Right out of the gate on Monday night in East Rutherford, N.J., the Houston Texans showed why they’re one of the best teams in the NFL. The Texans came into the game with a 4-0 record, and on their first drive they manhandled an anemic Jets defense, capping an eight-play, 85-yard drive on QB Matt Schaub's 34-yard TD pass to Owen Daniels.

Schaub was methodical if unspectacular all night in the Texans' 23-17 win, engineering drive after drive. He finished the game 14 of 28 for 209 yards with one touchdown and one interception.

The Jets (2-3) played better defensively than they have in recent weeks but were gashed for a couple of big plays that impacted them greatly, including a 46-yard run by Texans RB Arian Foster, who finished the night with 29 attempts for 152 yards and a touchdown.

“[The big runs] are things we have to eliminate,” Jets LB Bryan Thomas said. “It’s about fits -- our fits were off.”

As for Foster's take, “I think we creased them a couple of times,” he said. “But for the most part they played our run very well." Foster pointed to the Jets having caught some bad breaks (injuries, etc.) and still considers them one of the better defenses in the league.

Texans DE J.J. Watt (six tackles, TFL, sack and three passes defensed) was a force. The NFL’s current sack leader was all over the field, tipping passes, and just generally making Jets QB Mark Sanchez’s life miserable.

“J.J. Watt’s the real deal,” Jets coach Rex Ryan said. “I think the Knicks should pick him up, too. All that shot-blocking.” And, in spite of losing their best linebacker, Brian Cushing, to a knee injury, the Texans never missed a beat.

The Jets offense still lacks an identity -- their plays were all over the map. Sanchez was 14 of 31 for 230 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions. Both INTs came off of tipped balls.

RB Shonn Greene, the team’s featured back, rushed just eight times for 26 yards and the Jets still haven’t made use of QB Tim Tebow the way they had hoped. Tebow was in for a total of six offensive plays. Five of those were rushing plays that totaled 19 yards. Although they practiced it all week, his one pass attempt fell incomplete.

When the game turned: The Texans led from the jump, although the Jets did put up a fight. With just over two minutes left in the game and the score 23-17, the Texans finished off any hopes of a Jets comeback when a pass intended for TE Jeff Cumberland was tipped and landed in the hands of Texans CB Kareem Jackson.

Highlight moments:  For the Texans, it was CB Brice McCain’s interception of QB Mark Sanchez in the end zone, negating a potential touchdown for the Jets and setting up a touchdown for the Texans. There were also the two tipped balls by Watt that became interceptions. For the Jets, a 100-yard kickoff return by Joe McKnight for a touchdown in the third quarter.

Top-shelf performances:

  • Foster: 100 rushing yards by halftime, 152 in the game, 16 yards receiving

  • Watt: A sack, six tackles, three passes defensed, non-stop pressure on Sanchez

What they said after the game:

  • Watt on all the tipped balls: “I love it. You’re not going to get a sack on every play. It’s another way to frustrate them. It’s another way you can help change the outcome.”

  • Sanchez on all the tipped balls: “J.J. Watt got his hands on a few passes tonight. We’ve got to find a way to keep their hands down.”

Numbers you should know: Foster reached 5,000 yards rushing faster than all but two other backs in NFL history: Edgerrin James and Eric Dickerson.

Injury update: Texans LB Brian Cushing left with a knee injury and did not return. That injury is serious. Jets WR Clyde Gates left with a shoulder injury and did not return. Jets NT Kenrick Ellis left in the fourth quarter with a knee injury and did not return. Jets C Nick Mangold left with an ankle injury but was able to return. Jets LB Josh Mauga injured his right arm.

Going forward: The Jets (1-1 in the AFC East) will face the Colts (2-2; 0-1 in the AFC South) at home on Sunday. If they don’t get a win, it could become a slippery slope as they finish the first half of the season facing two division rivals, going to Buffalo and then returning home to face the Dolphins in Week 8. The Texans (now 5-0; 2-0 in the AFC South) return home where they will take on the Packers on Sunday night. They then host the Ravens in Week 7 before heading for their bye week.

Stay dialed in on the New York Jets by following correspondent Lisa Zimmerman on Twitter @CBSJets and @LisaZimmerman.