Texans Beat Jaguars 34-31 in London on Ka’imi Fairbairn’s Last Second Field Goal

Houston Texans Rally Past Jacksonville Jaguars in Wembley Thriller

The Houston Texans earned a desperately needed victory in dramatic fashion Sunday, defeating the Jacksonville Jaguars 34-31 at Wembley Stadium in London after kicker Ka’imi Fairbairn drilled a 49-yard field goal as time expired. Houston quarterback C.J. Stroud overcame a costly interception in the end zone and a late Jacksonville comeback to lead the Texans on the decisive drive, securing their second consecutive victory and improving their record to 2-4.

Stroud threw three touchdown passes and finished with 312 passing yards as Houston gained ground on the AFC South leading Jaguars, who fell to 4-2. The Texans appeared to have control of the game before Jacksonville rallied to tie the score at 31-31 in the fourth quarter, setting up a tense finish on the slick grass at Wembley.

Rather than allowing his earlier mistake to derail him, Stroud responded under pressure, guiding Houston into field goal range for Fairbairn’s game winning kick. The victory gave the Texans consecutive wins after a difficult start to the season and offered a reminder of the team’s ability to recover from adversity.

C.J. Stroud Leads Texans Game Winning Drive

Stroud completed 24 of 34 passes for 312 yards, three touchdowns and one interception. His interception came in the end zone when Jacksonville two-way standout Travis Hunter made a crucial play to give the Jaguars another opportunity to get back into the game.

Jacksonville capitalized on the turnover, with Cam Little connecting on a 60-yard field goal to tie the score at 31-31. Little had made headlines the previous week by drilling a 57-yard game winner against the Philadelphia Eagles at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Stroud remained composed after the Texans surrendered their lead. With just under two minutes remaining, he directed Houston down the field, setting up Fairbairn for the 49-yard kick that sailed through as time expired.

The finish delivered a crucial win for a Texans team that entered the season with high expectations but had struggled to find consistency. Houston was also 2-4 at this point last season before finishing 12-5 and earning an AFC wild-card playoff berth.

Foster Moreau, Jaylin Noel Deliver Touchdown Plays

Tight end Foster Moreau was a key contributor to Houston’s offense, catching two touchdown passes from Stroud. Moreau opened the scoring with a 6-yard touchdown reception in the first quarter before hauling in a 1-yard touchdown just before halftime.

Stroud also connected with Jaylin Noel for a 13-yard touchdown in the third quarter, extending Houston’s lead to 24-14. The Texans continued to find ways to attack Jacksonville’s defense, which had difficulty containing the passing game at critical moments. Running back Jawhar Jordan added a 25-yard touchdown run late in the third quarter, restoring a 10-point advantage at 31-21 after Jacksonville had trimmed the deficit.

Woody Marks helped Houston establish a productive ground game, carrying 15 times for 56 yards. Marks became the first running back to rush for more than 40 yards against Jacksonville this season. Houston also introduced wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr., who joined the Texans earlier in the week in a trade with Arizona. Harrison made his debut with three receptions for 34 yards, giving the Texans another offensive weapon as they look to build momentum.

Travis Hunter Makes History in Jaguars’ Comeback

Hunter made a significant impact on both sides of the ball, delivering one of Jacksonville’s biggest plays on offense and a pivotal turnover on defense. The two-way star intercepted Stroud in the end zone, halting a Houston scoring opportunity and giving the Jaguars a chance to rally. Hunter later caught a 7-yard touchdown pass to cut the Texans’ lead to 31-28 in the fourth quarter.

The touchdown was Hunter’s second at Wembley. He also scored his first NFL touchdown at the stadium a year earlier. By recording both a touchdown and an interception in the same game, Hunter became just the fifth player in the Super Bowl era, including the playoffs, to accomplish the feat.

His interception helped spark Jacksonville’s comeback and set up Little’s tying field goal. However, Hunter’s big plays ultimately were not enough to prevent the Jaguars from suffering a narrow defeat.

Trevor Lawrence Throws Four Touchdowns in Losing Effort

Jacksonville quarterback Trevor Lawrence delivered a productive performance, completing 24 of 41 passes for 306 yards, four touchdowns and one interception. Lawrence connected twice with Bhayshul Tuten for touchdowns as the Jaguars repeatedly fought their way back into contention. Rookie tight end Nate Boerkircher also caught a 1-yard touchdown pass that brought Jacksonville within 24-21.

After Jordan’s touchdown restored Houston’s 10 point advantage, Jacksonville continued to battle. Hunter’s fourth-quarter score made it a three point game before the Jaguars eventually tied the contest at 31-31 with Little’s long field goal. Despite Lawrence’s four touchdown passes, Jacksonville could not finish the comeback, as Stroud and the Texans delivered the final response.

Penalties remained a problem for the Jaguars for the third consecutive week. One costly infraction came when Jacksonville was flagged for having too many men on the field during a Houston punt, extending the Texans’ drive that eventually ended with Noel’s touchdown. The mistake proved costly in a game decided by three points, continuing a troubling trend for a Jacksonville team that had entered the matchup leading the AFC South.

Texans Gain Momentum as Jaguars Head Into Bye

The victory moves Houston to 2-4 and gives the Texans consecutive wins as they attempt to climb back into the AFC playoff picture. Their performance also provides encouragement that they can follow a similar path to last season, when they recovered from a 2-4 start to finish with 12 victories.

The Texans will return home next Sunday to host the New York Giants before entering their Week 8 bye. The extra time off could give Houston an opportunity to regroup and continue building on its recent progress.

Jacksonville, meanwhile, falls to 4-2 but remains atop the AFC South despite the loss. The Jaguars will have a bye next week as they look to address their penalty problems and regroup after letting a potential victory slip away in London.

For Houston, the trip to Wembley ended with a much-needed breakthrough. Stroud overcame his first interception of the season, Fairbairn delivered under pressure, and the Texans left London with a dramatic victory that could prove important as their season unfolds.