Las Vegas Raiders run rampant in 38-20 win over Houston Texans

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - OCTOBER 23: Josh Jacobs #28 of the Las Vegas Raiders runs for a first down in the second quarter against the Houston Texans at Allegiant Stadium on October 23, 2022 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Sam Morris/Getty Images)
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - OCTOBER 23: Josh Jacobs #28 of the Las Vegas Raiders runs for a first down in the second quarter against the Houston Texans at Allegiant Stadium on October 23, 2022 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Sam Morris/Getty Images) /
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The Las Vegas Raiders ran through the Houston Texans for 164 yards and walked away with a 38-20 dominant win, their second of the 2022 season.

The Las Vegas Raiders notched a dominant 38-20 win over the Houston Texans on Sunday, sparking what they hope is a run of consistency to steer their season back on track. The 38 points scored was a season-high for the Silver and Black, and the 400 yards of offense felt like the type of performance that Raiders fans were hoping for to start the season.

Only Las Vegas won’t point to their passing game as the spark that led them to the win. Instead, it was the ground game, and more accurately another explosive game from Josh Jacobs, that propelled the Raiders to their second win of the season.

For all intents and purposes, the game was truly won thanks to the Raiders’ dominant fourth quarter. Prior to the final 15 minutes, the Texans had gone toe-to-toe with Las Vegas, with the Texans holding a 20-17 lead heading by the end of the third quarter. Davis Mills, who finished with 302 passing yards and a touchdown with an interception, matched Derek Carr’s 241 yards through the air with a passing touchdown.

But in the final stretch with the game, and arguably the Raiders’ season, very much on the line, it was Jacobs’ dominant performance on the ground that put the nail in the coffin.

Texans have no answer for Raiders Jacobs’ 143 yards and 3 TDs

For the third straight game, Jacobs surpassed the century mark in rushing yards, and his 143 yards mark his third-highest rushing total of the season. The Raiders’ tailback found the endzone not once, not twice, but three times in Sunday’s win, and literally carried Las Vegas into a comfortable 31-20 lead with a little over seven minutes remaining. And then the Raiders defense, which ranked second-to-last in takeaways per game (0.6), sealed the win with Duron Harmon‘s 73-yard interception return for a touchdown.

It was a comfortable win for Las Vegas, albeit not always pretty through all four quarters. Jacobs’ dominance on the ground, alongside a combined 194 receiving yards from Davante Adams, Hunter Renfrow, and Mack Hollins, helped overcome what was largely a leaky defense from the Silver and Black. But at this point in the season, a win is a win, and the 2-4 record is proof that they aren’t done just yet.