The Houston Texans have won the AFC South. After beating the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 23-20, they are going to the postseason. Earning the win wasn’t easy.
A Saturday game of madness and mayhem, the Texans and Buccaneers shared six first-half turnovers before Houston escaped Florida with their 10th win of the season.
It didn’t take long for Jameis Winston’s turnover woes to begin. Following a no-gain rush by Ronald Jones, the former Heisman Trophy winner tossed a pick-six to Texans cornerback Bradley Roby.
Winston went back-to-back.
Two pass attempts after throwing a pick-six, the 25-year-old errantly threw an interception to Texans safety Justin Reid.
The Texans were not able to respond to Winston’s second interception, however. It took five plays to go five yards. Despite the good field position, Houston booted in a 32-yard Ka’imi Fairbairn field goal to get their offense going.
The Bucs nearly gained momentum on their third drive, starting with a 49-yard rush by Ronald Jones, who stiff-armed his former teammate Vernon Hargreaves. Their offense sputtered from there. Kicker Matt Gay hoped to get Tampa Bay some points on a 54-yard field goal attempt.
Upset, Gay didn’t score. For the second-straight week, Texans defensive lineman Angelo Blackson blocked another field goal, giving Deshaun Watson the ball at the 49-yard line.
Again, the Texans could not take advantage of the outstanding play by the defense and special teams. The offense could not muster-up a complete drive. After a third-and-9 screen pass, Houston opted to let kicker Fairbairn fake-punt his way to 26 yards.
The Buccaneers moved past the 50-yard-line with momentum, completing 13- and 19-yard passes. They stalled again. On back-to-back deep balls, Winston missed his receivers for would’ve-been touchdowns, resulting in a Gay 50-yard field goal, their first points.
The Texans’ anemic offense continued following the field goal. After converting a first-down via a wizard-like Watson run, tailback Duke Johnson fumbled off a Lavonte David tackle, leading to a Buccaneers recovery.
Mayhem continued.
Following the Johnson fumble, Johnathan Joseph correctly read a Winston-to-Breshad Perriman post connection to come down with an interception, Houston’s third of the day.
However, the Texans continue their slow start. The offense could not respond to Joseph’s interception. A three-and-out led to a 55-yard punt.
On the first play of the Buccaneer’s sixth-drive, tailback Peyton Barber coughed up a fumble, forced by linebacker Tyrell Adams, which fell into Reid’s outreaching arms.
The Texans finally took advantage of the Bucs’ turnovers. Watson found tight end Darren Fells twice for 28 yards. After a reversed Fells touchdown, Carlos Hyde punched-in a one-yard touchdown run, his sixth of the season.
The two teams then swapped punts, with the Texans up 17-3.
The Buccaneers’ high-profile offensive attack finally looked the part on their eighth drive of the game. Winston connected with tight end Codey McElroy for a 30-yard reception, setting up a four-yard touchdown rush by Jones to narrow Houston’s lead late in the second quarter.
Then, Watson threw a deep-ball interception to Jamel Dean, who returned it 31 yards.
After the pick, Winston found his own Watson, first-named Justin, for an eight-yard touchdown.
Entering halftime, Winston had three interceptions, going 12 of 26 passing for 198 yards and a touchdown as well, good for a 45.5 passer rating. Watson, meanwhile, went 9 of 15 for 60 yards, an interception and a 41 passer rating.
The two teams entered halftime tied at 17 after the score. The second-half would be less back-and-forth than the first.
To start the second half, the Texans enjoyed a long 14-play drive. After Watson hobbled his way to a 19-yard third-and-15 rush with obvious right foot discomfort, the offense stalled, again. The result of the 5:30 minute drive: a 25-yard field goal.
Watson went into the blue medical tent after the field goal. He returned.
The Buccaneers did their best Texans impression on the ensuing drive. Using 16 plays and 8:17 minutes, they got 57 yards down the field, while converting three third-downs, only to score a 41-yard Gay field goal.
The Texans moved back nine yards to respond to the field goal, thanks to a Nick Martin illegal use of hands call followed by a Watson one-yard run, a Jason Pierre-Paul sack and a four-yard toss to Kenny Stills. Houston punted back to Tampa Bay to start the fourth.
The Bucs could not get things rolling after the Texans’ failed drive. O.J. Howard dropped a deep-ball pass and Winston took a sack to end a drive that started with a 16-yard completion.
A second-half of conservative play and field goals continued after the Texans got the ball back. Fairbairn drilled a 37-yard field goal to end a 10-play, 69-yard drive spanning 4:50. Stills went to the tent after holding his hamstring.
The Buccaneers were driving down the field to upset the Texans after the field goal. Until, on third-and-1, former Tampa Bay cornerback Vernon Hargreaves stuffed a run outside to force fourth-down. Then, tight end Cameron Brate inexplicably dropped the catch to convert.
The Texans got the ball back at their 40.
On fourth-and-1, at midfield, the Texans had the opportunity to finish the game with a run. Instead, they punted it 41 yards to give Winston and Co. the ball with more than two minutes remaining.
Bill O’Brien’s conservative play-calling worked out.
Just as the game started, Winston lost it for the Buccaneers on an interception, a similar one to the first of the game. Safety Jahleel Addae jumped an out-route to defeat Tampa Bay.
Winston got the ball back in the waning moments. The Texans played prevent and are now in the postseason.
Summary
Six letters, one word: mayhem. In a game of expected madness, both teams gave just that on NFL Network, particularly in a first-half that spawned six total turnovers. In the second half, however, the team teams winded down, as they got a bit more conservative, leading to three total field goals, with the Texans getting the last to win.
Turning point
The Buccaneers were driving to win the game in the fourth quarter. On fourth-and-3, at the Texans’ 40-yard-line, they thought they had the converting pass to continue their upset efforts. Until tight end Cameron Brate dropped the pass, in turn, giving the ball back to Houston.
Unique stat
Buccaneers: Jameis Winston threw four interceptions on the day. His first pass was a pick-six directly to cornerback Bradley Roby. The Texans sealed the win with another pick, this time via Jahleel Addae.
Texans: The Texans are now AFC South champions for the fourth time in the last five years.
Scoring summary
Houston Texans — 10, 7, 3, 0 — 23
Tampa Bay Buccaneers — 3, 14, 3, 0 — 20
First quarter
HTX — Winston pick Roby 27 yards, 14:19
HTX — Fairbairn 32 kick, 11:34
TB — Gay 50 kick, 1:01
Second quarter
HTX — Hyde 1 run, 9:25
TB — Jones 4 run, 2:00
TB — Watson 8 pass Winston, 0:20
Third quarter
HTX — Fairbairn 25 kick, 9:33
TB — Gay 41 kick, 1:18
Fourth quarter
HTX — Fairbairn 37 kick, 7:16
injury report
Texans:
- Will Fuller – Groin
Buccaneers
- None.
Up Next
The Texans will host the 8-6 Tennessee Titans on Dec. 29.
The Buccaneers will host the 5-9 Atlanta Falcons on Dec. 29.