Trevor Lawrence threw for 364 yards and a touchdown, and the AFC South-leading Jacksonville Jaguars escaped with a 24-21 victory over the division rival Houston Texans on Sunday when Matt Ammendola's 58-yard field goal attempt bounced off the crossbar with 34 seconds left. The Jaguars (8-3) avenged their 37-17 home loss to Houston (6-5) in Week 3 and created some separation at the top of the division. C.J. Stroud, the second overall pick in the draft, thew for 306 yards and two touchdowns as Houston’s three-game winning streak was snapped.
It’s been two months, but the Jacksonville Jaguars are still thinking about their lopsided defeat in the first meeting with the Houston Texans this season as they prepare to play them again Sunday. The Texans (6-4) won that game 37-17 for their first victory of the season, and a win Sunday would move them past the Jaguars (7-3) and into first place in the AFC South. “They kicked our butt last time,” Jacksonville receiver Calvin Ridley said.
C.J. Stroud was asked if he'd think twice about making certain throws after he was intercepted a season-high three times in Houston's win over Arizona. “Steph Curry don’t ever stop shooting, you know, I mean,” the Texans' standout rookie said. Stroud threw for 336 yards with two touchdowns, and the Texans overcame his mistakes to beat the Cardinals 21-16 on Sunday.
The electric play of rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud and the leadership of first-year coach DeMeco Ryans have made the Houston Texans relevant for the first time in years. On Sunday, the Texans (5-4) host the Arizona Cardinals (2-8) and will try for their first three-game winning streak since 2018. The Texans (5-4) have returned to playoff contention after three miserable seasons during which they were among the worst teams in the league.
There's nothing unusual about the Cincinnati Bengals being 5-4 at this point of the season, but they may look back on their early struggles and Sunday's loss to visiting Houston as too much to overcome this year. Cincinnati was 5-4 each of the past two years and rallied each time to win the AFC North and reach the conference title game. This year, the AFC North may be tougher than ever — the Bengals are in last place — and Cincinnati's remaining schedule includes rematches with Baltimore and Cleveland and two games against Pittsburgh.