FLASH RECAP:
Johnnie Lee Higgins scores two touchdowns — a 29-yard reception and an 80-yard punt return — to propel Oakland over Houston before a revved-up and announced crowd of 43,687 at the Oakland Alameda County Coliseum on Dec. 21, 2008.
JaMarcus Russell throws for 236 yards and 2 TDs as the Raiders (4-11) end a three-game losing streak and snap a four-game winning streak by the visiting Texans (7-8).
Higgins sets a Raiders record with his third punt return for a touchdown in the 2008 season. His 80-yard return 9:56 into the third quarter breaks the tie he shared with four other Raiders.
"When I caught it it, I just ran, and then everybody else just started pushing people out of the way," Higgins tells reporters after Oakland’s first-ever win over Houston. "They always tell me, you just got to beat the kicker, and the kicker almost got me.
Justin Fargas rushes for 93 yards on 22 carries to help Oakland snap a three-game losing streak to Houston. Derrick Burgess has two of the Raiders' three sacks on Texans quarterback Matt Schwaub.
PRIME-TIME PLAYERS:
WR/PR Johnnie Lee Higgins — Has 136 total yards as a punt returner and receiver. His 80-yard punt return for a TD gives the Raiders a 27-13 lead. He also catches a 29-yard TD pass to give Oakland a 20-10 lead in the third quarter.
QB JaMarcus Russell — Is 18-of-25 passing for 236 yards and 2 TDs for a passer rating of 128.1. On the game's opening drive, Russell is 6-for-6 passing for 91 yards — capped by a 20-yard touchdown throw to Chaz Schilens.
CB Chris Johnson — Has one interception and three passes defensed. His interception stops the Texans at the Oakland 40 early in the fourth quarter.
LOT Mario Henderson — More than holds his own against Texans DE Mario Williams, who has no sacks and 5 total tackles (4 solo). Williams entered the game with 11 sacks on the season.
TE Owen Daniels — Has 111 receiving yards on 11 catches.
QB Matt Schwaub — Is 19-of-36 passing for 255 yards with an interception.
RB Steve Slaton — Has 102 total yards on 66 rushing yards and 36 receiving yards on 5 catches.
KEY STATS:
The Raiders score touchdowns on the opening drive of both halves for the first time since Oct. 7, 2001 against Dallas.
The Texans allow their first punt return for a touchdown since Tennessee’s Adam “Pacman” Jones accomplished the feat on Oct. 29, 2006.
THEY SAID IT:
Raiders WR/PR Johnnie Lee Higgins
“I feel like I’m explosive. You never know what can happen. You know, it looks like he’s tackled, it looks like he’s down. Oh, he’s gone. It looks like he can’t catch it, like he can’t do this. … There he goes. So I look at myself, I always look at myself as a playmaker.”
"We were looking forward to having the first winning season in our history. When you play the way we played last week, with a big win over a big team, you have to find a way to play with the same effort, and we didn’t do it.”
Texans LB DeMeco Ryans
BY THE NUMBERS:
2: Catches by Texans WR Andre Johnson for 19 yards. He entered the game with 103 catches for 1,408 yards, both league highs.
2: Sacks by Raiders DE Derrick Burgess, surpassing his season total of 1.5 sacks.
53: Raiders points the past two games. Oakland had scored 205 points (14.7 points per game) in the season's first 14 games.
DID YOU KNOW?:
Texans punter Matt Turk is the brother of former Raiders center Dan Turk, who passed during the 2000 season, according to the 2008 Texans media guide. Dan Turk was a long-snapper for the Raiders 1989-1986
By beating the Texans, the Raiders end a five-game losing streak in home finales. Their last win in a home finale was a 24-0 victory over Kansas City on Dec. 28, 2002.
Chad Schilens (81) is hugged by Raiders
coach Tom Cable after Schilens scored a TD.
