Texans score 20 unanswered, take down Patriots

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Field Level Media
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Aug 10, 2023; Foxborough, Massachusetts, USA; Houston Texans wide receiver Xavier Hutchinson (19) makes a catch during the second half against the New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium.
Aug 10, 2023; Foxborough, Massachusetts, USA; Houston Texans wide receiver Xavier Hutchinson (19) makes a catch during the second half against the New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium.
Image: Eric Canha-USA TODAY Sports

Davis Mills and Case Keenum each threw a touchdown pass while the Houston Texans held the New England Patriots to 180 total yards in a 20-9 preseason victory on Thursday night in Foxborough, Mass

After Jalen Mills intercepted rookie C.J. Stroud's pass on the game's first possession, Nick Folk got the Patriots on the board first with a 44-yard field goal

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Houston took a 7-3 lead into halftime on Davis Mills' 6-yard TD toss to Nathaniel Dell, who finished with game highs of five catches and 65 yards

Stroud, the No. 2 overall pick of the 2023 draft, finished 2-for-4 passing for 13 yards

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Dalton Keene gave the Texans a 14-3 lead in the third with a 1-yard TD plunge, capping an eight-play, 55-yard drive

On a fourth-and-3 play in the fourth quarter, Keenum capped the Texans' scoring with a 5-yard touchdown toss to Alex Bachman to make it 20-3

The Patriots scored their lone TD on rookie quarterback Malik Cunningham's 9-yard run late in the fourth. Cunningham, who led a 14-play, 75-yard drive en route to that touchdown, was 3-of-4 passing for 19 yards and rushed for a team-leading 34 yards on five carries

Patriots quarterback Mac Jones didn't play, with Bailey Zappe completing 12 of 14 passes for 79 yards

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--Field Level Medi