Oakland, CA (My Sportsbook) - Johnnie Lee Higgins had a punt return for a touchdown and caught a touchdown pass as the Oakland Raiders thumped the Houston Texans, 27-16.

JaMarcus Russell went 18-for-25 with 236 yards and two scores while Chaz Schilens added three catches for 56 yards and a score for the Raiders (4-11), who snapped a three-game slide.

"We kept drives going and that is what it takes -- a team effort," Russell crowed. "You can applaud everybody for what went on today. From the coaches on down to the equipment guys for getting the guys the right cleats, the good balls, the right gloves. It's just something to be proud of when you have a team as hot as the Texans and we go out and put a butt-whooping on them."

Matt Schaub went 19-for-36 with 255 yards and one interception while Owen Daniels added seven catches for 111 yards for the Texans (7-8), who had a four-game winning streak stopped.

With the score tied in the third quarter, Oakland took the lead with a seven- play drive that was capped on a leaping 29-yard touchdown catch in the end zone by Higgins for a 20-13 advantage with 9:56 left in the third.

Higgins again came through for the team as Oakland forced Houston to punt on the ensuing possession and Higgins fielded the punt, broke two tackles and raced down the right sideline into the end zone from 80 yards out for a 27-13 lead with 5:44 left in the third.

The Texans threatened two drives later as the team got into a 1st-and-goal, but an unnecessary roughness call on Chester Pitts pushed the team back 15 yards and they had to settle for a 40-yard field goal from Kris Brown to make it a 27-16 game with just under 10 minutes to play.

Houston got a break as Russell fumbled on a sack and the Texans recovered at the Oakland 14-yard-line. The Raiders defense, though, came through and forced a turnover on downs as Schaub's pass attempt on 4th-and-inches fell short.

Schaub was later picked off with about four minutes to go to kill any hopes of a comeback.

"We didn't play very good at all. They beat us in all phases of the game, offense, defense, and special teams," said Texans head coach Gary Kubiak. "Obviously it starts with me. I have to have them ready. We didn't play with the same emotion, and we didn't do some of the things we have been doing as a football team in the past month. We went into the football game knowing the things we had to do to win, and we didn't get any of them done."

Oakland started the game with the ball and needed just eight plays to get in the end zone as Russell hooked up with Schilens on a 20-yard score for a 7-0 lead 4:26 into the game.

Houston answered with a quick march of its own and tied the contest on Vonta Leach's one-yard plunge into the end zone to cap a six-play, 71-yard march that took just 2:35 of the clock. Schaub connected with Daniels on plays of 20 and 35 yards to rapidly get the ball into scoring position.

Oakland answered with a 33-yard field goal from Sebastian Janikowski with 3:42 left in the first and used an onsides kick recovery to get the ball back. However, the team was unable to take advantage of the short field and a 30- yard field goal from Janikowski made it a 13-7 game with five seconds left in the first.

The Texans later got a 53-yard field goal from Brown to make it a 13-10 game with 6:11 to play in the first half and then held Oakland to a three-and-out to get the ball back.

A 65-yard reception by David Anderson set up a 24-yard field goal from Brown to tie the game heading into the locker room.

Game Notes

The Raiders went 2-6 at home this season and finish their season in Tampa next Sunday...Houston went 2-6 on the road and finish its campaign next Sunday at home against Chicago...Houston had won three straight against Oakland...Justin Fargas had 22 carries for 93 yards for Oakland...Steve Slaton had 66 rushing yards on 18 carries and added 36 yards on five catches for Houston...Higgins has three punt returns for touchdowns on the season.