Houston Texans Take Care of Business, but It Wasn't Pretty
- Oct 1, 2024
- 2 min read
Updated: Oct 2, 2024
The Houston Texans took care of business at home with a 24-20 victory over the division rival Jacksonville Jaguars, but it wasn’t a performance without flaws. The biggest takeaway? Quarterback C.J. Stroud's resilience. Despite being let down by a slew of offensive line penalties—many of which erased crucial 3rd down conversions—Stroud refused to let frustration set in, showing remarkable poise in leading the Texans to a hard-fought win.
C.J. Stroud’s Resilience Shines
Once again, the Texans made things harder on themselves than necessary, a recurring theme from last season when they would dominate opponents in the box score yet allow them to hang around. Sunday’s game followed a familiar script. The Jaguars were kept in the game primarily due to self-inflicted wounds by Houston, most notably the offensive line penalties that repeatedly placed the offense in difficult 3rd-and-long scenarios. Stroud, however, kept his composure throughout, finishing with a breakout performance, throwing for 345 yards and two touchdowns, leading the team when it mattered most.
Self-Inflicted Mistakes Continue
The self-inflicted mistakes weren't limited to penalties. Steven Sims' muffed punt on Jacksonville’s opening drive led to a Jaguars score just one play later. Despite this early blunder, the Texans defense held strong, giving up only one more touchdown to the Jaguars' offense. Rookie safety Calen Bullock, filling in for the injured Jimmie Ward, delivered the play of the game. Bullock chased down Jaguars running back Tank Bigsby, preventing a touchdown by forcing him out at the 4-yard line. The hustle set up a critical goal-line stand that saw the Texans’ defense deny Jacksonville on four consecutive plays, keeping the game in their control.
Nico Collins: Stroud’s Go-To Target
Nico Collins continued his stellar season as Stroud’s go-to target. The receiver had a career-high 12 catches for 151 yards and a touchdown, once again serving as the security blanket for his young quarterback. Collins' consistency has been a major bright spot for the Texans, and his ability to come through in key moments helped Houston stay afloat despite their miscues.
Are You Stressen or Blessan?
I'm Stressen!
I'm Blessan!
Texans Must Clean Up Penalties Moving Forward
While Stroud’s breakout performance and Collins' reliability are encouraging, the Texans need to address their discipline issues. The offensive line’s recurring penalties remain a concern, as they’ve been the Achilles' heel of an otherwise potent offense. But credit goes to Stroud, who didn’t let the setbacks derail his focus, showcasing leadership and maturity far beyond his years.
Texans Get the Win, but Work Remains
In the end, the Texans got the job done and moved to 3-1, but this game felt like another example of them playing with their food. For a team looking to establish dominance in the AFC South, they'll need to clean up the mental mistakes that are preventing them from putting teams away more convincingly.
.png)
Comments