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| Dave Einsel / Associated Press |
| Rookie RB Matt Forte and the Bears were upended by the Texans in Houston. |
It was over when ...
Steve Slaton scored on a 2-yard touchdown run with 3:28 remaining to give the Texans a 14-point lead. The Bears scored a touchdown on their next possession, but they couldn't recover the ensuing onside kick and were eliminated from playoff contention with the loss.
Game ball
Texans WR Andre Johnson finished the game with 10 catches for 148 yards and two touchdowns, both coming in the second quarter. It was the most yards the Bears' defense had allowed to an opposing receiver all season.
Key stat
Houston won its first challenge of the season in the fourth quarter, breaking an 0-for-4 streak. With the Texans clinging to a seven-point lead, officials ruled that Slaton fumbled the ball with 6:37 remaining, and Danieal Manning recovered it for the Bears. But after a closer look, the call was overturned following a referee ruling that Slaton was down before the ball squirted out.
Noteworthy
The Texans improved to 2-0 all-time against the Bears. Their only other meeting was a 24-5 Houston win at Chicago's Soldier Field in 2004. ... The Texans finished 8-8 for the second consecutive season. ... Slaton extended his single-season team rushing record to 1,282 yards after running for 92 yards on 20 carries. ... Houston fell just 13 points short of its franchise record for points scored in a season, finishing with 366 points. The team record of 377 was set last season.
