The Jacksonville Jaguars defense kept an opponent from rushing for more than 70 yards for the 23rd consecutive game.
Houston Texans wide receiver Nico Collins didn't completely take over and was held under 100 yards receiving for the first time in five games against the Jags (510 yards total).
Cornerback Travis Hunter
got his second career interception in the end zone to stop a Houston drive in the fourth quarter.Don't bother searching for any more defensive highlights or bright spots after the Jaguars' 34-31 loss to Houston on Oct. 18 at London's Wembley Stadium.
That was it.
C.J. Stroud riddles Jaguars defense
Texans' quarterback C.J. Stroud and a couple of unsung heroes abused the Jags' defense for 426 total yards, six scores in 10 possessions and 7.2 yards per play.
Stroud, who
got off several good throws ahead of Jaguars blitzes, operated from a clean pocket for most of the game and completed 24 of 34 passes for 312 yards. He used 10 receivers and the only blip on the radar was throwing his first interception of the season to Hunter in the end zone, leading to the Jaguars' game-tying, 60-yard field goal by Cam Little.
However, Stroud got the Texans in position for Ka'imi Fairbairn's game-winning field goal from 49 yards out by completing two passes to running back Woody Marks for 25 yards into Jags' territory.
The Jaguars' chest-thumping of its defense against the run (they entered the Houston game leading the NFL in allowing only 63.8 yards per game) is starting to ring a bit hollow since they came into the game 30th in the NFL in allowing 266.2 passing yards per game).
The rushing average is now 72.2 yards per game and the passing average jumps to 273.8. Should the question be that the Jaguars aren't giving up much against the run because opponents are finding it far easier to pass?
What else went wrong for the Jaguars?
- Collins had three receptions for 74 yards but still burned the Jaguars for a 42-yard reception out of a formation with an extra offensive tackle to set up the Texans' first touchdown.
- With Tank Dell out with an injury, second-year wide receiver Jaylin Noel caught four passes for 107 yards, with a 13-yard TD reception to give Houston a 24-14 lead. He also hauled in a 50-yard reception late in the second quarter, the key play in a 63-yard scoring drive that lasted only 36 seconds and ended with Stroud's 1-yard TD pass to tight end Foster Moreau with 12 seconds left in the half to give Houston a 21-14 halftime lead.
- Running backs Marks (56 yards) and Jawhar Jordan (43 yards), combined to average 4.7 yards per attempt. Jordan, activated from the practice squad for the first time this season, scored on a 25-yard run in the third quarter, the longest run from scrimmage the Jaguars defense has allowed this season and his first NFL touchdown.
- The Jags did not get a sack, hit Stroud only three times and gave up five plays of 21 yards or longer. Josh Hines-Allen had one assisted tackle and Travon Walker had three tackles.
What's next for the defense?
With the bye week, general manager James Gladstone has time to mine other NFL rosters or street agents for pass rush or secondary help.
In terms of the pass rush, the Jags could give rookies Bryan Thomas Jr., and Wesley Williams more playing time. There might not be much outside the building that would come cheap and if the Jags want to bolster the pass rush, they might have to dangle some trade bait, such as wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr.
Cornerback Jarrian Jones struggled in coverage and starting cornerback Montaric Brown has missed two of the last three games with a hamstring injury. Brown at least has some time to heal but again, the answer might lie outside the building.
This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: C.J. Stroud exposes flaws in Jaguars defense in 34-31 London broiling
