Houston Texans (2-13-1) – Jacksonville Jaguars (8-8): 3-31
While Houston had just broken its downward spiral of defeats with a victory at the Titans, we could expect a close match against the Jaguars. Especially since one of the only victories of the Texans this season was against Jacksonville in week 5. Jaguars who also played a match without stake since, whatever happens, the verdict of this division will be given next week .
Even so, the Floridians had decided not to play for fun. They took the game into their own hands and never looked back. Domination such that the incumbents, especially offensive, did not play more than three quarters. Some even settled for only one half.
The Etienne show
This is the case of Travis Etienne (9 races, 108 yards and 1 TD + 3 receptions and 32 yards), the running back, who put his team on the right track during the first 30 halves, before staying at the hot to see his teammates master the end of the game. Symbol of his good performance: a run of 62 yards in the second quarter which ends behind the line. At that point, the visitors have already made the hole (0-14) and the outcome of the match is already inexorable.
It must be said that Trevor Lawrence (17/21, 152 yards and 1 INT) and his teammates want to make the game easy from the start and they do. The first two drives set the tone. A first 4th down well defended (Houston will finish at 0-4 in this sector) and a perfectly mastered offensive series. First, JaMycal Hasty finishes the job with a 5-yard run. But the Etienne show has already started. The running back performs well on the ground and in the air. His superb touchdown rewards him for his good first period.
The Jaguars turn a corner
And since the defense also wants to join in the fun, the squad will show up. Before halftime, the Jaguars put pressure on a Davis Mills (22/40 and 202 yards + 4 runs and 33 yards) not much better than Jeff Driskel (3/4 and 9 yards). The quarterback is taken and loses a ball that Tyson Campbell hastens to bring back to the end zone (0-21). The score is done. Curtain.
Before joining the bench in the middle of the third quarter, Trevor Lawrence however leads a last productive drive which ends with a run from Snoop Conner on 3 yards (0-28). The rest is anecdotal with many substitutes on the pitch. The two kickers will meet at the end of the match for a very heavy final score for Houston (3-31). With this defeat, the Texans fall back into their ways and again show huge shortcomings.
Conversely, this perfectly mastered match shows that the Jaguars have passed a milestone and are now credible candidates for the playoffs. That’s good, they will play the title of the division against the Titans next week.
