Raiders beat Texans 25-20 after late INT by Schaub
The Houston Texans made mistake after mistake all day long.
Despite all their miscues, they still had a shot to win Sunday. But one last error sealed their fate.
Michael Huff intercepted Matt Schaub's pass in the end zone on the final play to secure the Oakland Raiders' 25-20 win over Houston.
''We had a chance to pull off a great comeback, overcoming a lot of problems and a lot of adversity on a day where you didn't play your best football,'' coach Gary Kubiak said. ''But we didn't do it and they made the play at the end.''
Jason Campbell threw two touchdown passes and Sebastian Janikowski kicked four field goals to lead the Raiders to the victory in an emotional game just a day after owner Al Davis died at 82.
Schaub threw for 416 yards and two touchdowns, but missed star receiver Andre Johnson, who sat out with a right hamstring injury.
Kubiak was frustrated by the countless errors by his team Sunday.
''Just trying to overcome mistakes all the time: snap problems, penalties, tipped balls, (it) just seemed like it was one thing after another all day long,'' he said. ''The bottom line offensively ... they controlled the line of scrimmage and we didn't run the ball a lick.''
The Texans (3-2) still had a chance with under a minute left, facing a third-and-29 from the Oakland 39.
Schaub scrambled and found tight end Joel Dreessen open at the 5, and Schaub spiked the ball with 7 seconds left. Instead of trying to run for the winning score, Schaub lobbed a pass to Jacoby Jones, and Huff stepped in to pick it off. Jones took Johnson's spot in the starting lineup.
''It was all tight and there was no one getting separation, so I stepped up in the pocket and scrambled,'' Schaub said. ''(Tyvon Branch) was coming down at me and I had to make a decision with Jacoby. ... Unfortunately, it didn't work out for us.''
The Raiders pulled off a fake punt that Davis would've loved to keep momentum in the fourth quarter.
After the Texans stopped Darren McFadden on third-and-1, Rock Cartwright took the snap and raced 35 yards to the Houston 25. Janikowski kicked a 42-yard field goal with 10 minutes left for a 25-17 Oakland lead.
With no Johnson to target, Schaub threw six consecutive incompletions during one stretch of the final quarter.
Already without Johnson for what is expected to be two weeks, the Texans were dealt another blow with an injury to linebacker Mario Williams. Williams appeared to be hurt while sacking Jason Campbell with about 5 minutes left in the first quarter.
He did not return and the team said he had an injury to his pectoral muscle, but they provided no further details on the injury.
''He said he felt like something popped, but I don't know,'' Houston defensive end Antonio Smith said. ''The only thing that concerned me is that he didn't come back. I think that he will be all right.''
Neil Rackers' 40-yard field goal cut Oakland's lead to 25-20 with 2:56 left, and Houston's defense held to give the offense one more chance.
Arian Foster had five receptions for 116 yards, but managed just 68 yards rushing on 22 carries.
The Texans took an early lead, scoring a touchdown on their opening series for the third straight game.
Foster had a 20-yard run against the league's 29th-ranked run defense, and Kevin Walter caught a short touchdown pass with 8:15 left in the first quarter.
''We just didn't make enough plays to win today,'' Walter said. ''It's very disappointing to have the Raiders come in here and beat us. They're a good football team, but we're a better football team. We just didn't get it done today.''
Oakland, meanwhile, needed a turnover and a blocked punt to generate early points.
Defensive end Lamarr Houston intercepted Schaub's pass, which was deflected, setting up Janikowski for a 54-yard field goal. Oakland got the ball at the Texans 39 after Daryl Blackstock blocked Brett Hartmann's punt, but the Raiders stalled again, and Janikowski kicked a 55-yarder to make it 7-6.
Janikowski is 5 for 6 on attempts 50 yards and longer this season, including one from 63 that tied an NFL record.
Hartmann pinned the Raiders inside their own 5 with his next punt, and Jason Allen intercepted Campbell's deep pass to Jacoby Ford near midfield. On first down, Schaub threw a 56-yard touchdown pass to Dreessen.
Oakland got its initial first down with just under 2 minutes left in the half. Four plays later, Campbell threw a 34-yard touchdown pass to Darrius Heyward-Bey.
The 2-point conversion failed, but the Raiders were lucky to trail only 14-12 at the break after producing only four first downs in the opening half.
Notes: Texans TE James Casey has an injured pectoral muscle. ... Houston G Mike Brisiel injured his ankle.