Defense Helps Texans Reach 9th Straight Win Over Jaguars

The Houston Texans' defense played an instrumental role in the team's Week 5 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars.

The last time the Jacksonville Jaguars defeated the Houston Texans was on Dec. 17, 2017, when they won 45-7. It was the final victory the Jaguars achieved in the series.

By defeating the Jaguars 13-16 on Sunday, the Texans have now won nine consecutive games against Jacksonville. Houston has also won 15 of the last 17 games between these two teams.

Dameon Pierce stole the show with 99 yards and a touchdown with an incredible 20-yard gain that included six broken tackles being achieved along the way. The Texans used staunch defensive execution in this matchup, too. 

The Jaguars needed a bounce-back game from Trevor Lawrence, who turned it over five times against the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 4. He finished 25-of-47 on pass attempts for 286 yards and two interceptions. 

The Texans' defense needed a bounce-back of their own after allowing the Los Angeles Chargers to score 34 points in their previous matchup. Austin Ekeler had scored three touchdowns of his own after a slow start to the season. A lot needed to be tightened up, and it was. 

The Jaguars were contained without a single point on five possessions in the second half. The results included two interceptions, two turnovers on downs, and a punt. With the Texans' offense only producing one scoring possession of their own, it was essential.

The first of Lawrence's interceptions occurred on the Jaguars' first drive out of halftime on the Texans' 7-yard-line with Derek Stingley Jr. hauling it in for the first of his career. It was one of three red-zone possessions that Jacksonville failed to turn into a trip into the end zone.

When the Texans needed defensive execution in Week 5, their unit got the job done. Entering a bye week, Houston will look to build on their performance. It will be needed to rally back from their current last-place positioning in the AFC South standings.