2006 Houston Texans season

"at Reliant Stadium, Houston, Texas"

The Texans came home in Week 3 to take on the Washington Redskins. In the first quarter, Houston got off to a good start, as TE Mark Bruener caught a 2-yard TD pass. However, the Redskins would tie the game up on a 9-yard run by RB Ladell Betts. From there, things went downhill in the second quarter, as WR Antwaan Randle El caught a 23-yard TD pass and RB Clinton Portis ran 30 yards for a touchdown. In the third quarter, Washington continued to pound Houston, with Portis getting a 1-yard TD run. In the fourth quarter, the Redskins would get one more scoring strike as kicker John Hall kicked a 46-yard field goal. The Texans would get another touchdown, as QB David Carr threw a 2-yard pass to TE Owen Daniels and RB Ron Dayne would run it in for the 2-point conversion. Unfortunately, Houston would fall to 0-3, losing 31-15.

Week 4: vs. Miami Dolphins

"at Reliant Stadium, Houston, Texas"

Following a disappointing 34-6 road loss to their cross-state rival, the Dallas Cowboys, the Texans were looking to rebound at home against division rival Jacksonville, and they did. Houston did not trail at any point in their 27-7 trouncing of the Jaguars, in which they forced two turnovers, and dominated in total offense, tallying 349 yards from scrimmage to Jacksonville's 220. With the impressive upset, the Texans moved to 2-4, just one game behind the Jags for second place in the AFC South.

Week 8: at Tennessee Titans

"at Alltel Stadium, Jacksonville, Florida"

David Carr threw for 167 yards and ran for 48 more, and the Texans defeated the Jaguars 13-10 to snap a 12-game road losing streak. The Texans upset their AFC South rivals for the second time in four weeks and won on the road for the first time since December 2004. David Garrard, making his third consecutive start in place of Byron Leftwich, was intercepted four times. Two came after Matt Jones bobbled perfect passes. Ernest Wilford also dropped two balls, including a deep one that could have been a touchdown. Carr directed a 70-yard drive to start the game and had two key runs. Wali Lundy scored from 1 yard, then Houston took advantage of Garrard's first turnover to make it 10-0. DeMeco Ryans pressured Garrard and forced a floater over the middle. Morlon Greenwood picked it off, setting up Kris Brown's 25-yard field goal.

Week 11: vs. Buffalo Bills

"at McAfee Coliseum, Oakland, California"

The Texans became the first team since the Houston "Oilers" 25 years ago to win a game with negative yards passing, using Demarcus Faggins' 58-yard fumble return for a touchdown, two long returns on special teams and a pair of fumbles by Randal Williams to beat the Oakland Raiders 23-14. David Carr finished 7-of-14 for 32 yards, failing to complete a pass in the final 32 minutes. He was sacked five times for 37 yards, leaving Houston with negative-5 yards passing. The Texans were the first team since the Houston Oilers on Oct. 4, 1981, against Cincinnati to finish with negative yards passing and win. Late in the half, Carr had a run of three straight offensive plays when he was sacked and fumbled the ball. Carr lost the first two fumbles, including one returned 35 yards for a score by Kirk Morrison after Warren Sapp's in the final minute of the half to make it 14-7. Jerome Mathis, who missed the first 11 games recovering from a fractured foot, provided a spark with an 87-yard return of the second-half kickoff. Wali Lundy ran in from the 3 on the next play to tie the game at 14. Mathis was later used as a decoy when Dexter Wynn faked a reverse on a punt return and went 58 yards before being tackled by punter Shane Lechler at the 21. The Texans settled for a 42-yard field goal by Kris Brown to make it 17-14. A pair of fumbles by Williams led to two more field goals by Brown, putting the game out of reach. Rookie DeMeco Ryans led the defense for Houston with 14 solo tackles, a sack, a forced fumble, a fumble recovery and an interception.

Week 14: vs. Tennessee Titans

"at Reliant Stadium, Houston, Texas"

Clad in all-blue uniforms for the first time in franchise history, Ron Dayne rushed for a career-high 153 yards and two touchdowns and Kris Brown kicked the winning 48-yard field goal as time expired to shock the Colts 27-24. The Texans used Dayne and rookie Chris Taylor to eat up the clock and exploit the Colts' suspect run defense, ranked last in the NFL, while taking pressure off David Carr and the struggling passing game. The win broke a nine-game losing streak to the Colts (11-4). It would be the Colts' last defeat before winning Super Bowl XLI. Mario Williams forced a Dominic Rhodes fumble on the Colts' second play. Anthony Weaver recovered the ball on the Indianapolis 47 and Houston would convert it into a touchdown, taking an early 14-0 lead. Houston led through most of the game until Peyton Manning and Marvin Harrison connected for their second touchdown, a 7-yard pass that tied it 24-24 with 2:41 remaining. Carr and the Texans then engineered a six-play, 31-yard drive that ended with Brown's winning kick. Carr was 16-of-23 for 163 yards and a touchdown and was not sacked.

Week 17: vs. Cleveland Browns

"at Reliant Stadium, Houston, Texas"

Chris Taylor ran for 99 yards with a touchdown as the Houston Texans defeated the Cleveland Browns, 14-6, at Reliant Stadium. Taylor carried the ball 20 times in the contest and Anthony Maddox returned a fumble 47 yards for a score, as the Texans won three of their last five games of the season to finish 6-10. David Carr managed the game well and finished 9-of-15 passing for 86 yards with an interception in the victory. Kicker Phil Dawson accounted for the only Cleveland points with two field goals. Charlie Frye, starting his first game since injuring a wrist in the Browns' win versus the Kansas City Chiefs on December 3, was 25-of-34 passing for 187 yards with an interception. Kellen Winslow had 11 catches for 93 yards for Cleveland (4-12), which lost its last four games. Winslow tied Hall-of-Famer Ozzie Newsome for most catches by a Browns player, with 87 in the loss. Reuben Droughns added 83 yards rushing on 19 carries in defeat.

References