MIAMI — By the second quarter, the Houston Texans were running up the score. By the fourth quarter, they were struggling to run out the clock.

Houston raced to an early 27-point lead Sunday, then held on to beat the Miami Dolphins 27-20.
The Texans (8-7) scored on their first five possessions and won despite being outscored 20-0 in the final 31 minutes. Houston kept alive its slim hopes of making the playoffs for the first time, while defending AFC East champion Miami (7-8) was all but eliminated.
Given the stakes, Miami seemed shockingly listless at the outset. The ball bounced off Dolphins receivers, Texans bounced off Miami tacklers, and Houston’s Matt Schaub repeatedly found receivers wide open.