Dustin Hopkins missed a 63-yard field goal with three seconds left, allowing Houston to hold on for a 23-21 victory.
It was the Texans’ seventh victory in a row after an 0-3 start.
Washington dropped to 6-4, and combined with Dallas’ victory over Atlanta on Sunday, sets up a first-place showdown on Thanksgiving Day. The Cowboys are 5-5 after their second consecutive road victory.
Houston appeared in control of the game, holding a 17-7 lead when Alex Smith was carted off with an ugly ankle injury. Smith was sandwiched between Kareem Jackson and J.J. Watt on a sack, with Watt accidentally landing on Smith’s right ankle.
Smith’s injury came 33 years to the day after Joe Theismann’s leg injury.
But backup Colt McCoy rallied the home team.
He led Washington on a 13-yard touchdown drive in the third quarter, hitting Jordan Reed for a 9-yard score after a Preston Smith interception of Deshaun Watson. A 10-play, 67-yard touchdown drive in the fourth quarter that culminated with a 7-yard Adrian Peterson touchdown run gave Washington a 21-20 lead.
Ka’imi Fairbairn made a 54-yard field goal with 7:30 remaining that proved the difference, but he missed from 44 yards at the end of the first half and his 45-yard miss with 52 seconds left in the game gave Washington a last, good chance.
McCoy drove Washington to the Houston 45, where Hopkins missed. Hopkins was on the injury report this week with a groin injury. His game-winning try was on line but short.
McCoy went 6-of-12 for 54 yards and a touchdown after Smith was 12-of-27 for 135 yards and two interceptions, including one that rookie safety Justin Reid returned for a 101-yard touchdown at the end of the first half.
Peterson rushed for 51 yards and two touchdowns on 16 carries.
Watson completed 16 of 24 passes for 208 yards with a touchdown and two interceptions. DeAndre Hopkins caught five passes for 56 yards and a touchdown, but he also lost a fumble. Lamar Miller rushed for 86 yards on 20 carries.
