Houston Texans, NFL, sports

Run game lifts Texans to huge win over Chiefs

By DENNIS SILVA II, Times Sports Editor
Posted 10/13/19

A week after the passing game dominated headlines following an impressive rout of the Atlanta Falcons, the Texans’ running game ignited a gutsy win over a projected Super Bowl contender.

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Houston Texans, NFL, sports

Run game lifts Texans to huge win over Chiefs

Posted

A week after the passing game dominated headlines following an impressive rout of the Atlanta Falcons, the Texans’ running game ignited a gutsy win over a projected Super Bowl contender.

Houston rushed for 192 yards and three touchdowns in rallying from an early 14-point deficit for a 31-24 win over Kansas City on Sunday, Oct. 13, at Arrowhead Stadium. It was the Texans’ second straight win and the Chiefs’ second loss of the year.

“It goes to show we can win however,” receiver DeAndre Hopkins said. “It goes to show how versatile we are as an offense.”

Texans running back Carlos Hyde, who spent all offseason and training camp with the Chiefs before being traded to Houston right before the season started, ran for 116 yards and a touchdown to lead the way, thriving in a game he was clearly excited for.

“They can’t f****** stop us!” Hyde hollered into TV cameras after his touchdown score late in the second quarter.

“He runs hard,” coach Bill O’Brien said of Hyde. “He’s a tough guy. He gets his pads down, he gets behind his pads. He wants to do well; that’s important to him. He’s doing a good job for us.”

Quarterback Deshaun Watson rushed for two more touchdowns, and the Texans averaged 5.2 yards per carry and produced 12 first downs via the run.

The clincher was a go-ahead, 8-minute and 32-second scoring drive early in the fourth quarter that went 12 plays for 93 yards and resulted in a Watson 1-yard scramble run for a 29-24 Texans lead with 6:17 left. Watson found Hopkins on the two-point conversion for a seven-point lead.

After a quick Kansas City three-and-out, the Texans earned two first downs on their next drive to burn clock and seal the win.

“It’s a wonderful feeling to deal with all of the adversity,” Watson said. “The ups and downs and flows of the game, and to be able to keep fighting for 60 minutes. We never got discouraged. We kept pushing, and that’s the greatest part of this locker room.”

The Chiefs snapped the ball just seven times in the fourth quarter. Houston dominated time of possession, controlling the ball for 37-minutes, 7-seconds and holding dynamic Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes and Kansas City’s prolific offense to just 20 minutes and 12 seconds, with the ball.

“We took what they gave us, moving the ball downfield, trying to sustain possession and keep Patrick off the field,” Watson said. “Let the defense get some rest. Get positive yards. If you get 3 ½ yards every down, the chains keep moving. You don’t need the big chunk plays to sustain drives. That’s the mindset.”

Houston got off to an inauspicious start, falling behind 10-0 before the game was even five minutes old.

Mahomes found Tyreek Hill on a 46-yard scoring pass on 3rd-and-21 on the game’s opening drive, and Kansas City added a field goal to capitalize on a Hyde fumble on the Texans’ first play from scrimmage.

“Carlos is a great running back,” Hopkins said. “He made a mistake early in the game, but he kept his head up. That says a lot about who he is as a player.”

After a Ka’imi Fairbairn 44-yard field goal, Mahomes found Damien Williams on a 14-yard screen pass for a 17-3 lead.

But running back Duke Johnson scored on an 11-yard pass to cut Houston’s deficit to 17-9, Tashaun Gipson intercepted Mahomes in the end zone (Mahomes’ first pick this season), and the Texans took advantage on a Hyde 2-yard run for a 17-16 Texans lead.

After Watson threw an interception on 4th-and-1 from Kansas City’s 40-yard line with less than 30 seconds to go in the first half, rookie defensive lineman Charles Omenihu strip-sacked Mahomes on the following play and Benardrick McKinney recovered just inside the Chiefs’ 4-yard line. One play later, Watson ran it in from 3 yards out, and the Texans took a 23-17 lead into halftime.

“Going into halftime with the lead after how we had started was a good thing for us, no doubt about it,” O’Brien said.

A Hill 6-yard catch from Mahomes was the only score of the third quarter as Kansas City took a 24-23 lead into the fourth, setting up the Texans’ winning drive that started with 14:49 left.

The Texans produced eight first downs, including drive sustaining-runs by Hyde and Johnson.

Houston improved to 4-2 heading into this week’s game against the Colts at Indianapolis. The Chiefs dropped to 4-1.

“They work hard in practice, they pay attention in meetings. They’re a good group to coach, they care about the team,” O’Brien said of his players. “That’s a good thing, but we’ve got to keep it going. We’re 4-2, which is a good thing. We just had a good win. But 4-2 gets you nowhere, and now we have a very good team on the road (this) week that beat us in the playoffs next year.”

GIPSON STRIKES AGAIN

For the second straight game, Gipson had an interception.

It was also the Texans’ 19th straight game with a takeaway, the longest current streak in the NFL.

FAIRBAIRN UNDER FIRE

Fairbairn missed a 46-yard field goal attempt and an extra-point attempt against the Chiefs.

Fairbairn is 16 of 20 on extra-point attempts and 6 of 9 on field goals this season.

“I think we’ve got to go back and look at the technique,” O’Brien said. “Everybody’s involved in that. It’s the whole operation. Ka’imi’s made a lot of big kicks for us. We know that. We’ve got to get that area improved.”

Houston’s final drive was telling. Up by a touchdown with two minutes left, O’Brien opted to keep his offense on the field on 4th-and-3 from the Chiefs’ 27-yard line instead of have Fairbairn attempt a 44-yard field goal.

Watson’s 8-yard toss to Hopkins vindicated O’Brien’s decision and secured the win.

“It was a manageable enough distance that we felt we had a play we could execute,” O’Brien said.

WATSON VS. MAHOMES

Watson earned the win over the NFL’s reigning Most Valuable Player Mahomes, while Mahomes edged Watson in the statistical battle.

Watson completed 30 of 42 passes for 280 yards and a touchdown to two interceptions, finishing with a 77.5 quarterback rating. Mahomes completed 19 of 35 passes for 273 yards and three touchdowns to an interception, finishing with a 96.5 rating.

“I don’t focus on that. That’s the media,” Watson said of him versus Mahomes. “I’ve been a winner ever since I came into this league and just focus on my craft and my team. Me and Patrick always supported each other in college. He always encourages me and congratulates me, and I do the same with him. It’s always going to be love.

“Comparing both of us, we just want to play football and have fun and be the leaders of our organizations. The MVP stuff, I just focus on winning games.”

For the second straight game, and just the third time in his career, Watson was not sacked.

“Those guys are continuing to improve each and every week,” Watson said of his offensive line. “You keep encouraging them and keep bringing them along, and they’re going to do their part. They’ve been doing a hell of a job keeping me upright and I’ve been feeling great the past two weeks.”

Houston Texans, NFL, sports