HOUSTON — Joe Mixon propelled the Houston Texans to a crucial victory on Sunday, allowing them to head into their bye week with confidence intact.
Mixon rebounded from what had been his least effective outing of the season, rushing for 101 yards and scoring a touchdown. This led the Texans to a hard-fought 23-20 win against the Jacksonville Jaguars.
With this victory, Houston improved to 8-5, staying two games ahead in the AFC South despite having won only two of their last five games. The contest remained tied at 6-6 in the third quarter until Mixon’s 7-yard touchdown run gave the Texans the lead for good. Although the Jaguars managed to narrow the gap later in the game, Mixon’s timely 8-yard run on third-and-4 allowed Houston to run down the clock and secure the victory.
His strong performance was a welcome contrast to his earlier season low in rushing yards, where he managed only 22 yards in a home defeat against the Titans. Quarterback C.J. Stroud remarked on Mixon’s importance to the team, emphasizing the supportive role he plays for younger players like himself, who is in his first season with the Texans following his trade from Cincinnati.
Stroud shared, “He’s always advising me to just keep being myself. It’s reassuring to hear, especially when you’re under pressure.”
With this performance, Mixon became the third player in NFL history to achieve 100 rushing yards and a rushing touchdown in six different road games within the same season, joining notable players like Tiki Barber and Derrick Henry. He is the first in NFL history to reach this achievement in his first six road games of a season.
Currently, Mixon ranks third in the league with an average of 88.7 rushing yards per game. He’s leading the Texans with a total of 887 rushing yards and 11 touchdowns, even after missing three games earlier due to an ankle injury. His touchdown marked one of two that Houston scored after halftime— a noteworthy improvement as it was the first time in five games that the team managed to score more than one touchdown after the break.
The Texans are also making strides on defense, sitting at the top of the NFL with 84 tackles for loss, having added three more on Sunday, and currently ranking second with 42 sacks. Danielle Hunter is contributing significantly as he is tied for third in NFL with 15 tackles for loss and has accumulated 10.5 sacks.
Defensive standout Will Anderson Jr., last year’s recipient of the AP NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year award, continues to impress, tied for seventh in the league with 13 tackles for loss and 9.5 sacks.
Despite these successes, there are aspects that require attention. The Texans converted just 1 of 3 red-zone opportunities against the Jaguars. In the second quarter, they had a first down at the 8-yard line but settled for a field goal after Stroud was sacked, failing to reach the end zone. Another opportunity presented itself late in the third quarter, where they again fell short after starting at the 16-yard line.
In terms of individual performances, tight end Dalton Schultz was a bright spot with five catches for 61 yards and his first touchdown of the season—his second-highest yardage this season but down from last year when he amassed 635 yards and five touchdowns. Conversely, linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair had a disappointing outing, as he was ejected following a controversial hit on Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence, who left the field on a cart due to a concussion. This incident sparked a considerable on-field altercation. Coach DeMeco Ryans addressed the incident, stating it was not in alignment with their coaching principles and representative of Al-Shaair’s values. Al-Shaair has since issued an apology for the hit via social media.
Injury updates include safety Eric Murray, who departed with a hand injury, and Schultz, who hurt his shoulder but managed to return to the game.
As for key stats, the Texans find themselves tied for fourth in the NFL with a positive turnover differential of plus-10.
Looking ahead, Coach Ryans has emphasized the importance of rest and recovery as the team prepares for a challenging stretch of three games over the next ten days, starting with a matchup against Miami on December 15. “Our focus is on helping the players decompress. When we return, it’s all about being re-energized and prepared for the upcoming challenges,” he said.