Seahawks hold off Texans for crucial win

The Seattle Seahawks defended their home field on “Monday Night Football,” dominating the Houston Texans en route to a 27-19 victory.

Seattle improved to 5-2 on the season, while the Texans, fresh off a bye week, fall to 2-4.

Sam Darnold and the Seahawks offense got off to a hot start in the first quarter, scoring two touchdowns on their first three drives as Zach Charbonnet and Jaxon Smith-Njigba found terror once again this season.

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Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba (11) celebrates his touchdown as the official signal and watches the first half of an NFL football game, Monday, Oct. 20, 2025, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)

Meanwhile, CJ Stroud and the Texans offense couldn’t get anything going all night against this dynamic Seahawks defense. Stroud’s first four drives ended in punts, with no more than five plays executed in each one.

Surprisingly, both teams went into halftime with a one-score game, with the Texans successfully converting on two field goals before the second-quarter clock hit zero to make the score 14-6.

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Then, in the second half, disaster struck the Seahawks when Darnold was sacked by Will Anderson Jr. in the end zone and the ball was recovered by the Texans for a well-deserved touchdown. The two-point try fell short, but at 17-12 the game was within their reach if Houston could find something on defense.

However, Darnold led the Seahawks to another field goal in the third quarter, and Stroud turned the ball over on downs, leading this game to spiral out of control.

The fourth down came at the Houston 41-yard line, and Darnold turned the field upside down with a 19-yard pass to Smith-Njigba to get into the red zone. A few plays later, Charbonnet added another short point to make the score 27-12.

Houston Texans defensive end Will Anderson Jr. (51) celebrates after scoring a touchdown on a Seattle Seahawks fumble in the second half of an NFL football game, Monday, Oct. 20, 2025, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)

The Texans defense continued to try to keep their team in the game, including their fourth turnover of the game as Derek Stingley Jr. intercepted Darnold. But even when the Texans were on Seattle’s 3-yard line, they failed to score a touchdown as the Seahawks defense remained relentless.

But Stroud was ultimately able to get a trip to the red zone that ended in a touchdown, as he found running back Woody Marks to make it 27-19. However, that wasn’t enough time for Houston, as the Seahawks ultimately got the job done.

Looking at the score from the box, Smith-Njigba had another 100+ yard game, totaling eight catches for 123 yards with his touchdown to lead the game. And while Charbonnet scored both touchdowns, Kenneth Walker III added 66 yards on 17 carries on his birthday.

Seattle Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold (14) fights in the first half of an NFL football game against the Houston Texans, Monday, Oct. 20, 2025, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)

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For the Texans, Nico Collins left the game early with a head injury, finishing with just four catches for 27 yards on 10 targets. Tight end Dalton Schultz took over with nine catches for 98 yards.

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