HOUSTON (AP) — C.J. Stroud threw for a season-high 318 yards with two touchdowns and the Houston Texans got off to a quick start and held on for a 26-15 victory over the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday.
Stroud did a great job of distributing the ball, completing passes to nine different players with star receiver Nico Collins out after sustaining a concussion Monday night. Xavier Hutchinson led the group with 69 yards receiving and a score and rookie
Jaylin Noel added 63 to help the Texans (3-4) bounce back after a loss to Seattle.
Hutchinson’s 30-yard touchdown grab extended Houston’s lead to 23-7 with about 7 1/2 minutes left in the third quarter.
A 2-yard touchdown reception by Jake Tonges and Demarcus Robinson’s 2-point conversion grab cut the lead to 23-15 late in the third quarter. Jauan Jennings made a 25-yard grab a play before the touchdown to set up the score.
Houston added a field goal after that, and the 49ers were driving late when Kamari Lassiter intercepted Mac Jones just outside of the end zone with a little under two minutes left to seal the victory.
Jones had trouble getting the offense going, and the 49ers (5-3) trailed by 16 before they gained a first down late in the second quarter. He threw for 193 yards and two touchdowns in his fourth straight game and sixth this season filling in for the injured Brock Purdy.
The Texans held Christian McCaffrey in check. He had just 25 yards rushing and 43 receiving after piling up 201 yards of offense and two scores in last week’s 20-10 win over Atlanta.
Rookie Woody Marks helped Houston to the win with 62 yards rushing and four receptions for 49 yards.
The Texans led by six in the second quarter when Jayden Higgins grabbed a 12-yard TD reception to make it 13-0. Noel had a 44-yard reception earlier in that drive to get Houston into scoring position. Stroud connected with Marks on a 50-yard throw earlier in the half to give the Texans two plays of 40-plus yards on Sunday after they had just two in the first six games combined.
Ka’imi Fairbairn’s third field goal pushed the lead to 16-0 with about a minute left in the first half.
After punting on their first three possessions, the Niners finally got their offense going and cut the lead to 16-7 when George Kittle grabbed a 17-yard touchdown reception near the end of the first half.
The 49ers ended an NFL record of 14 straight games without an interception, covering 469 consecutive passes, when Deommodore Lenoir intercepted Stroud on the last play of the first half.
Niners OL Jordan Elliott injured his ankle in the first half. … LB Dee Winters injured his knee in the third quarter … Texans WR Braxton Berrios injured his chest in the third quarter. … DE Dylan Horton injured his knee in the third quarter.
49ers: Visit the Giants next Sunday.
Texans: Host Denver next Sunday.
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