appeared to be in trouble.
Oakland led 21-13 and Houston at that point, but Watson responded with his first scoring pass to Fells and the Texans' defense hunkered down to help key the rally.
--Field Level Media