Drake Maye threw his first career touchdown in his first career start, hitting Kayshon Boutte for a 40-yard touchdown with 11 seconds remaining in the half.
The Patriots had only 51 yards before their final drive of the half but went five plays and 84 yards in only 48 seconds to make it a game. New England heads to the locker room trailing 14-7 at halftime.
Maye went 8-of-14 for 105 yards with a touchdown and an interception, with Boutte catching two for 46.
The Texans have 183 yards, with C.J. Stroud going 11-of-17 for only 104 yards and two touchdowns. He threw a 2-yard score to Tank Dell and a 10-yarder to Joe Mixon. Mixon had a 59-yard run and has 75 yards on 10 carries and two catches for 30 yards in his return from a high-ankle sprain.
Dell has four catches for 36 yards and Stefon Diggs three for 29.
The Texans didn’t take advantage of safety Calen Bullock’s pick of Maye, with starting field position at the New England 27. The Patriots defense allowed only 5 yards and stopped the Texans three times on third down, as Jerod Mayo inexplicably accepted an illegal shift penalty on Houston on an incompletion on third-and-5. After an offsides penalty on New England and then another Stroud incompletion, Ka’imi Fairbairn missed a 40-yard field goal wide right.
Stroud was picked off by Marcus Jones in the end zone on a pass tight end Dalton Schultz couldn’t handle on another possession that ended at the New England 22.
Texans edge rusher Will Anderson has two sacks and six tackles in the first half.
Texans linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair headed to the locker room early with a knee injury and is questionable to return.