Joe Mixon rushed for 101 yards and the decisive touchdown as Houston held on to beat Jacksonville 23-20 on Sunday in a game marred by an illegal hit that knocked Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence out with a concussion.
The AFC South-leading Texans improved to 8-5 entering their bye, but were hardly dominant over a Jacksonville squad that fell to 2-10 with its fifth consecutive loss.
Mixon’s 7-yard touchdown run gave Houston a 13-6 lead with 8:04 left in the third. He became the third NFL player to rush for at least 100 yards and a touchdown in six road games in the same season.
Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud finished 22-for-34 passing for 241 yards and a touchdown and Nico Collins had eight catches for 119 yards.
Stroud connected with Dalton Schultz on a 22-yard scoring pass for a 23-6 lead with 12:11 left. Houston scored 17 consecutive points in the second half.
But Jaguars backup quarterback Mac Jones hit Parker Washington (six catches, 103 yards) for a 22-yard TD with 7:49 left. Jacksonville then pulled within 23-20 with 3:31 left on a 6-yard scoring reception by Brian Thomas Jr. and a two-point conversion toss to Washington.
On the next possession, Mixon put the game away by rushing for a pair of first downs.
The game was marred by an ugly incident with 4:06 left in the first half. Multiple skirmishes erupted after Houston linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair hammered Lawrence as he slid feet-first at the Houston 45. Al-Shaair finished a headfirst launch with a forearm shot near Lawrence’s head and shoulder.
Lawrence — who was returning from an injury to his non-throwing shoulder suffered in Week 9 — immediately displayed the “fencing” hand motion associated with concussions but stood to leave the field on a cart after a few minutes.
Fights had broken out near medical personnel attending to Lawrence after Jacksonville tight end Evan Engram shoved Al-Shaair in the back. Al-Shaair was ejected along with the Jaguars’ Jarrian Jones. Multiple penalties offset.
Lawrence was 4-for-10 for 41 yards and an interception.
Jones replaced Lawrence and continued the drive for a 33-yard Cam Little field goal, cutting Houston’s lead to 6-3 just before halftime.
Jones finished 20-for-32 passing for 235 yards and two scores.
Houston’s Ka‘imi Fairbairn was 3-for-3 on field goal attempts.
–Field Level Media