Houston Texans (3-1) – Jacksonville Jaguars (0-4): 24-20
The Texans won. Quite logically. But it was very complicated. We had to wait for a touchdown Dare Ogunbowale to snatch the victory just 18 seconds from the buzzer.
Clean if not impressive, Trevor Lawrence and the Jaguars seemed for a moment able to finally win a game this year. But they still lack enough to take cover against teams as elusive as Houston.
Stefon Diggs and Nico Collins join forces
When Stefon Diggs expressed the wish to be more involved in Buffalo's passing game last season, perhaps he had in mind the idea of supplanting his quarterback. The new Texans receiver, already the author of a completed pass last week, was on the verge of doing it again this Sunday against Jacksonville. Only, failing to find a standout teammate, he changed his mind when it was time to throw the ball and went himself conclude the Texans' first offensive series in the end zone (7-7).
On an action where he did everything except receive the ball, the first mission of his job description, Diggs (5 receptions, 69 yards, 1 run, 6 yards, 1 touchdown) allowed his team to equalize with the first touchdown at the race of his career. Because before that, Steven Sims had offered a great gift to the Jaguars, who were not asking for so much. Unproductive again, at the start of the game, Trevor Lawrence (17/32, 178 yards, 2 touchdowns) and his offensive squad were quickly forced to let Logan Cooke come and punt. A punt that Sims will therefore release at the entrance to his in-goal. An ideal position for Lawrence to find Brian Thomas Jr. (6 receptions, 86 yards, 1 touchdown, 1 rush, 13 yards) on his first attempt (0-7).
If it will take a little more than four excellent games for Nico Collins (12 receptions, 151 yards, 1 touchdown) to steal the title of best receiver in the league from Justin Jefferson and Tyreek Hill, the conversation is less and less far-fetched at as the weeks pass. Illustration again in the second quarter of this match against Jacksonville. In 3rd & 12 in the Jaguars red zone, while the Texans were heading towards a field goal attempt to respond to that of Cam Little (7-10), Collins first provoked Antonio Johnson's foul to offer four new attempts to his team.
And after two unsuccessful runs from JJ Taylor, CJ Stroud (27/40, 345 yards, 2 touchdowns) inevitably relied on his No. 1 receiver to score, Collins scoring his second touchdown of a season which already promises to be the best of his career (14-10). After a pair of field goals converted on each side at the end of the half, the Jaguars took the lead again with the first touchdown of the season from Christian Kirk (7 receptions, 61 yards, 1 touchdown), at the conclusion of a well-conducted series (17-20).
Ogunbowale on the gong or almost
The next one also brought them within shooting range of the Texans' end zone, with four attempts to increase their advantage. Four attempts and four failures later, Doug Pederson's audacity was not rewarded and the score remained unchanged. Unchanged until 18 seconds from the end of the match, where the control of the clock of the Texans attack and the composure when scoring allowed them to get back in front at the last minute. CJ Stroud for Dare Ogunbowale (4 receptions, 47 yards, 1 touchdown, 2 rushes, 7 yards) for an additional touchdown and the victory by snatch (24-20).
