Final Score: Broncos put on a 38-24 whipping of the Texans in Week 14

The Denver Broncos came out on fire early in this game scoring on every possession until their second drive in the second half. At one point, they were up 38-3 over the Houston Texans. From there, however, the Texans attempted to mount a comeback.

Early in the fourth quarter, the lead had been cut to 38-17. The momentum shifted midway through the fourth quarter as Denver’s defense came up with a big interception to end all hope for a Texan-sized comeback. Houston would score one last time with less than a minute to go in the game.

The Denver Broncos 38-24 win over the Houston Texans put the Broncos up to 5-8 on the year and on a two-game winning streak as they stay on the road to take on the AFC West leading Kansas City Chiefs next week.

First Quarter

The Broncos dominated the first quarter of play. Drew Lock went 4/5 for 96 yards on the teams first possession that was capped by a 14-yard touchdown pass to Noah Fant to put Denver up early, then the defense got involved.

With the Texans driving, the Broncos defenders had a trifecta of good plays. Alexander Johnson forced a fumble on a slant that Jeremiah Attaochu scooped up and then tossed back to Kareem Jackson who found the edge on a 68-yard scamper for the touchdown.

Full first quarter recap.

Second Quarter

Offensively, the Broncos had an answer for everything the Texans defense had as Drew Lock put up 235 yards passing and 3 touchdowns in the first half to extend Denver’s lead to 31-3. He would connect with Fant on multiple occasions for big plays. Fant would finish with 3 catches for 90 yards and a touchdown in that first half

Defensively, the Broncos continued to bend and not break against Deshaun Watson in the first half. A huge fourth down stop at the Texans 35-yard line enabled the Broncos offense to score another touchdown before halftime to put a huge lead up on the home team.

Full second quarter recap.

Third Quarter

A second half touchdown had eluded the Broncos since Week 9, but that streak ended on their first possession as they methodically drove down the field capping it with a two-yard dive from Phillip Lindsay to go up 38-3 early in the second half.

However, the Texans switched to the No Huddle and needed just three plays before finding DeAndre Hopkins wide open for a 46-yard touchdown reception to cut the lead to 38-10.

Denver almost responded, but Lock threw an ugly pass at the end zone that was easily intercepted. The third quarter end with the Texans driving.

Full third quarter recap.

Fourth Quarter

The fourth quarter started with the Texans on the Broncos 20 yard line. They would burn one of their three timeouts before being faced with a third and goal from the Broncos six yard line. Deshaun Watson would scrambled outside for the touchdown to cut the Broncos lead to 38-17.

Back to back holding penalties stonewalled the Broncos follow-up drive before it ever began. With so little time coming off the clock there, it did seem like there was plenty of time for the Texans to mount some kind of comeback.

Colby Wadman would have a timely terrible punt to set the Texans up at midfield with 10 minutes to go in the game.

The Broncos defense had enough of the momentum swing and ended it on the Texans next drive with a third down sack by Josey Jewel to force the Texans in a fourth and 18. Watson chucked it up to Hopkins for 19 yards and a first down.

Watson was faced with another fourth down on the next set of downs, but this time Justin Simmons was there to tip the ball up, then Alexander Johnson tipped it up again for Kareem Jackson to come down with it for the interception that would ultimately seal victory for the Denver Broncos.

The Broncos offense started moving the chains from there and, more importantly, began eating up the clock with less than six minutes to go in the game up three touchdowns. A late score with less than a minute to go would matter not as Denver would move to 5-8 on the season with an impressive road win over Houston in Week 14.