Jets hang tough, but Texans remain undefeated

• Texans running back Arian Foster ran for 152 yards and a touchdown.
• J.J. Watt strengthened his case for defensive player of the year with a stellar performance.
• Texans LB Brian Cushing was forced to leave the game with a knee injury.

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- They made it a lot harder than many thought it would be -- and than it probably should've been -- but the Houston Texans remained unbeaten with a 23-17 victory over the sinking New York Jets on Monday night.

They can thank J.J. Watt for that.

The leading candidate for defensive player of the year through the first quarter of the season strengthened his case on national TV with a sack of Mark Sanchez in the fourth quarter plus two tipped passes near the goal line -- one of which resulted in an interception, the other an incompletion instead of a touchdown to a wide-open Chaz Schilens in the end zone. Then he tipped Sanchez's final pass and said "you can't throw it over my head," which was caught by ESPN's camera.

Sanchez had five passes tipped by Texans defenders. Then, he had one go off the hands of his own target Jeff Cumberland as he attempted a comeback drive that began with 3:28 to play. Cornerback Kareem Jackson caught the deflection for an interception that sealed what was a surprisingly close game.

Five minutes into this one, after Owen Daniels ran free through a baffled Jets secondary for a 34-yard touchdown pass from Matt Schaub, it looked to be the expected developing disaster for the Jets.

And frankly, it had all of the elements: an interception by Sanchez late in the first half and an 86-yard return to turn a could've-been touchdown into a field goal for the Texans, a failed surprise onside kick in the second half, the sparse crowd booing video of Sanchez's being drafted shown on the big screen, the cheers for Tim Tebow and the dropped deep ball from Tebow to Jason Hill which led Rex Ryan to exclaim, "Catch the (choice word) ball!"

Add it all up and there would seem to be no reason why the Jets would have the ball with 9:59 to play and a chance to win the game.

But they did, and Watt saved the day with a sack of Sanchez when he brought down the Jets quarterback simply by swiping at his ankles. Last week, Ryan was gushing to reporters about Watt's ability. Monday night, he was a lot less thrilled to be watching Watt make plays.

The only bit of bad news for the Texans is they lost linebacker Brian Cushing to a left knee injury when Jets guard Matt Slauson went low on him in the open field. Cushing limped to the locker room and did not return.