The Texans gave the Jaguars an easy early touchdown with Steven Sims muffing a punt after Jacksonville’s first drive. Since that one-play, 2-yard drive that saw Trevor Lawrence hit Brian Thomas, the Texans have controlled the game.
Houston leads 17-13 at halftime.
The Texans’ porous offensive line saw left tackle Laremy Tunsil leave with an ankle injury and left guard Kenyon Green called for three penalties, forcing C.J. Stroud to run for his life. Still, he has taken only one sack and the Texans have 261 yards.
Rookie Blake Fisher, a second-round pick, replaced Tunsil, who remains questionable to return.
Stroud is 15-of-19 for 215 yards and a touchdown, a 3-yard throw to Nico Collins, who has seven catches for 87 yards. Stefon Diggs has four catches for 59 yards.
Without Joe Mixon again, the Texans are struggling to run the ball. Cam Akers has 10 carries for 27 yards.
The Jaguars have only 120 yards, with Lawrence going 11-of-17 for 82 yards. Christian Kirk has four catches for 30 yards.
Houston could have had a bigger lead, but Stroud missed a wide-open Collins right before the half ended with the Texans on the Jacksonville 11 and with only five seconds remaining, they had Ka’imi Fairbairn kick a 30-yard field goal.
