Texans control clock, stun Chiefs

[October 14, 2019]  Houston quarterback Deshaun Watson passed for 280 yards and accounted for three touchdowns Sunday as the Texans handled the Chiefs 31-24 at Kansas City, Mo., on Sunday.

Watson and the Texans executed 83 plays, 36 more than Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs (4-2), who suffered a second straight defeat at home for the first time since 2015. Houston (4-2) rolled to 472 total yards, using six drives of 10 plays or more.

The Texans overcame three turnovers. Their decisive score, a 1-yard rush by Watson with 6:17 left, came on a 93-yard drive that lasted 8:32. Watson added 42 yards rushing.

Carlos Hyde, who was traded by the Chiefs in the preseason, paced a 192-yard rushing assault for Houston with 116 yards on 26 attempts. The Texans enjoyed a 19-minute, 36-second advantage in possession.

Mahomes passed for 273 yards, just 41 in the second half. He threw for three TDs but was held to fewer than 300 yards passing for the first time this season and also threw his first interception of the year.

Watson engineered three second-quarter touchdowns, throwing for one and rushing for another, to boost Houston to a 23-17 halftime lead. The last score, a 3-yard keeper, came with 16 seconds left after the Texans recovered the ball on a strip-sack of Mahomes. Each team generated two first-half turnovers.

Houston bounced back from a 17-3 deficit with TD drives of 75 and 80 yards behind 104 yards passing by Watson in the second quarter.

The second possession was launched after Tashaun Gipson grabbed the first pick thrown by Mahomes this season. The turnover ended Mahomes' string of passes without an interception at 219. Trailing 17-9, the Texans responded with a 12-play march. A 2-yard touchdown burst by Hyde narrowed the gap to 17-16.

Chiefs wide receiver Tyreek Hill (10) catches a pass for a touchdown against Houston Texans cornerback Phillip Gaines (29) and strong safety Justin Reid (20) during the first half at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-USA TODAY Sports

Facing third-and-21 on the game's opening drive, Mahomes drew Houston offsides and heaved a 46-yard pass that Tyreek Hill leaped high to snag for the first of three first-quarter scores by Kansas City.

Hyde lost a fumble on Houston's first snap, setting up a 41-yard field goal by the Chiefs' Harrison Butker. A 90-yard drive Mahomes finished with a 14-yard screen to Damien Williams and gave Kansas City its two-touchdown margin.

--Field Level Media

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