The Texans needed something sweet on Sunday, and it came in the form of Akeem Hunt.

"We thought he'd give us some juice, and he did," Bill O'Brien said of the running back, following his team's 24-21 win at Jacksonville.

Hunt, who spent the first half of the season on the Texans' practice squad, carried the ball eight times for 52 yards.

Quarterback Brock Osweiler said he was "extremely impressed" but not "surprised" by the second-year back's contribution.

"You were able to see glimpses throughout the preseason," Osweiler said. "You were able to see glimpses in training camp. It seems like he has so much bottled up energy. If you get him the ball, he might be able to spring the big one every single time."

In the fourth quarter on 3rd-and-16 at their own 19, Hunt was sprung loose for 17 yards. It got the Texans a sorely needed first down with 14:11 remaining in the game.

"It was just good to see everybody happy, to see everybody jumping up and down," Hunt said of the run. "I feed off their energy. They feed off my energy. When we feed off each other we play great as a team."

They'd burn 6:24 off the clock on what became an 11-play drive. Hunt also chipped in with runs of four, 11, two and four yards on the possession. It culminated with a 51-yard Nick Novak field goal, which proved to be the difference in the game.

"I think he did a great job," fellow running back Lamar Miller said. "He was being decisive. He was taking advantage of his opportunity. That's one thing I told him before the game: just be decisive and take advantage of it."

As a team, the Texans gained 181 yards on 33 carries versus the Jaguars.