HOUSTON — Rookie C.J. Stroud threw for five touchdowns and a rookie-record 470 yards to lift Houston Texans to a 39-37 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in a wild back-and-forth game on Sunday.
Baker Mayfield put the Buccaneers on top with a 14-yard touchdown pass to Cade Otton with 46 seconds left.
But the Texans (4-4) drove down the field and Stroud found Tank Dell in the end zone with 6 seconds left to give the Texans the lead.
Stroud kneeled instead of attempting the 2-point conversion with kicker Kaʻimi Fairbairn out with a quadriceps injury. The Buccaneers fumbled on the final play to give Houston the victory.
A 26-yard reception by Dell, who had 114 yards receiving, got the Texans within striking distance before Stroud found Dell again to complete the come-from-behind victory.
He helped carry Houston’s offense on a day when running back Dameon Pierce sat out with an ankle injury and the Texans managed just 53 yards rushing.
Noah Brown had six catches for 153 yards and a touchdown and Dalton Schultz added 10 catches for 130 yards and a touchdown for the Texans.
Mayfield threw for 265 yards and two touchdowns and the Buccaneers (3-5) dropped their fourth straight game.
Stroud led the Texans to touchdowns on their first three possessions of the second half to put them on top 30-23.
The Bucs tied it on a 1-yard run by Rachaad White before running back Dare Ogunbowale nailed a tiebreaking 29-yard field goal to put Houston on top 33-30 with about nine minutes to go. He handled the kickoff duties in the second half with kicker Kaʻimi Fairbairn out with a quadriceps injury. But Houston went for 2 on each of its three second-half touchdowns, before Ogunbowale made the big field goal.
He’s the first non-kicker or punter to make a field goal since Wes Welker did it on Oct. 10, 2004, for the Dolphins against New England.
Tampa Bay extended its lead to 20-10 on a 49-yard field goal by Chase McLaughlin early in the third quarter.
Brown took a short pass from Stroud and dashed 75 yards for a touchdown on the first play of the next drive to cut the lead. The Texans attempted a 2-point conversion with Fairbairn out. But Stroud was intercepted by Joe Tryon-Shoyinka leave the Bucs up 20-16.
McLaughlin added a 55-yard field goal to push it to 23-16 with 9½ minutes left in the third.
Schultz caught a 26-yard pass on third-and-11 to extend Houston’s next possession. Stroud then hit Dell in the corner of the end zone for a 29-yard TD that cut the lead to 23-22. The 2-point conversion failed when Stroud’s throw to Dell fell short.
Schultz grabbed a 9-yard pass for a touchdown early in the fourth quarter and Stroud ran for the 2-point conversion to put the Texans up 30-23 before White’s fourth-quarter score. A 53-yard reception by Mike Evans set up that score.
The Texans took a 7-3 lead when Stroud connected with Nico Collins on a 14-yard score with about nine minutes left in the first quarter.
Mayfield connected with Otton on a 3-yard TD pass to put Tampa Bay on top 10-7.
Mayfield threw a 9-yard pass to White on third down to get the Buccaneers to the 1. White waltzed into the end zone on the next play to push the lead to 17-7 with about nine minutes until halftime.
The Texans cut the lead to 17-10 on a 50-yard field goal by Fairbairn with five minutes left in the second quarter.
Schultz fumbled after a reception on Houston’s first drive, and it was recovered Antoine Winfield Jr. on the Houston 42. The Buccaneers took a 3-0 lead on a 35-yard field goal by McLaughlin.
INJURIES
Buccaneers: CB Jamel Dean left in the first quarter with a concussion. … DB Josh Hayes left in the third quarter to be evaluated for a concussion. … Houston S M.J. Stewart injured a shoulder in the second quarter. … DT Hassan Ridgeway left in the third with an ankle injury. … LB Jake Hansen injured his hand in the third. … WR John Metchie left in the second half with a rib injury.
UP NEXT
Bucanneers: Host Tennessee next Sunday.
Texans: Visit Bengals next Sunday.
Below are highlights from the game.
Down 3-0, Stroud hit Nico Collins with this scoring strike to go up 7-3.
Tampa would go up 10-7 in the first on this Baker Mayfield to Otton scoring strike.
Tampa Bay had the 17-10 lead at halftime and were leading 20-10 when Stroud hit Noah Brown for 75 yards, tying the longest touchdown pass in the NFL this season.
Tampa Bay had a 23-16 lead on Houston when Stroud found Tank Dell in the endzone to get Houston within 1.
Houston took the lead on this Stroud to Dalton Schultz scoring strike. Stroud then ran in the two point conversion to give the Texans a 30-23 lead.
Tampa would tie it up with another touchdown, making it 30-30 in the fourth quarter.
Houston would drive down but stall at the 10. That's when Houston decided to give Ogunbowale a shot at the field goal. And he rewarded the team with the lead.
It was the first time a non-kicker made a field goal in a regular season game since Wes Welker did it in 2004.
After Tampa Bay took the lead back, Houston got the ball with 46 seconds to play. Stroud led them right down the field for the game-winning touchdown!