The Texans (8-5) completed their 2024 season sweep against the Jaguars (2-10) in Week 13, securing a 23-20 victory in Jacksonville on Sunday after previously defeating their divisional opponent 24-20 in Houston in Week 4 had defeated.
What started as a slow, low-scoring affair became intense near halftime when Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence scored by Texas linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair to complete a six-yard scramble. Lawrence was carted off the field and had to leave the game quickly due to a concussion.
Al-Shaair and two Jaguars, tight end Evan Engram and cornerback Jarrian Jones, received personal foul penalties for their actions after the Jacksonville and Houston benches cleared and the teams began fighting after the tackle. Al-Shair and Jones were eliminated from the competition.
“It’s a game that no one in our league wants to see. You see what happens after the fact and it just escalates,” Jaguars head coach Doug Pederson said after the game.
“I have great respect for it [Texans head] trainer [DeMeco] Ryans. I know he doesn't coach his team that way and we don't coach our team that way. It's really unfortunate. It’s unfortunate.”
Pederson told Lawrence who After missing Jacksonville's final two games Sunday with a non-throwing shoulder injury, he will be placed in the NFL's concussion protocol but is expected to be “fine.” Pederson did not provide an expected recovery timeline.
Without Lawrence, the Jaguars faced a 6-3 deficit heading into the locker room at halftime, their only score a 33-yard field goal by rookie kicker Cam Little after Lawrence was injured.
Little then tied the game with a 30-yard field goal early in the third quarter before the Texans scored on three consecutive drives, two touchdowns and a field goal in between. Little missed a third field goal attempt from 55 yards during Houston's scoring drive.
But Jacksonville made things interesting in the fourth quarter, cutting Houston's lead from 23-6 to 23-20 on the Jaguars' final two possessions.
Backup quarterback Mac Jones led the Jaguars on two extended drives, a 12-play, 72-yard possession sequence and a 10-play, 84-yard sequence, throwing touchdowns to Jacksonville wide receivers Parker Washington and Brian Thomas Jr. and connected with Washington for a two-point conversion to get back within one score.
Jones completed 20 of 32 passes for 235 yards with two touchdowns in place of Lawrence against Houston.
Houston got the ball back with 3:31 left in regulation and the Texans put the ball in the hands of running back Joe Mixon on five consecutive plays to secure the victory. He converted two first downs and forced the Jaguars to burn through their remaining timeouts, effectively running out the clock.
The Jaguars will travel to Tennessee in Week 14 to take on the Titans (3-9) next Sunday, December 8th at 1 p.m. ET.
