Stroud’s Late Drive Lifts Texans Past Jaguars 34-31 in London

LONDON — C.J. Stroud threw for 312 yards and engineered a game-winning drive capped by Ka’imi Fairbairn’s 49-yard field goal as time expired, giving the Houston Texans a 34-31 victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday at Wembley Stadium.

The win pushes Houston to 2-4 after an 0-4 start. More importantly, it snapped a streak of three consecutive one-score losses that had defined the Texans’ early season collapse.

Fairbairn’s kick came after Stroud moved the offense 36 yards in eight plays during the final 1:55. The sequence hinged on a third-and-2 conversion from the Houston 40-yard line with 1:04 remaining. Running back Woody Marks ran a crossing route, faked left to freeze linebacker Branson Combs, then cut right into open space. Stroud hit him in stride for 19 yards into Jacksonville territory.

“(The play) is always open,” Marks told reporters. “Shoutout to C.J. for making that correction.”

Marks finished with 56 rushing yards on 15 carries. Jawhar Jordan, activated from the practice squad for his season debut, added 43 yards and a 25-yard touchdown run in the third quarter against a Jaguars defense that entered the week ranked first in the NFL in rush defense.

Stroud completed 24 of 34 passes with three touchdowns and one interception, posting a 116.3 passer rating. Through six games, he has nine touchdown passes against a single interception, placing him in the top five in the league in passing yards.

His lone mistake nearly cost Houston the game. Leading 31-28 with 3:59 left, Stroud targeted Xavier Hutchinson in the corner of the end zone from the Jacksonville 4-yard line. Cornerback Travis Hunter undercut the route for an interception, giving the Jaguars possession at their own 20.

Jacksonville capitalized. Trevor Lawrence drove the Jaguars downfield before Camden Little drilled a 60-yard field goal with 1:55 remaining to tie the score at 31. Lawrence finished 24-of-41 for 306 yards, three touchdowns and one interception.

Head coach DeMeco Ryans said Stroud approached him immediately after the fourth-quarter turnover. “I got you, Coach. Don’t worry about it,” Ryans recalled the quarterback saying.

Jaylin Noel led all receivers with four catches for 107 yards and a touchdown, including a 50-yard reception while taking a hit to his throwing arm late in the second quarter. That catch sparked a 63-yard scoring drive in 47 seconds that gave Houston a 17-14 halftime lead. Nico Collins caught three passes for 74 yards. Marvin Harrison Jr., acquired a week prior, recorded three receptions for 34 yards.

The Texans’ defense allowed 412 total yards and failed to contain Jacksonville on third downs, where the Jaguars converted 7 of 12 attempts. Defensive back Bullock recorded Houston’s only interception.

Houston scored 30 or more points for the third time this season. The franchise last started 0-4 in 2023 before rallying to reach the playoffs, a precedent the current roster has referenced repeatedly during the losing streak.

The Texans return home next week. Referee Shawn Hochuli officiated the contest.