HOUSTON — For the first time this season, the Houston Texans weren’t left to answer questions about their horrible run defense and inability to stop big plays.

Instead, the defense got to celebrate its best performance since 2004 as the Texans beat the struggling Oakland Raiders 29-6 on Sunday. The 165 yards Houston allowed was the second fewest in team history and the fewest since giving up 126 in a win over Jacksonville almost five years ago.

“Everybody was having fun,” defensive end Antonio Smith said.

Steve Slaton scored two touchdowns and Jacoby Jones returned a kickoff for a score to help out in the win.

The Texans (2-2) finally found their running game and figured out a way to shut down someone else’s as Houston’s NFL-worst defense held the Raiders (1-3) to 45 yards rushing. The Texans were allowing 205 yards rushing entering the game.

Houston also forced three turnovers and got its first safety in almost seven years.

The Raiders continued to struggle, with JaMarcus Russell completing 12 of 33 passes for 128 yards and Darren McFadden finishing with six carries for minus-3 yards rushing.

“We could not run the football and that really disrupted our offense,” Raiders coach Tom Cable said. “We are really killing ourselves — we’re shooting ourselves in the foot all over the place.”

Oakland’s first turnover came when DeMeco Ryans stripped the ball from Michael Bush and it was recovered by Antonio Smith in the third quarter. The Texans couldn’t capitalize.

But Andre’ Davis downed the punt at the 1 and rookie Brian Cushing tackled Justin Fargas in the end zone for a safety to make it 22-6.

Jones ran 95 yards untouched on the ensuing kickoff for a TD.

Mario Williams got to Russell in the fourth quarter and forced a fumble that Houston recovered on the 20.

“We kept ourselves in third-and-long situations,” Russell said. “We keep harping on that it’s a must that we stay in manageable downs.”

The Raiders added a field goal late in the second quarter to cut the lead to 20-6. That drive was kept alive when Russell found Louis Murphy for a 19-yard reception on fourth-and-9.

Notes: Johnnie Lee Higgins muffed a punt late in the fourth quarter that the Texans recovered. ... Raiders T Cornell Green has a calf injury, S Tyvon Branch has a groin injury and TE Zach Miller has a concussion.

Cable didn’t provide any more information on the injuries.