Joe Mixon was impressive in his return from injury. Composite Getty Image.

In the first game without star receiver Nico Collins, Houston’s offense kept rolling this weekend thanks to the return of running backs Joe Mixon and Dameon Pierce.

The Texans had 192 yards rushing in a 41-21 win over the New England Patriots on Sunday to improve to 5-1 for their best start since 2012.

Collins was out for the first of at least four games after being placed on injured reserve last week with a hamstring injury. But Mixon returned after sitting out three games with an ankle injury and Pierce was back after a four-game absence because of a hamstring injury.

Mixon had 13 carries for 102 yards and a touchdown and added 30 yards receiving with another score as the Texans scored their most points of the season. Pierce added 76 yards rushing and a TD to help Houston to its third straight victory.

“Having Dameon, having Joe back was huge for us, a huge lift for our team,” coach DeMeco Ryans said. “Very excited to see those guys continue to do more for us, but very pleased with the run game and how they got after it.”

Their performances were an example of everyone pitching in to help make up for the loss of Collins, who remains the NFL’s leading receiver with 567 yards despite not playing Sunday.

“Once everybody took on that challenge, I think we started rolling and we didn’t feel bad for ourselves that Nico wasn’t out there,” quarterback C.J. Stroud said. “We just tried to pick up the slack and really just be there for one another and I feel like we did that.”

The Texans had struggled to run the ball in the past few weeks with both of their top running backs out and had averaged just under 78 yards rushing in the three games without both Mixon and Pierce.

On Sunday, both players had huge runs to help power the offense. Mixon had a 59-yard gain in the second quarter and Pierce’s touchdown came on a 54-yard scamper in the fourth.

“Those guys bring playmaking ability,” Ryans said. “Not just getting what the run is blocked for. When your backs are special, they get more than what is blocked for and that’s what you saw … with the explosive runs, the two big explosive runs.”

What’s working

The Texans forced a season-high four turnovers Sunday after they hadn’t had any in their previous three games. Houston intercepted Drake Maye twice and recovered two fumbles.

Rookie Calen Bullock starred on Sunday, recovering a fumble and grabbing his second interception of the season. The third-round pick from USC had nine interceptions in a three-year career with the Trojans.

“Calen shows up every week around the football and that’s the reason we drafted Calen,” Ryans said. “He showed that in college and it’s cool to see. That’s who Calen is … the game isn’t too big for him and he made a ton of plays.”

What needs help

The Texans scored touchdowns on their first two possessions Sunday before a lull where they didn’t score on four straight drives. Ka’imi Fairbairn missed a 40-yard field goal and Stroud was intercepted on a tipped pass in the end zone before Houston punted on the next two possessions.

The Texans got going again after halftime, but Stroud is focused on running the offense more consistently and avoiding these lulls as the season progresses.

Stock up

Defensive end Will Anderson Jr. did a little bit of everything against the Patriots. Last year’s AP Defensive Rookie of the Year had eight tackles, three sacks and four tackles for losses — all career highs.

Anderson also deflected a pass that was intercepted in the fourth quarter Sunday.

He has 12½ sacks through his first 21 games which ranks second in franchise history in that span behind J.J. Watt, who had 13 in 2011.

“He is getting better every week and this is his best game by far,” Ryans said.

Stock down

CB Eric Murray intercepted the ball that Anderson tipped on Sunday. But before that he was called for pass interference and illegal use of the hands on consecutive plays in the second quarter just before New England scored its first TD.

Injuries

Texans: LB Azeez Al-Shaair injured his knee Sunday. … LT Laremy Tunsil aggravated an ankle injury he has been dealing with for a couple of weeks. … LB Henry To’oTo’o is in the concussion protocol after taking a hit to the head against New England.

Key number

1 — Sunday was Houston’s first win at New England after the Texans had lost their previous seven games there.

“It’s a big one for us,” Ryans said. “As an organization, our first time winning here in New England, so it’s a special game for everyone.”

Next steps

The Texans travel to Green Bay on Sunday where they will try for their first four-game winning streak since reeling off nine straight wins in 2018. Houston has just one victory in the series, coming in a 24-21 win in 2008.

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The Longhorns host Georgia on Saturday night. Photo by Alex Slitz/Getty Images.

By any measure, from the official statistics to the informal eye test, top-ranked Texas' defense has been dominant.

The Longhorns rank No. 1 in total defense and scoring defense. They are top 10 in first downs allowed, tackles for loss and passing yards. Much of that is built against opponents starting former walk-on quarterbacks ( Michigan ) and freshmen ( Mississippi State and Oklahoma.)

But the level of quarterback play Texas will face, in both talent and experience, is about to get much better over the second half of the season.

Texas hosts No. 5 Georgia on Saturday night in the first matchup of top five teams in Austin since 2006, before playing the next week at Vanderbilt. Bulldogs senior Carson Beck was a preseason first team Associated Press All-America pick, and standout Vanderbilt transfer Diego Pavia has carried the Commodores to a surprising 4-2 start, including a historic win over then-No. 1 Alabama.

Quite simply, Texas hasn't defended this caliber of quarterback all season.

Beck is a player on the doorstep of the NFL, Texas coach Steve Sarkisian said.

“There's nothing in the throw game (Beck) can't do,” Sarkisian said. “He's played enough football now, too. It's kind of hard to confuse guys when they've played that much football.”

Texas (6-0, 2-0 SEC) has allowed just one team to pass for more than 200 yards this season. Beck passed for 459 yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions last week in a 41-31 win over Mississippi State. His 36 completions set a Georgia record.

Even when Beck struggled early in Georgia's loss to Alabama, he rallied the Bulldogs to a late fourth-quarter lead. He finished with 439 yards in the loss where Georgia's rally ended with an Alabama interception in the end zone in the final minute.

Sarkisian recruited Beck when the Texas coach was an assistant at Alabama. Beck had initially committed to the Crimson Tide before switching to Georgia.

Beck is 18-2 in his career as a starter, and 6-2 against top 20 opponents.

The Bulldogs (5-1, 3-1) will need another exceptional game from him Saturday. A second SEC loss could threaten any chance of playing for the SEC championship, and raise the alarms on the College Football Playoff as well.

Texas has all but overwhelmed opposing quarterbacks so far.

In last week's 34-3 thrashing of rival Oklahoma, the Longhorns sacked Sooners freshman quarterback Michael Hawkins Jr. five times, and held him to 27 yards on 20 carries. Texas allowed just 225 total yards.

Hawkins was the first Sooners freshman to start at quarterback against the Longhorns in the 120-year history of the rivalry and was quickly swallowed up by a relentless pass rush.

By the numbers, the Longhorns program is on pace for a historic season. Sarkisian has said his favorite stat is points allowed, which is not many.

Texas has surrendered only three touchdowns all season. Opponents have snatched four turnovers inside Texas territory, but none have produced points.

That ability to snuff momentum can drain an opponent, Sarkisian said.

“We're so composed as a defense,” Texas safety Michael Taaffe said. “We're so confident, that no matter what happens, everything is going to be alright.”

The only time Texas has trailed this season was a 3-0 early deficit against Oklahoma. Several Longhorns starters were still on the field when the Sooners' final drive stalled at the Texas 6-yard-line as the game ended.

The stars emerging for the Longhorns have been second-year linebacker Anthony Hill Jr. and freshman edge rusher Colin Simmons.

Hill leads the team in total tackles (42), sacks (4 1/2) and tackles for loss (8 1/2). His sideline-to-sideline speed and move this season from the edge to the middle of the Texas defense has drawn comparisons to former Longhorns All-American Derrick Johnson 20 years ago.

Simmons has four sacks and 7 1/2 tackles for losses, second on the team in both categories.

“Size, speed,” Georgia coach Kirby Smart said in summing up the Texas defense.

“They’re the complete package on defense," Smart said. "The consistency you watch them play with, it reminds me of some of our best teams here.”By any measure, from the official statistics to the informal eye test, top-ranked Texas' defense has been dominant.