SportsDirect Inc. staff
Nov 18, 2012
Texans 43, Jaguars 37 (OT): Matt Schaub threw a 48-yard touchdown pass to Andre Johnson 12:59 into overtime to complete a wild comeback and give host Houston its fourth consecutive victory.
Schaub completed 43 of 55 passes for 527 yards - equaling the second-highest total in NFL history - and five TDs while Johnson made 14 catches for a career-high 273 yards as Houston (9-1) erased a 14-point fourth-quarter deficit with a pair of scoring strikes from Schaub to Garrett Graham in the final 5:39 of the period.
After Shayne Graham and Josh Scobee traded field goals in overtime, Schaub connected with Johnson near the right sideline for the winning score, extending the Jaguars' skid to seven games. It completed the comeback and dampened a superb relief effort by Jacksonville quarterback Chad Henne, who replaced an injured Blaine Gabbert and went 16-of-33 for 354 yards and four touchdowns.
Rookie Justin Blackmon hauled in seven passes for 236 yards and a score while Marcedes Lewis had two TD receptions for the Jaguars (1-9), who entered averaging just over 14 points this season and had scored more than 15 once during its skid.
After Gabbert left with a bruised elbow on the Jaguars' opening possession, Henne entered and threw a pair of short scoring strikes to Lewis, a 67-yarder to Cecil Shorts and an 81-yarder to Blackmon on a 3rd-and-21 play early in the fourth quarter. Scobee kicked a 40-yard field goal with 11 minutes remaining in the third to give Jacksonville a 20-17 lead, and Henne found Lewis alone in the end zone on 3rd-and-goal with 6:52 left to increase the advantage.
Houston got back within seven on a 27-yard field goal by Shayne Graham late in the period, but Blackmon caught a pass at midfield 2 1/2 minutes into the fourth, broke away from three defenders and raced away for his second career touchdown and a 34-20 lead. Schaub would not be outdone, as he teamed with Garrett Graham on scoring passes of 1 and 5 yards late in the fourth to forge a 34-34 tie.
GAME NOTEBOOK: Graham missed a 47-yard field-goal attempt as time expired after
having a successful 42-yarder negated by a false-start penalty. ... Johnson was instrumental in Houston's comeback, catching five passes for 77 yards in the fourth quarter. ... Schaub, who eclipsed the 20,000-yard plateau for his career, is 13-1 in his last 14 games with 23 touchdowns and nine interceptions. ... Houston had allowed just one touchdown over its previous three contests.