Split out as a wide receiver, he gained 17 yards when JaMarcus Russell found him covered by a defensive end. Another time split wide, he went deep and opened up an area for TE Zach Miller for a 17-yard gain.

But the play that most impressed coach Tom Cable was a blocking assignment on a run that went to the opposite side.

"His job is to go get the deepest, furthest safety, and he knocked that guy almost to our sideline," Cable said. "It was one of the greatest plays I've seen all year. A great play. And it's just blocking."

--WR Johnnie Lee Higgins unveiled two new end-zone dances after scoring on a 29-yard touchdown pass and an 80-yard punt return.

The first was "The Carlton," named after the preppy cousin (and poor dancer) on Will Smith's "The Fresh Prince of Bel Air.

"I didn't know which one I was going to do, and The Carlton just jumped right out," Higgins said.

As for the second one, Higgins called it "Hooka-Hooka," and termed it a shout-out to relatives in Southern Texas.

Cable said he had never seen either dance before, but joked, "I hope I never see them again. That was bad."

Teammate Marquice Cooper shook his head in the negative when asked about the quality of Higgins' dancing, but noted, "As long as he scores touchdowns, he can do whatever he wants."

--A funny thing happened after Houston OL Chester Pitts lost his helmet and took a swing at Raiders DT Terdell Sands.

Sands didn't swing back.

In part, it was because teammates were pulling him away before he had a chance. But when the play ended, the Texans received a 15-yard penalty at a crucial point in the second half with the Raiders coming out the better for not retaliating.

The Raiders finished with only two penalties for 14 yards.

"I thought it was huge," Cable said. "We caught a break there. For once we didn't go and even out the call by doing it ourselves afterward. It was huge on Terdell's part, and his teammates, if you watch, got him out of it. That's a step in the right direction."