Texans hand Bucs third straight loss, 37-9 Roy Cummings, The Tampa Tribune, published 14 November 2011 The Tampa Bay Buccaneers were aiming to snap their two-game losing streak against the Houston Texans today at Raymond James Stadium. It didn't go well. Behind an opportunistic defense and dominant running game, the Texans routed the Bucs 37-9, sending them to 4-5 with road games at Green Bay and Tennessee directly ahead. The Bucs' only touchdown came with 11:17 left in the game, when QB Josh Freeman hooked up with WR Preston Parker for a 9-yard score. By then, of course, the damage was already done. If the Bucs were hoping for some sort of encouragement heading into next week's trip to visit the defending Super Bowl champion (and undefeated) Packers, they didn't get it today. Houston dominated in every phase, starting with a bruising running game led by RBs Arian Foster and Ben Tate, both of whom scored touchdowns. Even former Buc Derrick Ward, the Texans' third-string runner, got into the act with a 4-yard TD run late in the third quarter for a 30-3 Houston lead. The Texans expanded a 16-3 halftime edge to 23-3 after Foster scored from five yards out midway through the third quarter. The domination started early, and the Bucs avoided being shut out in the first half only when K Connor Barth connected on a career-long 55-yard field goal on the final play. Foster had 117 combined yards in the first half alone, the majority coming after he turned a short pass from QB Matt Schaub into a 78-yard touchdown, sidestepping several Bucs defenders midway through the second quarter. The Bucs responded by driving to the Houston 5-yard line shortly before halftime, but QB Josh Freeman's pass to Dezmon Briscoe in the end zone on fourth down fell incomplete. However, the Bucs defense forced a three-and-out, setting up Barth's long field goal. Houston surprised the Tampa Bay defense by calling for a pass on its first play from scrimmage. Schaub's throw to Jacoby Jones caught the Bucs secondary off guard as Jones raced into the end zone for an 80-yard touchdown and 6-0 lead with 14:48 left in the first quarter. The extra point attempt was blocked by newly acquired defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth. Tampa Bay's defense appeared to make a goal-line stand when cornerback Aqib Talib intercepted a third-down pass, but the interception was overturned by replay. Neil Rackers' 22-yard field goal gave Houston a 9-0 lead with 4:29 left in the first quarter.