Joe Mixon rushed for 159 yards and a touchdown in the season opener before an illegal hip drop tackle by Bears linebacker T.J. Edwards in Week 2 sent him to the sideline. After three games out of the lineup, the Texans running back returned Sunday.
He had 132 yards from scrimmage and two touchdowns as Houston rolled to a 41-21 victory in New England in Drake Maye’s first career start. The Texans are 5-1, tying the best start in team history, while the Patriots fell to 1-5.
Patriots rookie quarterback Drake Maye, starting for the first time, threw three touchdown passes but committed three turnovers. The Texans converted the Patriots’ four total turnovers in 17 points, with Ka’imi Fairbairn missing a 40-yard field goal on the Patriots’ first turnover.
Maye was 20-of-33 for 243 yards, throwing a 40-yard touchdown to Kayshon Boutte, a 6-yarder to Hunter Henry and a 35-yarder to DeMario Douglas. Caden Bullock and Eric Murray had picks of Maye.
The Patriots trailed only 21-14 at halftime before Danielle Hunter had a strip-sack of Maye on the Patriots’ first drive of the second half, starting a Houston avalanche.
The Texans gained 368 yards, with 192 coming on the ground. Besides Mixon’s big day, his backup, Dameon Pierce, returned to rush for 76 yards on eight carries, icing the game with a 54-yard touchdown run with 7:47 left.
C.J. Stroud went 20-of-31 for 192 yards with three touchdowns and an interception despite missing the NFL’s leading receiver, Nico Collins. Stefon Diggs caught six passes for 77 yards and a touchdown, and Tank Dell added seven catches for 57 yards and one touchdown.
Mixon scored on a 10-yard reception and a 20-yard run, rushing for 102 yards on 13 carries and catching two passes for 30 yards.
Texans second-year edge rusher Will Anderson had the best game of his career, with three sacks, eight tackles, four tackles for loss and a pass breakup that led to an interception.