HOUSTON -- Even the man who scored the winning touchdown, Houston Texans quarterback Matt Schaub, knew who won the game.

Schaub scooted untouched into the end zone on a quarterback draw from the 3-yard line with three seconds left to beat the Dolphins 29-28 at Reliant Stadium.

But that play was made possible because of what happened when the Texans faced a fourth-and-10 from the Houston 36 with 52 seconds to play.

Andre Johnson caught Schaub's pass for a 23-yard gain, taking the ball from strong safety Yeremiah Bell to keep the Texans' hopes alive.

''That was really the game-winner right there,'' said Schaub, who completed 22 of 42 passes for a career-high 379 yards. ``That was the one that won it for us.''

Johnson, in modest fashion, acted as if he had done nothing special.

''To be honest, I didn't even know what down it was,'' he said. ``Most of us out there were gassed.''

Bell appeared to be in perfect defensive position.

But Schaub wasn't about to look elsewhere. On fourth down in the final minute, he went to the former University of Miami receiver.

''I knew he would make that play, or I wouldn't have thrown it,'' Schaub said. ``He made one heck of a catch.''

''Matt just gave me a chance and I made the play,'' Johnson said. ``I don't know how I made it. It was both of us battling for the ball and I got it.''

Bell also wondered how Johnson caught it.

''I thought I had a bead on it, but you know he made a great play and a great catch,'' Bell said. ``He was kind of fighting for the ball, and I was trying to pull his arm down, trying to bat the ball. But he just made a good play.''

Texans coach Gary Kubiak wasn't surprised.

''He can make all the plays,'' Kubiak said of Johnson. ``I've never seen a player work harder or be more of a pro.''

The play gave everyone on the previously winless Texans a lift.

''When he made that catch, we knew were going to win the game,'' Houston free safety Will Demps said.

Johnson made one more reception on the drive, catching the ball over the middle to move it to the Miami 3 and set up the winning score.

He finished the day with 10 receptions for a franchise-record 178 yards and a touchdown.

''It's a huge asset for a quarterback to have a receiver who you know is going to make that play,'' Schaub said of Johnson's fourth-down catch. ``He just keeps working, no matter what.''

Johnson let the ball -- and nearly the game -- slip away late in the third quarter with Miami ahead 21-20.

The Texans had driven into Miami territory when Schaub connected with Johnson on a slant pattern.

Johnson made one man miss, but cornerback Will Allen hit him from behind at the 5-yard line. The ball squirted loose, bounced into the end zone and Bell recovered for a touchback.

''Normally I put two hands on the ball because I know I'm going to get hit,'' Johnson said. 'I said [before the play] `I'm going to catch the ball and try to score.' I had the ball in front of me, and when [Allen] hit me, it just popped out.''

An uncomfortable thought flashed into his mind after the fumble.

''I think I might have just gave this game away,'' he said. ``I had my head down.''

The Texans knew they needed Johnson if they were going to have a chance to beat the Dolphins.

'Coach Kubiak and [receivers coach Larry Kirksey] came over to me and said, `You're going to have to make a play to win this game.' ''

He did.

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