Texans win; Division title within reach

The Houston Texans took charge in the fourth quarter, and now they have control of the AFC South with two games remaining.

The defending division champs are looking for Houston’s fourth AFC South title in six years under coach Bill O’Brien. The Titans haven’t won this division since 2008, and Mike Vrabel is Tennessee’s third coach since.

Carlos Hyde ran for 104 yards and scored a TD with 10:34 left and Ka’imi Fairbairn’s 29yard field goal with 3:26 remaining provided the winning margin as the Texans scored 10 straight points in the fourth quarter to beat the Tennessee Titans 24-21 on Sunday.

“We had to lock in,” Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson said. “That’s what we did. It came down to that fourth quarter of standing up, getting up and getting a drive in and getting points on the board and defense making a stop. Yeah, it was just something that we definitely didn’t want to let it slip out of our hand.”

Now the Texans (9-5) must travel home with a short week before going to Tampa Bay on Saturday before hosting the Titans (8-6) again in the regular season finale.

“I don’t think we should even think one second about anything other than Tampa Bay, and that should be the whole goal,” O’Brien said of the Texans’ improved chances of winning the division.

The Texans nearly blew a 14-0 halftime lead with Tennessee intercepting Watson twice inside the Titans 1.

The Titans snapped a four-game win streak with only their second loss in seven games. Now they will need help in the final two games to earn their second playoff berth in three seasons.

“We’ve just got to be better, man,” Titans safety Kevin Byard said. “We’ll see them guys again in two weeks, but we’re disappointed.”

When the Titans tied it at 14 early in the fourth quarter, the Texans scored 10 straight points. Hyde ran for a 10-yard TD, then Fairbairn’s field goal finished Houston’s scoring.

“We had to have an answer there,” O’Brien said.

Ryan Tannehill hit Dion Lewis with an 11yard TD pass with 2:04 left to pull Tennessee within 24-21. But the Titans used backup kicker Ryan Santoso on the onside kick, and the ball only went 7 yards before being smothered by Texans safety Justin Reid.

Cowboys 44, Rams 21: Dak Prescott threw two TD passes and Ezekiel Elliott ran for two scores as Dallas ended its second three-game losing streak of the season, and the defending NFC East champs stayed even with Philadelphia with a showdown looming next week.

Falcons 29, 49ers 22: Matt Ryan teamed up with Julio Jones on a 5-yard pass that was ruled a TD after a replay reversal with 2 seconds left, sending Atlanta past playoff-bound San Francisco. On the final kickoff, Atlanta scored again when Olamide Zaccheaus came up with the ball as the 49ers were tossing it around in desperation.

Chiefs 23, Broncos 3: Patrick Mahomes threw for 340 yards and two TDs, and Tyreek Hill and Travis Kelce were on the receiving end of many of his biggest throws, as the AFC West champs romped to remain in the hunt for the No. 2 playoff seed and a potential first-round bye.

Seahawks 30, Panthers 24: Seattle scored on its first three possessions as Russell Wilson completed eight of 10 passes for 175 yards, with 19-yard touchdown passes to DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett for a perfect 153.8 QB rating.

Eagles 37, Redskins 27: Carson Wentz recovered from a late fumble by leading a 75-yard, go-ahead scoring drive and throwing his third TD pass of the day to keep the Eagles’ NFC East hopes on track. Wentz threw TD passes to Miles Sanders, Zach Ertz and Greg Ward.

Packers 21, Bears 13: Aaron Jones ran for two scores, Davante Adams caught another in the 200th edition of he NFL’s oldest rivalry. With the win, the Packers swept the regular-season series between the teams for the 15th time in the last 26 seasons and the seventh time in the last 11.

Vikings 39, Chargers 10: Dan Bailey kicked four field goals, Ifeadi Odenigbo scored Minnesota’s second defensive TD in three games and Mike Boone ran for two touchdowns for the Vikings, who have won four of their last five to remain in possession of the NFC’s last playoff spot.

Buccaneers 38, Lions 17: Jameis Winston became the first player in NFL history to throw for 450 yards in consecutive games. He threw three TDs in the first half — four overall — and a career-high 458 yards one week after throwing for 456 yards. The Bucs have won four straight.

Jaguars 20, Raiders 16: Gardner Minshew threw two TD passes to Chris Conley in the final 5:15 of the game and Jacksonville spoiled the final scheduled game at the Oakland Coliseum by beating Oakland. The Raiders broke out to a 16-3 lead before falling apart in the closing minutes.

Cardinals 38, Browns 24: Kenyan Drake ran for four TDs, Kyler Murray threw for 219 yards and a score and Arizona snapped a six-game losing streak. Murray completed 19 of 25 passes and ran for 58 yards. Drake’s the first Cardinal to score four rushing TDs in a game since 1993.

James Kenney / Associated Press Houston wide receiver Kenny Stills, right, catches a 12-yard pass for a touchdown as he is defended by Tennessee’s Logan Ryan during the Texans’ 24-21 win in Nashvile, Tenn. Sills caught three passes in the game, two of them for touchdowns.