For the first time in years, the Jacksonville Jaguars played a game they were expected to win. The Jaguars were a touchdown favorite against the Houston Texans in Week 5, but didn’t look it in a 13-6 loss.
The Jaguars offense failed to convert on several opportunities to put points on the board, settling for two field goals on a pair of red zone trips and throwing an interception on a third. Despite finishing with 422 yards of total offense — their most of the 2022 season — the Jaguars never found the end zone.
On defense, Jacksonville bottled up the Texans offense for most of the day before making it several crucial errors in the fourth quarter. The most egregious was an unnecessary roughness by No. 1 overall pick Travon Walker that turned a third-and-20 situation for Houston into a first down in Jaguars territory. The Texans went on to score the only touchdown of the game on the drive.
It was an ugly, embarrassing loss for a Jaguars team that had previously raised expectations with a pair of impressive wins. Here’s how it all went down Sunday:
Jaguars MVP of the game: Wide receiver Marvin Jones
Travis Etienne started strong for the Jaguars, but didn’t make much of an impact after the first quarter. Christian Kirk and Zay Jones were nowhere to be seen and Trevor Lawrence never found the rhythm that he had against the Colts and Chargers.
It seemed the only reliable player on offense was Marvin Jones, who finished with seven receptions for 104 yards, equal to his first four games combined.
Texans MVP of the game: Running back Dameon Pierce
Houston’s offense never found much of a rhythm and struggled to convert third downs most of the day. But when the Texans were finding success it was usually because they were feeding their rookie running back.
Pierce finished with 99 rushing yards, 14 receiving touchdowns, and the only touchdown of the game.
Jaguars play of the game: Foyesade Oluokun’s sack of Davis Mills
First sack of the day
Oluokun and Lloyd get to Mills pic.twitter.com/fescAvQZJi— Laurie Fitzpatrick (@LaurieFitzptrck) October 9, 2022
Oluokun and Devin Lloyd both had a strong argument as the Jaguars’ MVP of the day, finishing with 20 combined tackles and a lot of plays to keep the Texans offense in check. Oluokun’s fourth quarter sack led to one of the Texans’ six punts.
It was over when the Jaguars had four consecutive incomplete passes near midfield in the final two minutes of the game. A Texans punt gave the Jaguars the ball back in the last minute, but Jacksonville’s most realistic opportunity to tie the game ended with the previous turnover on downs.
Stat that says it all: Zero Jaguars touchdowns
There’s not much else to it. More than 400 yards of total offense should absolutely always result in more than six points. The Jaguars had opportunities to score more than enough to leave the Texans in the dust and didn’t capitalize on them.
Up next: The Jaguars travel to face another AFC South opponent when they take on the Indianapolis Colts.
The two teams previously met in Week 2 in a 24-0 shutout victory for the Jaguars. Indianapolis has won two of its last three since that loss, most recently beating the Denver Broncos, 12-9, in overtime on Thursday.
