Texans Down Raiders 27-13, Earn Third Straight Super Bowl Trip

Houston, TX — The Houston Texans continued their AFC dominance, defeating the Las Vegas Raiders 27-13 at NRG Stadium to secure their third straight trip to the Super Bowl. The Texans will face the winner of the NFC Championship clash between the Minnesota Vikings and the Chicago Bears.

Game Recap

The Texans set the tone early in the first quarter as quarterback C.J. Stroud connected with tight end Dalton Schultz for a 20-yard touchdown strike. The Raiders answered with a 6-yard touchdown pass from Trent Carney to Harvey Austin, but the Texans regained control with a 13-yard scoring toss from Stroud to Tank Dell as time expired in the first quarter. A 27-yard field goal by Daniel Carlson in the second quarter cut the Texans’ lead to 14-10 heading into halftime.

In the third quarter, Ka’imi Fairbairn nailed field goals from 27 and 46 yards to push Houston’s lead to 20-10. Another Carlson field goal from 28 yards early in the fourth quarter brought the Raiders within 10, but Stroud sealed the win with a 9-yard touchdown pass to Glenn Wimbley with under five minutes remaining.

Despite their efforts, the Raiders’ comeback fell short. Their final drive ended with a turnover on downs, cementing Houston’s win.

Key Stats

C.J. Stroud finished with 206 passing yards and three touchdowns, completing 13 of 17 passes for a stellar 155.8 passer rating. Glenn Wimbley starred with 17 carries for 106 rushing yards, adding 99 yards and a touchdown on 7 receptions. Dalton Schultz, Tank Dell, and Wimbley each hauled in touchdown receptions.

For the Raiders, Trent Carney threw for 211 yards, one touchdown, and two interceptions, including a costly pick by Emmanuel Forbes Jr. at the Texans’ 13-yard line in the fourth quarter that ended any hopes of a comeback.

The Texans dominated time of possession and trips to the red zone, going 4-of-5 in redzone efficiency while the Raiders managed just one touchdown in their lone trip. Houston’s balanced attack finished with 361 total yards, while their defense held Las Vegas to 308 yards and forced two key interceptions.

They Said It

“We knew coming in that we had to control the game early, and we did that,” said Stroud after the win. “This team’s been here before, and we know what it takes to get back to the Super Bowl.”
Texans head coach Demeco Ryans praised the performance of his quarterback. “C.J. continues to play at an elite level. He’s calm, makes the right reads, and just has that poise you need in these moments,” said Ryans.

For the Raiders, head coach Max Farias expressed disappointment but emphasized growth. “This one stings,” said Farias. “We’re going to use it as fuel going forward. We’re getting closer each year.”

Up Next

The Texans await the winner of the NFC Championship Game between the Vikings and Bears. The Super Bowl matchup is set for two weeks from now, as the Texans aim to claim their first championship in franchise history after two consecutive near-misses.