The Jacksonville Jaguars got a taste of their own medicine against the Houston Texans. Last week, Jacksonville kicked a game-winning field goal as time expired against the Philadelphia Eagles. But this week, that is precisely what Houston did to them to win the game 34-31.
This game became a track meet later in the first half. Both teams scored twice in the second quarter, with Houston on top 17-14 at halftime. Jacksonville was never able to get a lead in this game despite tying it with under two minutes left.
Quarterback Trevor Lawrence threw for four touchdowns for the second time this season, but also had a costly red zone interception in the second quarter that took points off the board.
Here is a look at the good, bad, and ugly from the Jaguars’
last-minute loss against the Houston Texans:
The Good
Travis Hunter: It was not the prettiest game for Travis Hunter as he was not immune to the penalties and also had some trouble in coverage against Texans receiver Nico Collins. However, he shined in the fourth quarter with a touchdown to make it a three-point game and then got an interception in the red zone to give the ball back to Jacksonville on the next drive. This was the kind of performance the Jaguars drafted him for.
Trevor Lawrence: The interception was not good, but the rest of Lawrence’s performance was. He threw four touchdowns for the first time since the season opener. He was also spreading the ball around to a lot of different receivers, targeting eight different players. This was a game Jacksonville should have won with how Lawrence and the offense played. So, if they can get some things fixed on defense, the Jaguars should be able to win a lot more games with how Lawrence is playing.
Jaguars' pass-catchers: Five different Jaguars' pass catchers had at least four receptions, and all of those players had over 40 receiving yards. This group also generated explosive plays, with each player recording a reception of 20-plus yards. From a passing game perspective, this is exactly how the Coen offense wants to operate.
The Bad
A missed opportunity: Jacksonville’s offense put up enough points to win, but their defense struggled to stop Houston’s offense most of the game, especially through the air. Penalties also continue to plague the Jaguars, who now have 32 penalties in the past three games, including negating a touchdown in the second quarter. Jacksonville was in position to take control of the division, and now they have let the Texans back in the race, as well as the Indianapolis Colts.
Penalties: They only had six penalties today, which is actually quite good for the Jaguars after having 13 penalties in each of the past two games. However, when those penalties occurred was the biggest problem. One of them was a hold that negated a touchdown by Bhayshul Tuten, although in all fairness, it did not appear to be a hold. One obvious penalty, however, was on 4th-and-1 for the Texans. Houston was punting, and the Jaguars were called for too many men on the field, giving the Texans the first down. Houston then ultimately scored a touchdown on that drive.
The Ugly
Jaguars' defense: This was only the second time all season the Jaguars gave up over 300 passing yards. It was also the only game this year Jacksonville’s defense allowed more than 20 points. The Jaguars were shredded by Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud, who completed multiple shots downfield, including a 50-yard pass to Jaylin Noel and a 42-yard pass to Nico Collins. The Texans' run game also eclipsed 100 yards at 4.6 yards per attempt, while the pass rush couldn't get after Stroud. Houston totaled over 400 yards of offense at an impressive 7.2 yards per play, with the Jacksonville defense unable to come up with a late stop.
This article originally appeared on Jaguars Wire: Jaguars vs Texans: Good, bad and ugly from last-second loss
