HOUSTON -- The problems that have plagued the Houston Texans were nowhere to be found on Sunday. Playing against the Oakland Raiders can do that for a team.
Steve Slaton scored two touchdowns, Jacoby Jones returned a kickoff for a score and the Texans beat the Raiders 29-6 Sunday.
The Texans (2-2) finally found their running game and figured out a way to shut down someone else's as Houston's NFL-worst defense held the Raiders to 45 yards rushing. The Texans were allowing 205 yards rushing entering the game.
Houston also forced three turnovers and got its first safety in almost seven years.
The Raiders (1-3) continued to struggle, with JaMarcus Russell completing 12 of 33 passes for 128 yards and Darren McFadden finishing with six carries for minus-3 yards rushing.
Slaton's first score came on a 32-yard run in the second quarter that pushed Houston's lead to 13-3. It was the Texans' first rushing score this season. Slaton finished with 65 yards rushing and Ryan Moats added 56.
Slaton scored again on an 18-yard catch-and-run that made it 20-3 later in the second quarter. That score was set up by a career-long 44-yard reception by Owen Daniels.
Oakland's first turnover came when DeMeco Ryans stripped the ball from Michael Bush and it was recovered by Antonio Smith in the third quarter. The Texans couldn't capitalize.
But Andre' Davis downed the punt at the 1 and rookie Brian Cushing tackled Justin Fargas in the end zone for a safety to make it 22-6. It was Houston's first safety since the inaugural season of 2002.
Jones ran 95 yards untouched on the ensuing kickoff for his first career kickoff return touchdown. He's returned two punts for scores in his career.
Mario Williams got to Russell in the fourth quarter and forced a fumble that Houston recovered on the 20. The Texans came away empty when Kris Brown's 33-yard field goal attempt sailed wide left.
Houston had a chance for another score near the end of the first half, but Matt Schaub was intercepted by Chris Johnson in the end zone. Schaub was 11 of 22 for 224 yards and a touchdown.
The Raiders added a field goal late in the second quarter to cut the lead to 20-6. That drive was kept alive when Russell found Louis Murphy for a 19-yard reception on fourth-and-9.
A 62-yard reception by Andre Johnson got Houston to the 7 in the first quarter and Brown's 26-yard field goal made it 3-0. Oakland tied it with a 46-yard field goal by Sebastian Janikowski after a fumble by Slaton in the first quarter.
Brown added a 34-yard field goal in the second quarter.
Johnnie Lee Higgins muffed a punt late in the fourth quarter that the Texans recovered and then ran out the clock.
