Houston 42, Miami 23
When: 8:20 PM ET, Thursday, October 25, 2018
Where: NRG Stadium, Houston, Texas
Temperature:
Dome
Head Official:
Shawn Smith
Attendance:
71726
By Field Level Media
Deshaun Watson tossed a season-best five touchdown passes, and the Houston Texans extended their winning streak to five games with a 42-23 victory over the visiting Miami Dolphins on Thursday.
Watson delivered a performance reminiscent of his breakthrough yet injury-shortened rookie season, completing 16 of 20 attempts for 239 yards. He led the Texans (5-3) on three scoring drives that elapsed less than a minute on the clock, including a pair of two-play, second-half marches that sandwiched the second of three field goals from Dolphins kicker Jason Sanders.
After Miami (4-4) closed the deficit to 21-17 on a trick play -- receiver Danny Amendola completed a 28-yard scoring pass to Kenyan Drake with 4:55 left in the third quarter -- Watson connected with Will Fuller on a 73-yard touchdown pass that rebuilt an 11-point lead.
On the second play of Houston's next possession, Watson found DeAndre Hopkins alone in the secondary for a 49-yard pass play that extended the advantage to 35-20 just 11 seconds into the fourth. Watson and Hopkins hooked up again on a 2-yard touchdown pass later in the final quarter.
Watson also tossed a pair of scoring strikes to rookie tight end Jordan Thomas, the second of which covered 2 yards and followed a 58-yard dash by running back Lamar Miller. Thomas' first touchdown, a 13-yarder at the 14:14 mark of the second quarter, capped a two-play, 16-yard sprint that followed a Justin Reid interception of Dolphins quarterback Brock Osweiler.
Osweiler finished 21 of 37 for 241 yards. His fumble late in the first half, returned by Texans cornerback Natrell Jamerson for a score, was reversed upon review into an incomplete pass.
Miami caught another break earlier in the game when a dubious personal foul penalty on Houston's Joel Heath enabled the Dolphins to erase a 42-yard Sanders field goal and instead drove for a 12-yard touchdown run from Drake. The sequence gave Miami a 7-0 lead at the 4:58 mark of the first quarter.
But Miller, who rushed for 133 yards, covered 33 yards on five carries on the subsequent possession for Houston, and his 2-yard touchdown pulled the Texans even. Reid followed with his interception, and the Texans scored again 77 seconds later, securing the lead for good.
Dolphins receiver DeVante Parker finished with six receptions for a career-high 134 yards.
The Texans, who entered play 31st in the NFL in red-zone efficiency, finished 4-for-4 in the red zone.
--Field Level Media
Top Game Performances
Team Stats Summary
| |
Yards |
Scoring |
Defense |
| Team |
Tot |
Rus |
Pas |
TD |
FG |
INT |
Sck |
FF |
| Miami
|
370 |
116 |
254 |
2 |
3 |
0 |
0.0 |
0 |
| Houston
|
427 |
188 |
239 |
6 |
0 |
1 |
2.0 |
0 |
Upcoming Games
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Houston will play their next game on the road against Denver. The Texans have a W/L % of .800 after a win and .333 after a loss.
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Miami will play their next game at home against N.Y. Jets. The Dolphins have a W/L % of .600 after a win and .333 after a loss.
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