PHILADELPHIA (AP) - Arian Foster gave the Houston Texans the lead for the first time on a 3-yard touchdown run and the Houston Texans lead the Philadelphia Eagles 24-20 after three quarters on Thursday night.
Foster had some help from Houston’s defense that settled down after a shaky first half to hold Philadelphia scoreless in the third.
Michael Vick was flattened when he tried to make a play in third and had his deep pass artfully intercepted by Jason Allen. The Texans took over at their 14. Matt Schaub had better luck than Vick on the deep throw when he hit Andre Johnson for a 31-yard sideline reception. Eagles linebacker Moise Fokou was whistled for illegal contact on the drive and the Texans made them pay with the go-ahead score.
Foster went straight up the middle on a 3-yard TD run with 50 seconds left in the third and the Texans led for the first time, 24-20.
The Eagles defense was ineffecient in the third. Schaub hit Foster over the middle for a 13-yard touchdown pass that pulled Houston to 20-17. Foster blew kisses to the crowd after the score capped an 11-play drive for 79 yards.
It’s up to Vick to lead the Eagles back in the fourth. He threw for 180 yards and a touchdown, and was sharp early. But he took several hits in the second and third quarters.
Johnson, Houston’s star wide receiver, limped off the field and into the locker room early in the second. He entered with 65 catches, 869 yards receiving and five touchdowns. There was no word on Johnson’s injury and he did not catch a pass before he left with the Texans trailing 14-3.
He returned, though, and promptly caught a 42-yard pass from Schaub that helped set up Houston’s first touchdown. Schaub threw an 8-yard scoring pass to Jacoby Jones that pulled the Texans to 17-10 with 5:38 left in the first half.
Schaub _ who played high school football 22 miles west of Lincoln Financial Field at West Chester East High and was Vick’s backup in Atlanta _ had a pass intercepted by Trevor Laws late in the first half that put the Eagles in prime position to extend their lead. Instead, Jason Avant and Brent Celek each dropped catchable passes in the end zone that cost them points.
David Akers kicked a 22-yard field goal to send the Eagles into halftime with a 20-10 lead.
Schaub appeared to hurt his head late in the first half and was replaced for one play. He began the second half, though.
LeSean McCoy rushed for a 4-yard TD on the second play of the second quarter to help the Eagles take a 14-3 lead. The Eagles made it three scores on three drives when Akers kicked a 36-yard field goal for a 17-3 lead.
Vick could have had the first series off but Jorrick Calvin had a 102-yard kickoff return for a touchdown wiped out on a holding penalty by tight end Clay Harbor.
Vick immediately went to DeSean Jackson for 30 yards on the fist play from scrimmage. Jackson was held to two catches last week against the Bears and sat at his locker with his head in his hands.
Vick kept rolling from there, completing 8 of 9 passes on the drive for 89 yards. He hit McCoy for a 1-yard TD pass and a 7-0 lead.
Akers kicked the extra point for the Eagles and became the franchise’s leader in games played with 184. He passed former Eagles safety Brian Dawkins.
Vick is coming off his first loss this season in a game that he started and finished. He won his first five before the Chicago Bears kept him in check during a 31-26 decision.
Neil Rackers kicked a 48-yard field goal with 4:55 left in the quarter to make it 7-3.
Three-time Pro Bowl cornerback Asante Samuel sat out his second straight game for the Eagles with a knee injury. He was injured while recovering a fumble in a 27-17 win over the New York Giants. He didn’t play against Chicago. Samuel missed one game earlier this season with a concussion. He leads the league with seven interceptions.
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