Marks tops 100 yards as Texans edge Jaguars 15-14

Houston, TX - The Houston Texans protected a narrow advantage and survived Jacksonville's pressure for a 15-14 victory in Week 15, extending the Jaguars' losing streak to four games.

Woody Marks gave Houston its most productive performance of the afternoon, rushing for a game-high 118 yards and a touchdown on 18 carries. His workload was also the largest in the game, and his 29-yard run was the longest rushing gain by either team. The Texans finished with 142 rushing yards and 356 offensive yards, holding slight advantages in both categories.

Houston established an edge in a game that rarely offered either side much room to breathe. Jacksonville narrowed the margin and remained within striking distance, but the Texans avoided surrendering the advantage altogether. The result reflected the close statistical balance: Houston recorded 14 first downs to Jacksonville's 13 and outgained the Jaguars by only seven offensive yards, 356-349.

"There wasn't a lot of space, so you had to stay patient," Marks said. "You couldn't get frustrated by a short gain or a possession that didn't go the way you wanted. I just kept taking the carries and trying to give us something positive."

C.J. Stroud completed 20 of 37 passes for 214 yards and a touchdown. His biggest target was Tank Dell, who caught six passes for 104 yards and a touchdown. Dell also produced the game's longest reception, a 65-yard gain that accounted for a substantial portion of Houston's passing output.

The Texans were not consistently efficient on third down, converting 6 of 16 attempts, but they did convert their only fourth-down opportunity. Houston reached the red zone twice and scored one touchdown on those possessions. The offense's two touchdowns came from Marks on the ground and Dell through the air.

"A one-point game tells you how small the margin was," Stroud said. "We weren't as clean as we wanted to be, but we stayed composed. Woody gave us steady production, and Tank gave us a big presence in the passing game."

Jacksonville countered with the game's leading passer and receiver. Quinn Ewers went 22 of 38 for 244 yards, two touchdowns and a 94.6 passer rating. Both touchdown passes went to Brian Thomas Jr, who finished with eight receptions for a game-high 133 yards. Thomas' longest catch covered 56 yards, giving the Jaguars an explosive element even as Houston maintained its slim overall edge.

Joe Mixon added 88 yards on 17 carries as Jacksonville accumulated 105 rushing yards and 349 offensive yards. The Jaguars converted 5 of 15 third downs, but they were stopped on both of their fourth-down attempts. Their lone red-zone trip ended in a touchdown.

"We moved the ball enough to give ourselves opportunities, and Brian was outstanding," Ewers said. "But when you lose by one, every possession feels heavier afterward. There are too many places where we can look back and know we needed a little more."

The defensive numbers were similarly compact. Jacksonville registered three sacks without an interception, with Travon Walker accounting for two of those sacks. Houston finished with two sacks and also did not intercept a pass. Neither defense overwhelmed the game statistically, leaving the outcome to be settled within the narrow margins created by two offenses that finished seven yards apart.

Houston entered the week at 10-3 and managed to follow its previous victory with another, even though Jacksonville produced more passing yards and had the game's most productive receiver. The Texans instead carried the stronger rushing total, and their one-point advantage held through a competitive finish.

For the Jaguars, the defeat added another close disappointment to a slide that began before their arrival in Houston. Jacksonville entered Week 15 on a three-game losing streak and left with a fourth consecutive loss despite Ewers and Thomas combining for both of the team's touchdowns.

Up Next

Houston will travel to face the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 16 looking to build on the victory, while Jacksonville heads to the Dallas Cowboys seeking to end its four-game skid.