HOUSTON | With interim head coach Romeo Crennel at the helm, the Houston Texans defeated the Jaguars 30-14 for their first win of the season.
Houston’s defense recorded its first two takeaways of the season on a J.J. Watt fumble recovery and Jacob Martin strip sack on Jacksonville quarterback Gardner Minshew, who threw for 300 yards for the third time this season, completing 31-of- 49 passes for 301 yards. He completed 13 consecutive passes during the first and second quarter, which was the fourth-longest streak of consecutive pass completions in franchise history.
Rookie wide receiver Laviska Shenault Jr. caught a team-high seven passes for 79 yards for the Jaguars.
The Texans and Jaguars each put together scoring drives in the second quarter. Houston came up with a field goal. The Jaguars then took a 7-3 lead on Minshew’s 13-yard touchdown pass to Keelan Cole, who made his third scoring reception of the season and the 10th of his career. Through five games, Cole has caught 21 passes for 219 yards and three touchdowns.
Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson responded with Houston’s longest play of the 2020 season, a 44-yard touchdown pass to tight end Darren Fells.
The Texans took a 10-7 lead with 4:41 left in the second quarter.
The Jaguars threatened twice more before the end of the half. Stephen Hauschka missed both kicks, from 24 and 49 yards, respectively.
Late in the third quarter, facing a fourth-and-1, the Texans capitalized on a Jacksonville miscue. After a direct snap to James Robinson, the Jaguars’ running back fumbled and Watt recovered it.
Watson then threw a 19-yard touchdown pass to Fuller to give the Texans a 20-7 lead with 14:16 left in the game.
The Jaguars responded. Minshew’s four-yard pass to Collin Johnson resulted in a touchdown. Johnson, a fifth-round pick out of Texas, scored the first touchdown of his career. He also became the third rookie to score this season for the Jaguars, marking the first time in franchise history the Jaguars have had three rookies score in the first five weeks of a season.
The Jaguars’ following possession ended in another turnover. Martin’s strip sack gave the Texans possession at the Jaguars 34-yard line. On fourth-and-4, Watson found Cooks on a 28-yard touchdown.
In his first game returning from Jacksonville’s reserve/injured list, safety Jarrod Wilson got the third interception of his career and returned it 48 yards. Wilson started at free safety and finished with three tackles.
Jacksonville cornerback Sidney Jones IV recorded the third pick of his career and first as a Jaguar when he intercepted Watson in the second quarter. Defensive lineman Dawuane Smoot recorded a sack.
Jacksonville fell to 1-4 and will return home to host Detroit (1-3) at TIAA Bank Field at 1 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 18.
NOTES: Robinson finished with 70 scrimmage yards, 48 rushing, 22 receiving against the Texans. Through five weeks, Robinson has a team-high 516 scrimmage yards. … Johnson became the third rookie to score this season for the Jaguars, marking the first time in franchise history the Jaguars have had three rookies score in the first five weeks of a season. … Punter Logan Cooke placed all three of his punts inside the 20, including two punts inside the 10. Cooke has placed 65 punts inside the 20 in his career, ranking fifth in Jaguars history. … In roster news, the Jaguars promoted K Jon Brown and DL Caraun Reid from the practice squad to the active roster. To make room, the Jaguars released Hauschka and DL Carl Davis. The team also signed 10th-year veteran DE Jabaal Sheard to the practice squad and placed S Andrew Wingard (abdominal strain) on the reserve/injured list.
