I'll Take That Win
Who says this one wasn't pretty? There's another number in the win column and the Texans made the big plays when they needed them most to get it. This is the NFL, where beauty parlor points don't matter. Get the dub and move on.
Two second half touchdowns and Ka'imi Fairbairn's third field goal provided the winning margin as Houston hits the bye with an 8-5 record and maintains its two-game division lead.
Everybody exhale for a moment.
The Mixon Button
There are four games left in the regular season. Had the Texans stumbled at Jacksonville, the pressure would have turned up to dangerous levels. The Colts beat New England and were eager to climb into a one-game deficit. But Houston overcame a hungry Jaguars team and rode the legs of Joe Mixon into the finish.
When Trevor Lawrence exited the game, following an Azeez Al-Shaair penalized late hit, the Jags heated up. The two teams pushed, shoved, swung, fought after the hit. Yellow flags were everywhere. It was a mess. Easily the biggest 'fight' I've ever seen the Texans involved in. The aftermath of this one will be a story unto itself.
The Jags finished that drive with Mac Jones leading them to a field goal. In the 3rd quarter, Jacksonville would tie the game with a triple. That's when Houston came alive with a 17-point run, including a Mixon TD and Dalton Schultz's first 2024 touchdown catch.
But the Jags weren't done. They went on back-to-back touchdown marches, mostly off the arm of Mac Jones, who played his best game as a Jaguar.
Houston would get the ball back, in need of running out the clock. They did it by pressing the Mixon button several times. On third and five at midfield, He ran for a first down to kill the clock.
View the best photos from the Week 13 matchup between the Houston Texans and Jacksonville Jaguars.
Beautiful Bye
The bye is so needed. The Texans came to camp in mid-July and have really not had a break, other than the 'mini-bye' following the Jets game. But that was hardly a sabbatical.
Having a solid seven days off their feet will be massive as they have a gauntlet coming up with Miami, Kansas City and Baltimore on the horizon. Oh, and a Tennessee team that beat them last week.
We won't get an actual injury report for ten days. But I'll likely brace for impact when I read it. There's much-needed rest and healing to undergo.
Plus, the coaches will do some self-scouting. It hasn't exactly been a perfect season through now. But the Texans have put themselves in a great spot.
Get ready, the biggest games have yet to be played.
And your Texans have all their goals in front of them.
