Watson throws five TD passes in rout
QB leads Houston to its fifth straight win
HOUSTON — Deshaun Watson matched his career high with five touchdown passes to lead the Houston Texans to their fifth straight victory, 42-23 over the Miami Dolphins on Thursday night.
The Texans (5-3) have left their 0-3 start behind with their longest singleseason winning streak since reeling off six victories in a row in 2012.
Watson threw touchdown passes of 13, 2, 73, 49 and 2 yards to give him 34 career scoring passes to move ahead of Dan Marino (32) for second most through in NFL history after 15 games.
Miami’s Brock Osweiler, who had one tough season in Houston after signing a $72 million contract in 2016, threw for 241 yards with an interception in his third straight start in place of injured starter Ryan Tannehill.
Kenyan Drake had a touchdown run and touchdown reception for the Dolphins (4-4). They lost for the second straight week.
Rookie Jordan Thomas caught the first two touchdown passes of his career, DeAndre Hopkins had 82 yards receiving and two scores, and Will Fuller added 124 yards receiving and a touchdown.
Texans running back Lamar Miller, who grew up in Miami and spent his first four seasons with the Dolphins, had 133 yards rushing and a touchdown for his second straight 100-yard game.
Houston led by eight when Watson threw a 49-yard touchdown pass to Hopkins on the first play of the fourth quarter to make it 35-20.
Watson found the speedy Fuller in front of the defense for a 73-yard touchdown that left Houston up 28-17 late in the third quarter. It was the longest touchdown pass of Watson’s career and the longest reception of Fuller’s. Fuller has caught 11 touchdown passes in 11 career games with Watson.