Fairbairn’s Walk-Off Field Goal Lifts Texans Past Jaguars 34-31 at Wembley.
LONDON — Ka’imi Fairbairn converted a 49-yard field goal as time expired Sunday, lifting the Houston Texans to a 34-31 victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars at Wembley Stadium. C.J. Stroud threw three touchdown passes as Houston earned its second consecutive win.
The Texans improved to 2-4, while Jacksonville, the AFC South leader entering the game, dropped to 4-2. Houston held off a late Jaguars rally to secure the victory in rainy conditions in London. Jacksonville tied the game at 31-31 with less than two minutes remaining when Cam Little made a 60-yard field goal. The Jaguars regained possession after Travis Hunter intercepted Stroud’s pass in the end zone. Hunter also caught a seven-yard touchdown pass, becoming the fifth player in the Super Bowl era, including the playoffs, to record both a touchdown and an interception in the same game. Stroud completed 24 of 34 passes for 312 yards, three touchdowns and one interception. The turnover was his first interception of the season. Jacksonville quarterback Trevor Lawrence finished 24 of 41 for 306 yards, four touchdowns and one interception. Houston tight end Foster Moreau caught two touchdown passes from Stroud. Moreau scored on a six-yard reception in the first quarter and added a one-yard touchdown catch 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. Lawrence responded by finding rookie tight end Nate Boerkircher for a one-yard touchdown, cutting the deficit to 24-21. Houston answered with Jawhar Jordan’s 25-yard touchdown run late in the third quarter to move ahead 31-21. Jacksonville continued its comeback in the fourth quarter when Hunter caught a pass over the middle for a touchdown, bringing the Jaguars within three points. Hunter’s interception of Stroud then set up Little’s game-tying field goal.
Fairbairn secured the win with his final kick as Houston earned back-to-back victories and Jacksonville suffered another costly defeat. Penalties remained a problem for the Jaguars, who were flagged for having too many players on the field during a Houston punt. The penalty extended a Texans possession that ended with Noel’s touchdown, continuing Jacksonville’s struggles with disciplinary mistakes.
Houston also welcomed wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr., who made his debut after joining the team in a trade with Arizona earlier in the week. Harrison recorded three receptions for 34 yards. Running back Woody Marks carried the ball 15 times for 56 yards, becoming the first running back to rush for more than 40 yards against Jacksonville in a game this season.
Rain created challenging conditions on the Wembley Stadium field. Umpire Larry Smith slipped and injured his knee in the first quarter before being taken off the field on a cart. Houston wide receiver Nico Collins changed to cleats with longer spikes during the first half, while tight end Dalton Schultz slipped after a third-down reception in the red zone and came up short of the first-down marker. Houston settled for Fairbairn’s 25-yard field goal to take a 10-7 lead. Houston linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair was evaluated for a concussion in the second quarter and went to the locker room before returning in the third. Safety Reed Blankenship also left during the first half.
For Jacksonville, running back Ameer Abdullah was helped off the field after a kickoff return but later returned to the game. All-Pro long snapper Ross Matiscik was inactive because of a shoulder injury, with newly signed Jacob Bobenmoyer taking over the role.
The Texans will host the New York Giants next Sunday before their Week 8 bye. The Jaguars enter their bye week following the loss.
