The Jacksonville Jaguars defense, riding a 23-game streak of holding opponents under 70 rushing yards, watched C.J. Stroud and the Houston Texans absolutely feast on them for 426 total yards and 34 points in a tough 34-31 loss at London’s Wembley Stadium on October 18, 2026.
Stroud Was Unstoppable From a Clean Pocket
Stroud, with help from some serious “unsung heroes,” completely abused the Jags’ defense. The Texans racked up a shocking 426 total yards, with six scores coming on 10 possessions, averaging a wild 7.2 yards per play. Stroud was getting off some incredible throws ahead of Jaguars blitzes all game long. Honestly, he operated from a clean pocket for most of the game, completing 24 of 34 passes for a cool 312 yards.
He spread that ball around like crazy, hitting 10 different receivers. Even though Houston’s Nico Collins was kept under 100 receiving yards,the first time that’s happened in five games against the Jags after previously totaling 510 yards against them,Stroud didn’t let that slow him down. He just found other guys to make plays.
One Interception Wasn’t Enough to Stop Him
Look, the Jags’ defense did have a moment. Cornerback Travis Hunter grabbed his second career interception in the end zone during the fourth quarter, stopping a Houston drive cold. That pick was actually Stroud’s first interception of the entire season! And what a moment, right? It directly led to the Jaguars’ game-tying, 60-yard field goal from Cam Little.
But here’s the kicker: Stroud is just built different. After that game-tying kick, he marched right back down the field. He completed two critical passes to running back Woody Mark, putting Ka’imi Fairbairn in perfect position to drill a 49-yard field goal for the game-winning points. Seriously, don’t even bother looking for more defensive highlights from the Jags after that loss, because that was pretty much it.
This game has to be a gut-check for the Jaguars’ defense. Despite strong moments like Hunter’s interception and keeping Collins somewhat in check, they allowed Stroud to operate way too freely and make plays when it absolutely mattered most. That 34-31 final score just screams that the defense was completely exposed when the Texans needed it most.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
Leave a Reply