HOUSTON — Rookie C.J. Stroud threw for 470 yards and five touchdowns, and his 15-yard touchdown pass to Tank Dell with 6 seconds remaining lifted the Houston Texans to a 39-37 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Sunday in a wild back-and-forth game.
Stroud’s 470 yards are the most passing yards in a game by a rookie quarterback in NFL history.
Baker Mayfield put the Buccaneers on top with a 14-yard touchdown pass to Cade Otton with 46 seconds left.
But the Texans (4-4) drove down the field and Stroud found Dell in the end zone to give the Texans the lead.
He knelt instead of attempting the 2-point conversion with kicker Ka’imi Fairbairn out with a quadriceps injury. The Buccaneers fumbled on the final play to give Houston the victory.
A 26-yard reception by Dell, who had 114 yards receiving, got the Texans within striking distance before Stroud found Dell again to complete the come-from-behind victory.
Stroud helped carry Houston’s offense on a day when running back Dameon Pierce sat out with an ankle injury and the Texans managed just 53 yards rushing.
Noah Brown had six catches for 153 yards and a touchdown and Dalton Schultz added 10 catches for 130 yards and a touchdown.
Mayfield threw for 265 yards and two touchdowns, and the Buccaneers (3-5) dropped their fourth straight game.
Stroud led the Texans to touchdowns on their first three possessions of the second half to put them on top 30-23.
The Bucs tied it on a 1-yard run by Rachaad White before running back Dare Ogunbowale nailed a tiebreaking 29-yard field goal to put Houston on top 33-30 with about nine minutes to go. He handled the kickoff duties in the second half with Fairbairn out. But Houston went for 2 on each of its three second-half touchdowns, before Ogunbowale made the big field goal.
He’s the first non-kicker or punter to make a field goal since Wes Welker did it on Oct. 10, 2004, for the Dolphins against New England.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.