Jaguars 13, Texans 6
HOUSTON -- The Jacksonville Jaguars recorded consecutive road wins for the first time in five years, limiting the Houston Texans to 218 yards while posting a 13-6 victory at Reliant Stadium on Sunday.
Jacksonville (2-9) last won successive games on the road in Weeks 3 and 6 in 2008, at Indianapolis and Denver, respectively. Josh Scobee nailed field goals of 30 and 53 yards while running back Maurice Jones-Drew rushed for 84 yards and a touchdown while adding 60 receiving yards on six catches.
The Texans (2-9) extended their franchise-worst losing skid to nine consecutive games.
Pulled in favor of veteran Matt Schaub late in the third quarter last week against the Oakland Raiders, Texans second-year quarterback Case Keenum continued his struggles early on against Jacksonville.
Bolstered by the return of linebacker Paul Posluszny, the Jaguars mounted constant pressure on Keenum, who complicated matters with questionable decision-making while in the pocket.
With Jacksonville defensive end Andre Branch bearing down on him in the first quarter, Keenum opted to continue scrambling instead of getting rid of the ball, ultimately taking a 19-yard sack on third down.
Jacksonville already led 7-0 by that stage, parlaying daring play-calling during a 10-play, 75-yard drive that started with the Jaguars throwing on the opening seven snaps of the possession. With little to lose aside from their 10th game, the Jaguars went for it on fourth-and-goal from the Houston 1 and Jones-Drew converted by skipping past Texans defensive end Jared Crick and into the end zone at the 10:57 mark.
By the point Jacksonville extended to a 10-0 lead with 7:57 remaining in the first half, the Jaguars held a 203 to 11 advantage in total yards. The Jaguars had yet to shut out an opponent in the first half of a game this season and they appeared on pace to reversing that trend when linebacker Geno Hayes sacked Keenum for a big loss on second down from the Jacksonville 31 with the first half winding to a close.
But the Texans had pushed deep enough into Jacksonville territory thanks to Dennis Johnson's 50 first-half rushing yards. Randy Bullock capped the drive with his 49-yard field goal with 29 seconds left.
Bullock hit a 20-yarder with 8:26 left in the third quarter after Houston stalled inside the Jacksonville 10.
NOTES: The Jaguars entered play ranked 29th in the NFL in average yards allowed yet limited the Texans to just four yards on 12 plays in the first quarter. ... Houston closed the first half netting 2.3 yards per play. The Texans were ranked 13th in the league averaging 5.3 yards per play. ... While setting up a 30-yard Josh Scobee field goal in the second quarter, Jaguars RB Maurice Jones-Drew broke off a 45-yard run, his longest of the season. ... Texans DE J.J. Watt blocked a Scobee 49-yard field goal attempt late in the third quarter, his second blocked field goal in four games.
