TEXANS ON TAP
How Texans narrowly avoid disaster after plague of penalties vs. Jaguars
Sep 29, 2024, 3:47 pm
Texans defeat the Jaguars, 24-20. Composite Getty Image.
C.J. Stroud threw for 345 yards and two touchdowns, capped by a 1-yard pass to Dare Ogunbowale with 18 seconds left, to give the Houston Texans a 24-20 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday.
Houston forced a three-and-out to get the ball back with less than three minutes to go.
Stroud then led a nine-play, 69-yard drive to give the Texans (3-1) their first points of the second half and survive a scare by the winless Jaguars (0-4).
The Texans bounced back from a 34-7 rout at Minnesota to get the victory despite fumbling a punt return early and committing 12 penalties to give them 35 combined in their past three games.
Nico Collins helped Houston to the win with 12 receptions for 151 yards and a TD for his third 100-yard game this season.
Trevor Lawrence threw for 169 yards and two touchdowns as his streak of consecutive starts without a win stretched to nine games.
The Jaguars fell to 0-4 for the first time since opening the 2021 season with five straight losses.
After getting blown out by the Bills on Monday, they had plenty of chances in this one. They led through much of the second half after a touchdown reception by Christian Kirk with about six minutes left in the third.
They had a chance to pad the lead after that when a 58-yard run by Tank Bigsby got them to the Houston 4. Two runs by Bigsby moved them to the 2 before an incomplete pass by Lawrence.
Jacksonville went for it, but Lawrence was stopped for no gain on the first play of the fourth quarter.
Ogunbowale grabbed a short pass and evaded three defenders for a 31-yard gain on third-and-18 on Houston’s next drive.
But the Texans couldn’t do anything after that. They had a run for no gain, a holding penalty on left tackle Laremy Tunsil and an incomplete pass before Stroud was sacked to force a punt.
Derek Stingley knocked down Lawrence’s pass to force a punt with about six minutes left.
The Texans couldn’t get anything going on their next drive that ended with a holding penalty on Tunsil followed by two incomplete passes.
Kirk put the Jaguars up 20-17 with an 8-yard TD grab with about six minutes left in the third quarter. Brian Thomas powered that drive with a 32-yard reception and a 13-yard run.
The Texans forced a punt on Jacksonville’s opening drive, but Steven Sims fumbled it, and it was recovered by Daniel Thomas at the 2. Lawrence connected with Brian Thomas Jr. on the next play to give the Jaguars an early lead.
Houston tied it when Stefon Diggs scored his first career rushing touchdown on a 6-yard run with about 7½ minutes left in the opening quarter.
The Jaguars were up 10-7 after a field goal before a 3-yard touchdown reception by Collins put Houston on top 14-10.
Jacksonville added a 52-yard field goal with about four minutes left in the second quarter to cut the lead to 14-13.
The Texans led 17-13 at halftime after a 30-yard field goal by Ka’imi Fairbairn with 3 seconds left in the second quarter.
Be sure to watch the video above as the crew from Texans on Tap reacts live to the win!
Injuries
Jaguars: DE Josh Hines-Allen left the game in the fourth quarter to be evaluated for a concussion.
Texans: RBs Joe Mixon (ankle) and Dameon Pierce (hamstring) sat out with injuries. … Tank Dell missed the game with hand and rib injuries.
Up next
Jaguars: Host the Colts next Sunday.
Texans: Host the Bills next Sunday.
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Jose Altuve homered twice and drove in a season-high four runs and Jeremy Peña tripled for his 500th career hit to help the Houston Astros to a 9-2 win over the Seattle Mariners on Thursday night.
It was tied with two outs in the fourth when Jake Meyers singled off George Kirby (0-1) before Cam Smith walked. Mauricio Dubón’s single on a grounder to right field scored Meyers to put Houston on top 3-2.
Peña then sent two more home with his triple off the wall in left-center to make it 5-2 and chase Kirby.
Altuve’s solo shot came with no outs in the fifth to push the lead to 6-2. He connected again with one on and two outs in the sixth to make it 8-2 and give him his 12th career multihomer game.
Houston’s Lance McCullers Jr. allowed five hits and two runs with a season-high eight strikeouts in 4 1/3 innings in his longest start this season. Shawn Dubin (1-0) got the last two outs of the fifth for the win.
Kirby allowed six hits and five runs with four strikeouts in 3 2/3 innings in his season debut after sitting out with inflammation in his throwing shoulder.
Seattle played without Julio Rodríguez after the center fielder was scratched from the lineup about 30 minutes before the first pitch. Manager Dan Wilson said Rodríguez had back tightness and is day to day with the issue.
Dylan Moore homered and Rowdy Tellez had two hits and an RBI on a night the AL West-leading Mariners went 2 for 10 with runners in scoring position.
Tellez gave the Mariners an early lead with an RBI single with two outs in the first. Seattle made it 2-0 when Moore homered to open the second inning.
Altuve hit a sacrifice fly to tie it in Houston’s two-run second.
Key moment
Peña’s triple in the fourth padded the Astros' lead and ended Kirby’s night.
Key stat
Peña is the fifth player in franchise history to reach 500 hits while playing shortstop, joining Roger Metzger (839), Carlos Correa (778), Craig Reynolds (767) and Adam Everett (530).
Up next
Houston RHP Ryan Gusto (3-2, 4.85 ERA) opposes RHP Emerson Hancock (1-2, 6.21) when the series continues Friday night.