Don’t expect C.J. Stroud to point the finger.
The rookie quarterback declared he would not put the Houston Texans’ last play on the blame of kicker Matt Ammendola, who missed a 58-yard field goal that would have tied the game with 29 seconds remaining. Instead the Jacksonville Jaguars took a knee and 24-21 win out of NRG Stadium with first place in the AFC South.
“You can’t put the last play of the game, supposedly, or if it is or if it’s not, you can’t put the whole game on that situation,” Stroud told reporters after the game. “We’ve got to be cleaner and execute better in the first half. I feel like we came out the second half and moved the ball pretty well, but we have to play complementary football offense and defense. We have to help each other out.”
Stroud did his part, going 26-of-36 for 304 yards and two touchdowns. The No. 2 overall pick even rushed six times for 47 yards and a score.
“It’s tough to put it all on the kicker’s hand and everything. I think Matt has done a great job, and we have to put him in better situations,” Stroud said. “Maybe get closer or even go try to score a touchdown and win the game. A lot of different things that could happen and play out a different way.”
The Texans fall to 6-5 on the season, but maintain the No. 6 seed in the AFC wild-card race.
