LONDON (AP) — Trying to seal a desperately needed win, Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud threw an interception in the end zone and gave the Jacksonville Jaguars another chance on Sunday.
Jacksonville tied the game at 31-31, but Stroud didn't stress about it.
“His mindset was 'Hey, I got you Coach, don’t worry about it,” Houston coach DeMeco Ryans said.
With just under two minutes left, Stroud led a drive to set up Ka’imi Fairbairn's 49-yard field goal as time expired and the Texans won 34-31 on the slick grass of Wembley Stadium.
“When a player tells me that, that just gives me the confidence that I need,” Ryans said. “He responded in an outstanding way.”
Stroud threw three touchdown passes and Marvin Harrison Jr. made his debut for the Texans (2-4) as Houston earned back-to-back wins to gain ground on the AFC South-leading Jaguars (4-2).
Cam Little’s 60-yard field goal had tied the game — a week after his 57-yarder won it for Jacksonville against the Eagles at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium — after Travis Hunter intercepted Stroud’s pass in the end zone.
Hunter also hauled in a 7-yard touchdown pass at the other end — becoming just the fifth player in the Super Bowl era, including the playoffs, to both score a touchdown and intercept a pass in the same game.
“Just made a mistake,” Stroud said of Hunter's pick. “I've learned in my life I've got to flush my failures and flush my successes and just move on. Our defense did a great job holding them to three points, and then gave me the ball back, and went down and had a game-winning drive.”
Stroud said he appreciated hearing words of support from Ryans and his teammates.
“What they did for me in that moment really meant a lot,” he said.
Tight end Foster Moreau caught two touchdown passes from Stroud, who also connected with Jaylin Noel for a 13-yard score in the third quarter for a 24-14 lead.
Moreau scored on a 6-yard touchdown pass in the first quarter and a 1-yarder just before the end of the half.
Penalties dogged the Jaguars for a third straight week. They were flagged for too many men on the field on a Houston punt — extending a Texans drive that ended with Noel’s touchdown.
Trevor Lawrence threw four touchdown passes, including a pair to Bhayshul Tuten. His 1-yard pass to rookie tight end Nate Boerkircher cut Houston’s lead to 24-21.
Houston responded with Jawhar Jordan’s 25-yard touchdown run to restore a 10-point lead, 31-21, late in the third quarter.
Two-way star Hunter, who scored his first NFL touchdown at Wembley a year ago, snagged his second when he hauled in a pass over the middle to reduce Houston’s lead to 31-28 in the fourth quarter.
Hunter's interception led to Jacksonville's drive and Little’s game-tying field goal.
“We didn’t get the result we wanted,” Jags coach Liam Coen said. “(But) I’m extremely proud of this team in the way they kept fighting today, going down 10 points ... kept fighting.”
Stroud completed 24 of 34 passes for 312 yards, three touchdowns and one interception. The interception was his first of the season.
Harrison, who joined the Texans this week in a trade with Arizona, made three catches for 34 yards. Woody Marks had 15 carries for 56 yards, the first running back to break 40 yards in a game this season against Jacksonville.
Lawrence finished 24 of 41 for 306 yards, four TDs and an interception.
The Texans were at 2-4 at this point last season and finished 12-5 to earn a wild-card playoff spot.
Slippery surface
Early rain made the Wembley grass slippery — and not just for players. Umpire Larry Smith slipped and hurt his knee in the first quarter. He left on a cart.
Houston receiver Nico Collins changed cleats for longer spikes in first half. Tight end Dalton Schultz made a third down catch in the red zone but slipped just before the first down marker. The Texans opted for Fairbairn’s 25-yard field for a 10-7 lead.
Injuries
Texans: LB Azeez Al-Shaair was evaluated for a concussion in the second quarter, headed to the locker room afterward, and returned in the third quarter ... S Reed Blankenship also left in the first half.
Jaguars: RB Ameer Abdullah was helped off after a kickoff return. He later came back into the game.... All-Pro long snapper Ross Matiscik (shoulder) had been ruled out Friday, replaced by newly signed Jacob Bobenmoyer.
Up next
Texans: Host the New York Giants next Sunday before a bye in Week 8.
Jaguars: Bye.
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