TEXANS VS. JAGS
Houston Texans eye redemption with these critical focus points in Jaguars matchup
Nov 26, 2024, 10:16 am
The Texans will look to rebound against the Jags this Sunday. Composite Getty Image.
C.J. Stroud was far from the only Houston Texan who struggled Sunday in an embarrassing loss to the Tennessee Titans.
But it was the second-year quarterback who was the most vocal in taking the blame for the 32-27 defeat.
“It’s no secret, I haven’t been playing well personally, for my standard,” he said. “I have a couple good drives and plays here, but it’s up and down ... I’ve got to be hard on myself and realize that games can come down to me making plays.”
Stroud threw for 247 yards and two touchdowns, but also threw two interceptions as the Texans lost for the third time in four games after a 5-1 start.
“I’ve got to just be better, and I know that,” he said.
Stroud has thrown five interceptions combined in the past three games to give him nine this season after he had just five in 15 games as a rookie.
The Texans (7-5) got a touchdown on an interception return by Jimmie Ward in the third quarter Sunday, but the offense managed only a field goal after halftime as the unit’s second-half struggles continued.
Houston’s offense scored 10 points after halftime in a 34-10 win over the Cowboys on Monday night, but has combined for just nine points in the second half of its past three losses.
“We have to create positive plays,” coach DeMeco Ryans said. “Too many times, whether it’s run or pass, we have a negative play which kills our drive. First things first, how can we sustain positive plays and build drives? Too many drives were stalled out before we could even get started.”
Despite the offensive struggles, the Texans still had a chance to tie the game with less than two minutes to go. But Ka’imi Fairbairn’s 28-yard field goal sailed wide left.
What's working
The Texans tied a franchise record with eight sacks Sunday. Danielle Hunter had a season-high three to give him 10½ this season, which leads the team. Will Anderson Jr. added two in his return after missing two games with an ankle injury and has a career-high 9½ this season.
Houston ranks second in the NFL with 42 sacks entering Monday.
What needs help
Houston had just 40 yards rushing Sunday in a game where Joe Mixon had his worst performance of the season. Mixon, who ran for 109 yards and three touchdowns against the Cowboys, had a season-low 22 yards on 14 carries.
“They’re a really good front, we knew that going into the game,” Ryans said. “But it doesn’t matter. Every front is good. You have to own the line of scrimmage. You have to be able to control the line of scrimmage and run the ball. We didn’t. We had too many negative plays in the running game.”
The performance was Houston’s second-worst rushing game of the season after the team had 38 yards rushing in a loss to Minnesota in Week 3 when Mixon was out with an injury.
Stock up
Dameon Pierce had three kick returns for 135 yards Sunday, highlighted by an 80-yard return on the opening kickoff that set up Houston’s first touchdown.
Stock down
There have only been four missed field goals from 28 yards or closer in the NFL this season and Fairbairn has two of them. Fairbairn’s miss Sunday came after he missed a 27-yard attempt in a loss to the Jets.
Injuries
S Jalen Pitre left Sunday’s game in the second quarter with a shoulder injury. ... CB Ka’dar Hollman left in the fourth quarter with a knee injury. ... OT Blake Fisher missed a second straight game in the concussion protocol.
Key number
23% — Houston converted just 3 of 13 third down attempts or 23% of its chances Sunday.
Next steps
The Texans, who lead the AFC South, will look to regroup to avoid another letdown next week when they visit the Jaguars (2-9), who have lost four in a row.
“We made a lot of mistakes,” Hunter said. “We weren’t as locked in as we should have been. The biggest thing is just learning from this and just moving on to the next game.”
Houston has its bye after facing Jacksonville before playing the Dolphins, Chiefs and Ravens in a 10-day stretch from Dec. 15-25.
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Houston’s Azeez Al-Shaair took to X on Monday morning to apologize to Jacksonville’s Trevor Lawrence after his violent blow to the quarterback’s facemask led to him being carted off the field with a concussion.
Back in the starting lineup after missing two games with a sprained left shoulder, Lawrence scrambled left on a second-and-7 play in the second quarter of Houston’s 23-20 win on Sunday. He initiated a slide before Al-Shaair raised his forearm and unleashed on the defenseless quarterback.
In the long post, Al-Shaair, who was ejected for the hit, first said he didn’t see Lawrence sliding until “it was too late” and that it happened “in the blink of an eye” before saying he was sorry for the hit.
“To Trevor I genuinely apologize to you for what ended up happening,” Al-Shaair wrote. “Before the game we spoke and I told you how great it was to see you back out on the field and wished you well. I would never want to see any player hurt because of a hit I put on them, especially one that was ruled ‘late’ or ‘unnecessary.’”
Lawrence clenched both fists after the hit — movements consistent with what’s referred to as the “fencing response,” which can be common after a traumatic brain injury. He was on the ground for several minutes as teammates came to his defense and mobbed Al-Shaair.
Al-Shaair was ejected for “an illegal hit on the quarterback, unnecessary, to the neck and head area,” referee Land Clark said in a pool report Sunday. Jaguars rookie cornerback Jarrian Jones also was ejected for throwing a punch during the melee.
As Al-Shaair was leaving the field, fans started screaming at him. Jaguars veteran guard Brandon Scherff joined in, prompting another altercation with Al-Shaair. Texans teammate Will Anderson grabbed Al-Shaair and was escorting him off the field when a fan threw a water bottle and hit Anderson in the helmet. The fan was later ejected.
Later in the post on X, Al-Shaair said he understood why Jacksonville's players came to the defense of Lawrence in the brawl following the hit.
“I can understand you having his back and defending him in a situation like that,” Al-Shaair wrote.
Then he complained about reporters and others for their commentary about him in the wake of the hit.
“To the rest of the people who I’ve been called every single name in the book from (to) reporters with their hands ready for a story to find their villain, to racist and Islamophobic fans and people, you don’t know heart nor my character which I don’t need to prove to any of you,” he wrote. “God knows my intentions and anyone who has ever been a teammate or friend of mine knows my heart.”
Jaguars coach Doug Pederson said Sunday it was a play that ”really has no business being in our league,” and Houston coach DeMeco Ryans said “that’s not what we’re coaching.”
Last week, Al-Shaair was flagged and later fined $11,255 for a late hit out of bounds on Titans running back Tony Pollard.
He was fined earlier this year after he punched Bears running back Roschon Johnson on the sideline in Week 2. That occurred during a scuffle that started after his hard shot on quarterback Caleb Williams near the sideline wasn’t flagged.
Al-Shaair, a sixth-year pro, will certainly receive a fine for the hit on Lawrence and could also be suspended.
At the beginning of his post on X, Al-Shaair said he’s always played the game hard and that he would never intentionally try to harm anyone.
“My goal is to hit you as hard as I can and then pray you’re still able to get up and play the next play,” he wrote. “And when the game is over go home to your family unharmed because it’s not personal, it’s just competition! We both are trying to do the same thing which is provide for our families!”