17th season in franchise history
The 2018 season was the Houston Texans ' 17th season in the National Football League (NFL) and their fifth under head coach Bill O'Brien . This marked the first season since 2005 that Rick Smith would not be the general manager as he took a leave of absence for family reasons. Despite an 0–3 start, their first in a decade , the Texans surpassed their win total from the previous season with a Week 8 win over the Miami Dolphins . They had a franchise record 9 consecutive wins that also broke the NFL record for most consecutive wins after starting 0–3. The streak ended with a Week 14 loss to the Indianapolis Colts . With a Week 15 win over the New York Jets, the Texans clinched their first 10-win season under head coach Bill O’Brien, their first 10-win season since 2012 and their third 10-win season in franchise history.
On November 23, 2018, Bob McNair , the founding owner of the Texans, died aged 81.[ 1]
Despite losing to the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 16, the Texans clinched a playoff berth after the New Orleans Saints defeated the Pittsburgh Steelers later that day.
With a Week 17 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars , the Texans clinched the AFC South division, winning their fifth division title.
The Texans lost in the Wild Card Round of the playoffs, 21–7 to their AFC South rival, the Indianapolis Colts .
Draft trades
The Texans traded their first-round selection (4th overall), as well as their 2017 first-round selection (25th overall) to the Cleveland Browns in exchange for Cleveland's first-round selection in 2017 (12th overall).
The Texans traded their second-round selection (35th overall), their sixth-round selection in 2017 (188th overall) and quarterback Brock Osweiler to Cleveland in exchange for Cleveland's fourth-round selection in 2017 (142nd overall).
The Texans traded their fifth-round selection (141st overall) and offensive tackle Duane Brown in exchange for Seattle's third-round selection (80th overall) and a second-round selection in 2019.
The Texans were awarded one third-round and two sixth-round compensatory picks (98th, 211th and 214th overall).
2018 Houston Texans staff
Front office
Head coaches
Offensive coaches
Defensive coaches
Special teams coaches
Strength and conditioning
Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.
Week 1: at New England Patriots [ edit ]
Game information
First quarter
Second quarter
NE – James White 12-yard pass from Tom Brady (Stephen Gostkowski kick), 12:38. Patriots 14–3. Drive: 10 plays, 75 yards, 4:55.
HOU – Ka'imi Fairbairn 36-yard field goal, 9:01. Patriots 14–6. Drive: 9 plays, 44 yards, 3:37.
NE – Phillip Dorsett 4-yard pass from Tom Brady (Stephen Gostkowski kick), 0:14. Patriots 21–6. Drive: 8 plays, 78 yards, 1:14.
Third quarter
NE – Stephen Gostkowski 39-yard field goal, 6:02. Patriots 24–6. Drive: 10 plays, 63 yards, 3:50.
HOU – Alfred Blue 1-yard run (Ka'imi Fairbairn kick), 1:52. Patriots 24–13. Drive: 10 plays, 68 yards, 4:10.
Fourth quarter
NE – Stephen Gostkowski 35-yard field goal, 9:48. Patriots 27–13. Drive: 13 plays, 58 yards, 7:04.
HOU – Bruce Ellington 5-yard pass from Deshaun Watson (Ka'imi Fairbairn kick), 2:08. Patriots 27–20. Drive: 6 plays, 16 yards, 2:24.
Top passers
Top rushers
Top receivers
Safety Tyrann Mathieu , who signed with the Texans in the offseason, intercepted a Tom Brady pass that was tipped by Angelo Blackson in the 1st quarter.[ 2]
Week 2: at Tennessee Titans [ edit ]
Game information
First quarter
Second quarter
Third quarter
HOU – Ka'imi Fairbairn 34-yard field goal, 2:44. Titans 14–10. Drive: 9 plays, 36 yards, 4:00.
Fourth quarter
HOU – Will Fuller 39-yard pass from Deshaun Watson (Ka'imi Fairbairn kick), 13:25. Texans 17–14. Drive: 5 plays, 70 yards, 1:43.
TEN – Ryan Succop 42-yard field goal, 9:48. Tied 17–17. Drive: 8 plays, 51 yards, 3:37.
TEN – Ryan Succop 31-yard field goal, 1:05. Titans 20–17. Drive: 12 plays, 62 yards, 5:41.
Top passers
Top rushers
Top receivers
Week 3: vs. New York Giants [ edit ]
Week Three: New York Giants at Houston Texans – Game summary
Quarter
1
2
3 4 Total
Giants
7
13
0 7 27
Texans
3
3
3 13 22
at NRG Stadium , Houston, Texas
Game information
First quarter
Second quarter
NYG – Aldrick Rosas 44-yard field goal, 11:53. Giants 10–3. Drive: 9 plays, 58 yards, 5:14.
NYG – Aldrick Rosas 30-yard field goal, 4:38. Giants 13–3. Drive: 10 plays, 64 yards, 5:59.
NYG – Rhett Ellison 16-yard pass from Eli Manning (Aldrick Rosas kick), 1:20. Giants 20–3. Drive: 6 plays, 71 yards, 1:56.
HOU – Ka'imi Fairbairn 28-yard field goal, 0:04. Giants 20–6. Drive: 9 plays, 65 yards, 1:20.
Third quarter
HOU – Ka'imi Fairbairn 54-yard field goal, 8:46. Giants 20–9. Drive: 7 plays, 41 yards, 3:13.
Fourth quarter
HOU – Will Fuller 6-yard pass from Deshaun Watson (two-point conversion failed), 7:43. Giants 20–15. Drive: 7 plays, 67 yards, 3:32.
NYG – Sterling Shepard 7-yard pass from Eli Manning (Aldrick Rosas kick), 2:08. Giants 27–15. Drive: 9 plays, 77 yards, 5:29.
HOU – Lamar Miller 4-yard pass from Deshaun Watson (Ka'imi Fairbairn kick), 0:01. Giants 27–22. Drive: 12 plays, 75 yards, 2:07.
Top passers
Top rushers
NYG – Saquon Barkley – 17 carries, 82 yards, TD
HOU – Deshaun Watson – 5 carries, 36 yards
Top receivers
With the loss, the Texans fell to 0–3 for the first time since 2008 , and suffered their ninth consecutive loss dating back to Week 12 of last season. They then went on to win their next nine games.
Week 4: at Indianapolis Colts [ edit ]
Game information
First quarter
Second quarter
HOU – DeAndre Hopkins 5-yard pass from Deshaun Watson (Ka'imi Fairbairn kick), 1:08. Texans 21–7. Drive: 2 plays, 8 yards, 0:39.
IND – Adam Vinatieri 42-yard field goal, 0:02. Texans 21–10. Drive: 6 plays, 46 yards, 1:06.
Third quarter
HOU – Deshaun Watson 5-yard run (Ka'imi Fairbairn kick), 6:39. Texans 28–10. Drive: 15 plays, 79 yards, 8:21.
IND – Nyheim Hines 14-yard pass from Andrew Luck (Adam Vinatieri kick), 5:21. Texans 28–17. Drive: 5 plays, 75 yards, 1:25.
Fourth quarter
IND – Eric Ebron 5-yard pass from Andrew Luck (two-point conversion failed), 7:41. Texans 28–23. Drive: 13 plays, 73 yards, 6:22.
HOU – Ka'imi Fairbairn 40-yard field goal, 3:02. Texans 31–23. Drive: 10 plays, 54 yards, 4:39.
IND – Nyheim Hines 9-yard pass from Andrew Luck (Luck pass to Rogers ), 0:45. Tied 31–31. Drive: 9 plays, 85 yards, 2:13.
Overtime
IND – Adam Vinatieri 44-yard field goal, 6:00. Colts 34–31. Drive: 13 plays, 50 yards, 4:00.
HOU – Ka'imi Fairbairn 29-yard field goal, 1:50. Tied 34–34. Drive: 12 plays, 59 yards, 4:10.
HOU – Ka'imi Fairbairn 37-yard field goal, 0:00. Texans 37–34. Drive: 3 plays, 24 yards, 0:21.
Top passers
Top rushers
Top receivers
Win the win, the Texans improved to 1–3 and snapped a 9–game losing streak. Rookie wide receiver Keke Coutee made his NFL debut, finishing with 11 receptions for 109 yards. Coutee's 11 receptions are the most by a rookie receiver since the AFL–NFL merger .[ 3]
Week 5: vs. Dallas Cowboys [ edit ]
Week Five: Dallas Cowboys at Houston Texans – Game summary
Quarter
1
2
3 4 OT Total
Cowboys
6
0
7 3 0 16
Texans
0
10
3 3 3 19
at NRG Stadium, Houston, Texas
Game information
First quarter
DAL – Brett Maher 27-yard field goal, 10:06. Cowboys 3–0. Drive: 9 plays, 66 yards, 4:54.
DAL – Brett Maher 43-yard field goal, 3:13. Cowboys 6–0. Drive: 5 plays, 37 yards, 2:35.
Second quarter
HOU – Keke Coutee 1-yard pass from Deshaun Watson (Ka'imi Fairbairn kick), 13:40. Texans 7–6. Drive: 8 plays, 70 yards, 4:30.
HOU – Ka'imi Fairbairn 20-yard field goal, 6:03. Texans 10–6. Drive: 12 plays, 79 yards, 5:54.
Third quarter
DAL – Allen Hurns 3-yard pass from Dak Prescott (Brett Maher kick), 11:57. Cowboys 13–10. Drive: 5 plays, 16 yards, 1:59.
HOU – Ka'imi Fairbairn 21-yard field goal, 5:05. Tied 13–13. Drive: 8 plays, 26 yards, 2:50.
Fourth quarter
HOU – Ka'imi Fairbairn 19-yard field goal, 8:34. Texans 16–13. Drive: 9 plays, 59 yards, 4:55.
DAL – Bret Maher 48-yard field goal, 5:43. Tied 16–16. Drive: 5 plays, 45 yards, 2:48.
Overtime
HOU – Ka'imi Fairbairn 36-yard field goal, 1:55. Texans 19–16. Drive: 8 plays, 72 yards, 3:38.
Top passers
Top rushers
Top receivers
Week 6: vs. Buffalo Bills [ edit ]
Battle Red Day
Week Six: Buffalo Bills at Houston Texans – Game summary
Quarter
1
2
3 4 Total
Bills
0
0
6 7 13
Texans
7
3
0 10 20
at NRG Stadium, Houston, Texas
Game information
First quarter
Second quarter
HOU – Ka'imi Fairbairn 33-yard field goal, 8:37. Texans 10–0. Drive: 4 plays, 7 yards, 1:40.
Third quarter
BUF – Stephen Hauschka 22-yard field goal, 10:15. Texans 10–3. Drive: 9 plays, 26 yards, 4:08.
BUF – Stephen Hauschka 52-yard field goal, 2:18. Texans 10–6. Drive: 5 plays, 45 yards, 1:13.
Fourth quarter
BUF – Zay Jones 16-yard pass from Nathan Peterman (Stephen Hauschka kick), 13:00. Bills 13–10. Drive: 5 plays, 32 yards, 2:44.
HOU – Ka'imi Fairbairn 27-yard field goal, 1:37. Tied 13–13. Drive: 9 plays, 84 yards, 2:18.
HOU – Johnathan Joseph 28-yard interception return (Ka'imi Fairbairn kick), 1:30. Texans 20–13.
Top passers
Top rushers
Top receivers
In a low-scoring defensive battle, the Texans claimed the victory in final minutes when cornerback Johnathan Joseph intercepted a pass from Bills backup quarterback Nathan Peterman and returned it for the game-winning touchdown.[ 4]
Week 7: at Jacksonville Jaguars [ edit ]
Week Seven: Houston Texans at Jacksonville Jaguars – Game summary
Quarter
1
2
3 4 Total
Texans
6
7
7 0 20
Jaguars
0
0
7 0 7
at TIAA Bank Field , Jacksonville, Florida
Date : October 21Game time : 1:00 p.m. EDT/12:00 p.m. CDTGame weather : 68 °F (20 °C)Game attendance : 66,534Referee : Ronald Torbert TV announcers (CBS) : Andrew Catalon and James LoftonRecap , Gamebook
Game information
First quarter
HOU – Ka'imi Fairbairn 44-yard field goal, 10:22. Texans 3–0. Drive: 7 plays, 10 yards, 3:15.
HOU – Ka'imi Fairbairn 48-yard field goal, 2:39. Texans 6–0. Drive: 9 plays, 51 yards, 4:46.
Second quarter
HOU – Lamar Miller 5-yard run (Ka'imi Fairbairn kick), 5:31. Texans 13–0. Drive: 9 plays, 60 yards, 4:55.
Third quarter
Fourth quarter
Top passers
Top rushers
Top receivers
Lamar Miller had his first 100-yard rushing game since December 11, 2016 and also had his first rushing touchdown of the season on a 5-yard run during the third quarter.[ 5] Safety Tyrann Mathieu sacked Jacksonville quarterback Cody Kessler in the fourth quarter for his first sack as a Texan and also had an interception.[ 6] With the win, Houston improved to 4–3, took sole possession of 1st place in the AFC South, and had their first four-game winning streak since the 2015 season .
Week 8: vs. Miami Dolphins [ edit ]
Week Eight: Miami Dolphins at Houston Texans – Game summary
Quarter
1
2
3 4 Total
Dolphins
7
3
10 3 23
Texans
7
7
14 14 42
at NRG Stadium, Houston, Texas
Game information
First quarter
Second quarter
HOU – Jordan Thomas 13-yard pass from Deshaun Watson (Ka'imi Fairbairn kick), 14:14. Texans 14–7. Drive: 2 plays, 16 yards, 0:36.
MIA – Jason Sanders 37-yard field goal, 3:01. Texans 14–10. Drive: 10 plays, 61 yards, 4:32.
Third quarter
HOU – Jordan Thomas 2-yard pass from Deshaun Watson (Ka'imi Fairbairn kick), 11:34. Texans 21–10. Drive: 6 plays, 75 yards, 3:26.
MIA – Kenyan Drake 28-yard pass from Danny Amendola (Jason Sanders kick), 4:55. Texans 21–17. Drive: 4 plays, 51 yards, 1:46.
HOU – Will Fuller 73-yard pass from Deshaun Watson (Ka'imi Fairbairn kick), 4:21. Texans 28–17. Drive: 2 plays, 75 yards, 0:34.
MIA – Jason Sanders 41-yard field goal, 0:39. Texans 28–20. Drive: 7 plays, 52 yards, 3:42.
Fourth quarter
HOU – DeAndre Hopkins 49-yard pass from Deshaun Watson (Ka'imi Fairbairn kick), 14:49. Texans 35–20. Drive: 2 plays, 49 yards, 0:47.
MIA – Jason Sanders 46-yard field goal, 11:30. Texans 35–23. Drive: 7 plays, 46 yards, 3:19.
HOU – DeAndre Hopkins 2-yard pass from Deshaun Watson (Ka'imi Fairbairn kick), 7:34. Texans 42–23. Drive: 6 plays, 45 yards, 3:52.
Top passers
Top rushers
Top receivers
Quarterback Deshaun Watson threw five touchdowns (tying a career high) while only having four incompletions with no interceptions.[ 7] Lamar Miller had another 100-yard rushing game for the second week in a row, running for 133 yards with a touchdown.[ 8] [ 9] With the win, the Texans improved to 5–3 and surpassed their win total from the previous season . Receiver Will Fuller tore his right ACL during the game and is expected to be out for 6 to 9 months.[ 10]
Week 9: at Denver Broncos [ edit ]
Game information
First quarter
Second quarter
HOU – DeAndre Hopkins 16-yard pass from Deshaun Watson (PAT failed), 11:05. Texans 13–3. Drive: 3 plays, 22 yards, 1:19.
DEN – Devontae Booker 14-yard run (Brandon McManus kick), 5:33. Texans 13–10. Drive: 4 plays, 87 yards, 2:30.
HOU – Ka'imi Fairbairn 46-yard field goal, 0:00. Texans 16–10. Drive: 3 plays, 20 yards, 0:18.
Third quarter
DEN – Jeff Heuerman 12-yard pass from Case Keenum (Brandon McManus kick), 5:57. Broncos 17–16. Drive: 12 plays, 81 yards, 5:56.
Fourth quarter
HOU – Ka'imi Fairbairn 37-yard field goal, 14:06. Texans 19–17. Drive: 13 plays, 56 yards, 6:51.
Top passers
Top rushers
Top receivers
With the close win, the Texans improved to 6–3. They are the first team since the 1970 Giants to win 6 in a row after starting 0–3.
Week 11: at Washington Redskins [ edit ]
Week Eleven: Houston Texans at Washington Redskins – Game summary
Quarter
1
2
3 4 Total
Texans
10
7
3 3 23
Redskins
0
7
7 7 21
at FedEx Field , Landover, Maryland
Game information
First quarter
Second quarter
Third quarter
HOU – Justin Reid 101-yard interception return (Ka'imi Fairbairn kick), 2:23. Texans 17–7.
WAS – Jordan Reed 9-yard pass from Colt McCoy (Dustin Hopkins kick), 4:52. Texans 17–14. Drive: 2 plays, 13 yards, 0:46.
HOU – Ka'imi Fairbairn 33-yard field goal, 1:22. Texans 20–14. Drive: 8 plays, 60 yards, 3:28.
Fourth quarter
WAS – Adrian Peterson 7-yard run (Dustin Hopkins kick), 11:57. Redskins 21–20. Drive: 10 plays, 67 yards, 4:22.
HOU – Ka'imi Fairbairn 54-yard field goal, 7:30. Texans 23–21. Drive: 8 plays, 37 yards, 4:27.
Top passers
Top rushers
Top receivers
With another close win, the Texans improved to 7–3, their best start since 2012 . They also tied their longest win streak in franchise history at 7 straight, which they previously accomplished in 2011 . This is the second straight game that the Texans have won thanks to a missed last second field goal.
Week 12: vs. Tennessee Titans [ edit ]
Week Twelve: Tennessee Titans at Houston Texans – Game summary
Quarter
1
2
3 4 Total
Titans
10
0
7 0 17
Texans
7
17
3 7 34
at NRG Stadium, Houston, Texas
Game information
First quarter
Second quarter
HOU – Deshaun Watson 15-yard run (Ka'imi Fairbarin kick), 14:53. Texans 14–10. Drive: 5 plays, 60 yards, 1:58.
HOU – Lamar Miller 97-yard run (Ka'imi Fairbairn kick), 9:22. Texans 21–10. Drive: 1 play, 97 yards, 0:14.
HOU – Ka'imi Fairbairn 42-yard field goal, 0:01. Texans 24–10. Drive: 5 plays, 37 yards, 0:45.
Third quarter
HOU – Ka'imi Fairbairn 47-yard field goal, 8:53. Texans 27–10. Drive: 11 plays, 46 yards, 6:07.
TEN – Corey Davis 48-yard pass from Marcus Mariota (Ryan Succop kick), 0:13. Texans 27–17. Drive: 3 plays, 51 yards, 1:47.
Fourth quarter
HOU – Demaryius Thomas 10-yard pass from Deshaun Watson (Ka'imi Fairbairn kick), 8:15. Texans 34–17. Drive: 7 plays, 60 yards, 3:24.
Top passers
Top rushers
Top receivers
TEN – Corey Davis – 4 receptions, 96 yards, TD
HOU – DeAndre Hopkins – 5 receptions, 74 yards
The Texans successfully avenged their Week 2 loss to their division rival Titans. With their 8th straight win, they improved to 8–3 and eclipsed their previous franchise record for most consecutive wins. Coupled with a Steelers loss to the Denver Broncos the day before, the Texans' victory allowed them to leapfrog the Steelers for the No. 3 seed in the AFC.
This game was the first game following the death of the owner and founder Bob McNair and the team has dedicated the victory to him.[ 11]
Week 13: vs. Cleveland Browns [ edit ]
Week Thirteen: Cleveland Browns at Houston Texans – Game summary
Quarter
1
2
3 4 Total
Browns
0
0
7 6 13
Texans
10
13
3 3 29
at NRG Stadium, Houston, Texas
Game information
First quarter
Second quarter
HOU – Zach Cunningham 38-yard interception return (Ka'imi Fairbairn kick), 7:36. Texans 17–0.
HOU – Ka'imi Fairbairn 42-yard field goal, 3:24. Texans 20–0. Drive: 7 plays, 27 yards, 3:13.
HOU – Ka'imi Fairbairn 48-yard field goal, 0:05. Texans 23–0. Drive: 10 plays, 50 yards, 1:39.
Third quarter
CLE – Nick Chubb 2-yard run (Greg Joseph kick), 9:42. Texans 23–7. Drive: 9 plays, 75 yards, 5:21.
HOU – Ka'imi Fairbairn 53-yard field goal, 5:31. Texans 26–7. Drive: 9 plays, 40 yards, 4:13.
Fourth quarter
HOU – Ka'imi Fairbairn 38-yard field goal, 5:50. Texans 29–7. Drive: 8 plays, 44 yards, 3:59.
CLE – Rashard Higgins 17-yard pass from Baker Mayfield (pass failed), 2:58. Texans 29–13. Drive: 9 plays, 75 yards, 2:48.
Top passers
Top rushers
Top receivers
The Houston Texans were going for their ninth win in a row against Baker Mayfield and the Cleveland Browns who the week before defeated the Bengals. The Texans were able to outplay the Browns en route to their ninth straight win and forced the Browns to turn the ball over four times including three interceptions by Baker Mayfield.
Week 14: vs. Indianapolis Colts [ edit ]
Week Fourteen: Indianapolis Colts at Houston Texans – Game summary
Quarter
1
2
3 4 Total
Colts
0
17
7 0 24
Texans
7
0
7 7 21
at NRG Stadium, Houston, Texas
Game information
First quarter
Second quarter
IND – Marlon Mack 4-yard run (Adam Vinatieri kick), 6:33. Tied 7–7. Drive: 2 plays, 64 yards, 0:46.
IND – Eric Ebron 14-yard pass from Andrew Luck (Adam Vinatieri kick), 2:57. Colts 14–7. Drive: 5 plays, 66 yards, 2:16.
IND – Adam Vinatieri 54-yard field goal, 0:04. Colts 17–7. Drive: 10 plays, 53 yards, 1:14.
Third quarter
HOU – Lamar Miller 1-yard run (Ka'imi Fairbairn kick), 7:38. Colts 17–14. Drive: 16 plays, 75 yards, 7:22.
IND – Zach Pascal 12-yard pass from Andrew Luck (Adam Vinatieri kick), 3:51. Colts 24–14. Drive: 8 plays, 75 yards, 3:47.
Fourth quarter
Top passers
IND – Andrew Luck – 27/41, 399 yards, 2 TD, 1 INT
HOU – Deshaun Watson – 27/38, 267 yards, 1 TD
Top rushers
IND – Marlon Mack – 14 carries, 33 yards, 1 TD
HOU – Deshaun Watson – 5 carries, 35 yards
Top receivers
With the loss, the Texans 9-game winning streak was snapped. They also squandered an opportunity to move ahead of the Patriots for the No. 2 seed as the Patriots suffered a loss of their own to the Miami Dolphins .
Week 15: at New York Jets [ edit ]
Game information
First quarter
HOU – Ka'imi Fairbairn 41-yard field goal, 9:23. Texans 3–0. Drive: 8 plays, 37 yards, 3:31.
NYJ – Jason Myers 26-yard field goal, 2:01. Tied 3–3. Drive: 13 plays, 67 yards, 7:22.
Second quarter
HOU – Ka'imi Fairbairn 32-yard field goal, 12:51. Texans 6–3. Drive: 10 plays, 60 yards, 4:10.
HOU – DeAndre Hopkins 45-yard pass from Deshaun Watson (Ka'imi Fairbairn kick), 8:14. Texans 13–3. Drive: 2 plays, 46 yards, 0:40.
HOU – Ka'imi Fairbairn 53-yard field goal, 4:35. Texans 16–3. Drive: 5 plays, 34 yards, 2:05.
NYJ – Robby Anderson 5-yard pass from Sam Darnold (Jason Myers PAT failed), 0:30. Texans 16–9. Drive: 9 plays, 83 yards, 4:05.
Third quarter
NYJ – Andre Roberts 13-yard pass from Sam Darnold (Jason Myers PAT failed), 8:39. Texans 16–15. Drive: 8 plays, 60 yards, 4:10.
Fourth quarter
HOU – Ka'imi Fairbairn 49-yard field goal, 12:33. Texans 19–15. Drive: 8 plays, 57 yards, 3:55.
NYJ – Elijah McGuire 2-yard run (Jason Myers kick), 5:00. Jets 22–19. Drive: 15 plays, 73 yards, 7:33.
HOU – DeAndre Hopkins 14-yard pass from Deshaun Watson (Ka'imi Fairbairn kick), 2:15. Texans 26–22. Drive: 7 plays, 75 yards, 2:45.
HOU – Ka'imi Fairbairn 40-yard field goal, 0:54. Texans 29–22. Drive: 4 plays, -1 yard, 0:58.
Top passers
Top rushers
HOU – Deshaun Watson – 4 carries, 26 yards
NYJ – Elijah McGuire – 18 carries, 42 yards, TD
Top receivers
With the win, the Texans improved to 10–4 and reached 10 wins for the first time since 2012 , and for the first time in the Bill O'Brien era. With the Patriots loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers the next day, the Texans obtained sole possession of the No. 2 seed and now control their destiny for a first-round bye if they win their last 2 games.
Week 16: at Philadelphia Eagles [ edit ]
Game information
First quarter
Second quarter
HOU – Ka'imi Fairbairn 30-yard field goal, 14:55. Eagles 7–3. Drive: 12 plays, 63 yards, 6:40.
HOU – Deshaun Watson 5-yard run (Ka'imi Fairbairn PAT failed), 10:23. Texans 9–7. Drive: 1 play, 5 yards, 0:04.
PHI – Zach Ertz 1-yard pass from Nick Foles (two-point conversion failed), 3:11. Eagles 13–9. Drive: 14 plays, 75 yards, 7:15.
HOU – Deshaun Watson 6-yard run (Ka'imi Fairbairn kick), 1:17. Texans 16–13. Drive: 8 plays, 80 yards, 1:51.
Third quarter
PHI – Jake Elliott 47-yard field goal, 5:35. Tied 16–16. Drive: 7 plays, 59 yards, 3:55.
PHI – Nelson Agholor 83-yard pass from Nick Foles (Jake Elliott kick), 2:31. Eagles 23–16. Drive: 1 play, 83 yards, 0:14.
Fourth quarter
PHI – Zach Ertz 23-yard pass from Nick Foles (Jake Elliott kick), 10:30. Eagles 29–16. Drive: 5 plays, 44 yards, 3:22.
HOU – D'Onta Foreman 20-yard pass from Deshaun Watson (Ka'imi Fairbairn kick), 4:41. Eagles 29–23. Drive: 5 plays, 55 yards, 0:39.
HOU – Vyncint Smith 35-yard pass from Deshaun Watson (Ka'imi Fairbairn kick), 2:04. Texans 30–29. Drive: 8 plays, 80 yards, 2:02.
PHI – Jake Elliott 35-yard field goal, 0:03. Eagles 32–30. Drive: 11 plays, 72 yards, 2:01.
Top passers
Top rushers
HOU – Deshaun Watson – 8 carries, 49 yards, 2 TD
PHI – Darren Sproles – 9 carries, 32 yards
Top receivers
The Texans traveled to Philadelphia seeking to defeat the Philadelphia Eagles for the first time in franchise history. Houston rallied from a 13-point fourth quarter deficit to take a one-point lead on a 35-yard touchdown reception by Vyncint Smith with 2:04 remaining in the game. However, the defense could not stop Philadelphia on the ensuing drive, and the Eagles prevailed 32-30 on a 35-yard field goal by Jake Elliott as time expired. With the loss, the Texans fell to 10-5 on the season and 0-5 all-time against the Eagles. Houston also failed to clinch the AFC South due to victories by the Tennessee Titans and Indianapolis Colts and slipped back to No. 3 with the New England Patriots victory over the Buffalo Bills . However, the Texans would clinch a playoff berth when the Pittsburgh Steelers lost to the New Orleans Saints later that day.
Week 17: vs. Jacksonville Jaguars [ edit ]
Week Seventeen: Jacksonville Jaguars at Houston Texans – Game summary
Quarter
1
2
3 4 Total
Jaguars
3
0
0 0 3
Texans
3
14
0 3 20
at NRG Stadium, Houston, Texas
Date : December 30Game time : 12:00 p.m. CSTGame weather : Played indoors (retractable roof closed)Game attendance : 71,848Referee : Pete MorelliTV announcers (CBS) : Andrew Catalon, James Lofton and Jay Feely Recap , Gamebook
Game information
First quarter
JAX – Kai Forbath 25-yard field goal, 10:08. Jaguars 3–0. Drive: 4 plays, 3 yards, 2:00.
HOU – Ka'imi Fairbairn 23-yard field goal, 5:20. Tied 3–3. Drive: 10 plays, 69 yards, 4:48.
Second quarter
HOU – Deshaun Watson 5-yard run (Ka'imi Fairbairn kick), 14:56. Texans 10–3. Drive: 4 plays, 51 yards, 1:37.
HOU – Lamar Miller 7-yard run (Ka'imi Fairbairn kick), 3:01. Texans 17–3. Drive: 9 plays, 63 yards, 4:27.
Third quarter
Fourth quarter
HOU – Ka'imi Fairbairn 24-yard field goal, 10:52. Texans 20–3. Drive: 9 plays, 60 yards, 3:29.
Top passers
Top rushers
JAX – Blake Bortles – 4 carries, 15 yards
HOU – Deshaun Watson – 13 carries, 66 yards, TD
Top receivers
#
Team
Division
W
L
T
PCT
DIV
CONF
SOS
SOV
STK
Division leaders
1[ a]
Kansas City Chiefs
West
12
4
0
.750
5–1
10–2
.480
.401
W1
2[ b]
New England Patriots
East
11
5
0
.688
5–1
8–4
.482
.494
W2
3[ b]
Houston Texans
South
11
5
0
.688
4–2
9–3
.471
.435
W1
4
Baltimore Ravens
North
10
6
0
.625
3–3
8–4
.496
.450
W3
Wild Cards
5[ a]
Los Angeles Chargers
West
12
4
0
.750
4–2
9–3
.477
.422
W1
6
Indianapolis Colts
South
10
6
0
.625
4–2
7–5
.465
.456
W4
Did not qualify for the postseason
7
Pittsburgh Steelers
North
9
6
1
.594
4–1–1
6–5–1
.504
.448
W1
8
Tennessee Titans
South
9
7
0
.563
3–3
5–7
.520
.465
L1
9
Cleveland Browns
North
7
8
1
.469
3–2–1
5–6–1
.516
.411
L1
10
Miami Dolphins
East
7
9
0
.438
4–2
6–6
.469
.446
L3
11[ c]
Denver Broncos
West
6
10
0
.375
2–4
4–8
.523
.464
L4
12[ c]
Cincinnati Bengals
North
6
10
0
.375
1–5
4–8
.535
.448
L2
13[ c]
Buffalo Bills
East
6
10
0
.375
2–4
4–8
.523
.411
W1
14
Jacksonville Jaguars
South
5
11
0
.313
1–5
4–8
.549
.463
L1
15[ d]
New York Jets
East
4
12
0
.250
1–5
3–9
.506
.438
L3
16[ d]
Oakland Raiders
West
4
12
0
.250
1–5
3–9
.547
.406
L1
Tiebreakers [ e]
^ a b Kansas City finished ahead of LA Chargers based on division record.
^ a b New England finished ahead of Houston based on head-to-head victory.
^ a b c Denver finished ahead of Cincinnati and Buffalo based on strength of victory. Cincinnati finished ahead of Buffalo based on record vs. common opponents. Cincinnati's cumulative record against Baltimore, Indianapolis, the Los Angeles Chargers and Miami was 3–2, compared to Buffalo's 1–4 cumulative record against the same four teams.
^ a b NY Jets finished ahead of Oakland based on strength of victory.
^ When breaking ties for three or more teams under the NFL's rules, they are first broken within divisions, then comparing only the highest ranked remaining team from each division.
AFC Wild Card Playoffs: vs. (6) Indianapolis Colts[ edit ]
AFC Wild Card Playoffs: (6) Indianapolis Colts at (3) Houston Texans – Game summary
Quarter
1
2
3 4 Total
Colts
14
7
0 0 21
Texans
0
0
0 7 7
at NRG Stadium , Houston, Texas
Game information
First quarter
Second quarter
IND – Dontrelle Inman 18-yard pass from Andrew Luck (Adam Vinatieri kick), 6:29. Colts 21–0. Drive: 7 plays, 65 yards, 3:23.
Third quarter
Fourth quarter
Top passers
Top rushers
Top receivers
This was the first time in Houston Texans history where they played against a division opponent in the postseason. With the NFC East champion Dallas Cowboys hosting the Seattle Seahawks Saturday evening, it was also the first time in league history that two NFL playoff games were played in Texas on the same day.
Category
Total yards
Yards per game
NFL rank(out of 32)
Passing offense
3,781
236.3
17th
Rushing offense
2,021
126.3
8th
Total offense[ 12]
5,802
362.6
15th
Passing defense
4,167
260.4
27th
Rushing defense
1,323
82.7
3rd
Total defense[ 13]
5,490
343.1
12th
Source :[ 14]
^ "Houston Texans Founder, Senior Chairman & CEO Robert C. McNair Passes Away" . Houston Texans. Retrieved November 24, 2018 .
^ Dougherty, Drew (September 9, 2018). "Tyrann Mathieu makes big impact at New England" . Houston Texans. Retrieved October 30, 2018 .
^ Dougherty, Drew (September 30, 2018). "Keke Coutee makes history in NFL debut" . Houston Texans. Retrieved September 30, 2018 .
^ Wilson, Aaron (October 14, 2018). "Johnathan Joseph called his key interception to beat Bills" . Houston Chronicle . Retrieved December 6, 2018 .
^ "Texans' Lamar Miller: Hits century mark in tough matchup" . CBS Sports . October 21, 2018. Retrieved October 30, 2018 .
^ "Texans' Tyrann Mathieu: Grabs interception in win" . CBS Sports . October 22, 2018. Retrieved October 30, 2018 .
^ Newport, Kyle (October 25, 2018). "Deshaun Watson, DeAndre Hopkins Dominate in Texans' Win over Dolphins" . Bleacher Report . Retrieved October 30, 2018 .
^ Zucker, Joseph (October 25, 2018). "Lamar Miller, Jordan Thomas, More Fantasy Outlook After Will Fuller V Injury" . Bleacher Report . Retrieved October 30, 2018 .
^ "Texans' Lamar Miller: Second consecutive 100-yard effort" . CBS Sports . October 26, 2018. Retrieved October 30, 2018 .
^ "Will Fuller expected to be ready by training camp after ACL surgery" . ESPN . October 27, 2018. Retrieved October 28, 2018 .
^ Barshop, Sarah (November 27, 2018). "DE J.J. Watt dedicates win to late Texans owner Bob McNair" . ESPN.com . Retrieved May 14, 2021 .
^ "2018 NFL Team Total Offense Stats" . ESPN. Retrieved October 14, 2022 .
^ "2018 NFL Team Total Defense Stats" . ESPN. Retrieved October 14, 2022 .
^ "2018 Texans Statistics" . Houston Texans. Retrieved October 14, 2022 .
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