The Houston Texans defeated the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday afternoon, in a game that was a whole lot closer than anybody thought it would be. The final score was Texans 23, Raiders 21. Make no mistake, the Raiders are in the conversation for the worst team in the NFL and the Texans let them hang around all afternoon.
However, with this win, the Texans avoided two things that the 2023 and 2024 versions of the team allowed to happen. First, they avoided a loss to a bottom feeder NFL team, something they let happen in 2023 (Falcons, Panthers, Jets) and 2024 (Jets, Titans). Also, they avoided ruining Christmas for all of us, something they let happen in 2023 (36-22 loss to the Browns at home) and 2024 (31-2 loss to the Ravens at home).
That’s about the only nice thing I can say about Sunday’s win. Other than that, I only have kind words for the four winners I am listing below. Here are Sunday’s winners and losers:
WINNERS
4. Nico Collins
Collins’ game on Sunday, in the box score, doesn’t really reflect his total value to the team. He had four catches for 59 yards, a below average day at the office for Collins. However, he drew multiple pass interference penalties that extended drives, and set up the Texans’ only offensive touchdown. Also, his longest grab of the day, 24 yards, sealed the game for the Texans, on a 3rd and 8 at the Raiders’ 37 yard line.
3. Derek Stingley, Jr.
Derek Stingley has been the bets cornerback in football for the better part of the last 15 months. He’s had numerous interceptions and highlight plays. Until Sunday, though, he’d never had a pick six, and then along came Geno Smith! Thanks to pressure from Will Anderson, Smith was rushed into an ill fated throw to Stingley that the fourth year corner took to the house. It gave the Texans a 7-0 lead, and without it, they likely don’t win the game.
2. Ka’imi Fairbairn
One of the biggest weapons that you can have in today’s NFL is a kicker whose distance puts pressure on an opposing defense, as soon as their offense crosses midfield. We see it in Dallas with Brandon Aubrey, and in Jacksonville with Cam Little. Fairbairn is in that neighborhood, and on Sunday his clutch ability from 50-plus yards was a big story in this game. Fairbairn hit three field goals from distances of 55, 50, and 49 yards.
1. DeMeco Ryans
Give major credit to DeMeco Ryans. On Sunday, he won his 10th game of the season, which put him in elite company. First, within the walls of NRG Stadium, he’s the first Texans head coach to win at least 10 games in three separate seasons. Ryans did it in his first three seasons, as a head coach, making him just the 13th head coach in history to accomplish that feat. Say what you will about what a jagged mess the offense has been, at times, during his tenure, but the reset of this organization under Ryans has been an overall joy to watch.
LOSERS
4. Raiders elite players
Brock Bowers had five catches, including a touchdown. Ashton Jeanty had over 100 yards rushing and two touchdowns, one rushing and one receiving. Maxx Crosby was an absolute menace all day long. So why are these guys losers? Because they are trapped on the Las Vegas Raiders, destined to never play a relevant football game ever.
3. Lonnie Johnson
If you’re a Texans fan, you remember Lonnie Johnson, a second round pick back in 2019, who is probably best known for his horrific biographical YouTube series “Life of Lotto.” It was quite the masterpiece. Since being let go by the Texans, Johnson has bounced around to various practice squads and corners of the NFL universe. Currently, he finds himself on the Raiders, and on Sunday, he had a comical missed tackle on a Nick Chubb 30-yard run, and a pass interference that set up the Texans’ only offensive touchdown of the day. In short, Johnson did more to help the Texans win on Sunday than he ever did as a Texan.
2. Myles Bryant
In a perfect world, Bryant isn’t playing nearly as many snaps as he is being asked to. Losing M.J. Stewart at safety opened up the snaps for Bryant. He’s been serviceable, but this effort on tackling Ashton Jeanty on his 60 yard touchdown catch is not something he will show his grandkids:
1. Texans division title hopes
Aside from the Texans’ own game with the Raiders, the next biggest game for the Texans was the Jaguars’ visit to Denver to face the 12-2 Denver Broncos. If the Broncos could pull off a win as a 3.5 point home favorite, and the Texans won, the Texans would be in control of their own destiny in chasing their third straight division title. Well, the Jags blew out the Broncos by a final score of 34-20. Now, the Texans need the Jags to lose to old man Philip Rivers and the Colts in Week 17, or they need the Titans to pull off a monumental upset in Week 18. Good luck with that.
This article appears in Jan 1 – Dec 31, 2025.