Houston Texans 24, Jacksonville Jaguars 21
Here are the highest-graded players and top takeaways from the Texans' Week 10 over the Jaguars.
Quarterback grade: Brock Osweiler, 69.9
Osweiler efficient, though attempted limited deep passes
This wasn’t a bad game by Brock Osweiler, though he wasn't asked to do much downfield. Attempting just seven passes traveling 10 yards or further downfield, completing two for 26 yards. That included going zero-for-two on throws 20 yards or more downfield. He was efficient, though, completing 12-of-17 passes either behind or within 10 yards of the line of scrimmage.
Top offensive grades
OT Duane Brown, 90.1
C Greg Mancz, 83.2
FB Jay Prosch, 80.7
TE C.J. Fiedorowicz, 72.3
HB Akeem Hunt, 71.9
Strong rushing attack fuels Texans' win
The passing game didn’t need to do much thanks to a strong showing on the ground. It started with Lamar Miller, who was unlucky not to score after breaking off a 45-yard run, finishing the game with 60 of his 83 yards coming after contact. Akeem Hunt, a 2015 undrafted free agent from Purdue, flashed some potential in his first action of the year after being activated from the practice squad, forcing a missed tackle and averaging 7.1 yards per carry, despite having a long run called back thanks to a holding penalty.
Top defensive grades
LB Benardrick McKinney, 87.3
CB Charles James, 80.4
CB Kareem Jackson, 80.1
S Quentin Demps, 80.0
LB Brian Cushing, 79.9
Big plays fuels Texans' defense in winning effort
Houston’s defense took advantage of Bortles' errors, including a pick-six from Kareem Jackson. Brian Cushing had a good day in run defense, as he had four tackles and an assist in 20 snaps against the run. Texans LB Benardrick McKinney had a good day defending the pass, as he was targeted six times, yielding five receptions but for only 18 yards. McKinney also added three tackles in 20 snaps against the run. The Texans' defense was solid all day, and if not for a pass interference call late in the game, would have turned this into a big-time performance.
Quarterback grade: Blake Bortles, 50.7
Bortles fails to stretch field vertically
Bortles two first-half interceptions were unforced errors that tilted the game in the Texans' favor, and despite a nice last drive, he could not overcome the poor early start. Bortles dropped back to pass 53 times, completing 32 of 50 attempts for 265 yards with one drop and two interceptions. Bortles had mixed results under pressure, as he completed 9 of 12 attempts for 84 yards, but also threw one of his picks while under pressure. The Jaguars' QB finished zero-for-five on pass attempts of 20 yards or more, failing to stretch the defense vertically.
Top offensive grades
WR Allen Robinson, 81.2
OT Kelvin Beachum, 78.2
C Brandon Linder, 77.5
HB T.J. Yeldon, 76.2
TE Ben Koyack, 74.1
Allen Robinson creates spark in losing effort
The Jaguars' offense struggled to find rhythm against the Texans' defense; however, there were positives, as Bortles targeted WR Allen Robinson 13 times, with the duo connecting nine times for 107 yards and a touchdown. Robinson caught all passes deemed “catchable,” and was able to provide life to the Jaguars' offense. T.J. Yeldon averaged 3.78 yards after contact and caused three missed tackles on only nine rushing attempts, and added two missed tackles on his three receptions. Kelvin Beachum had a stout performance protecting the passer, allowing only two QB hurries and no QB hits or sacks.
Top defensive grades
DI Malik Jackson, 87.5
S John Cyprien, 78.9
DI Tyson Alualu, 77.2
ED Dan Skuta, 75.5
CB Aaron Colvin, 75.4
Free-agent addition Malik Jackson stands out
The jewel of the Jaguars' 2016 free-agent class bounced back after three straight lackluster performances, making an impact against the run and as a pass-rusher. Malik Jackson finished the game with a hit, a hurry, and a batted pass from 23 snaps as a pass-rusher, but was even better in run defense. From 23 snaps against the run, he registered four tackles resulting in a defensive stop, good for a 18.2 percent run-stop percentage (up from his 6.1 percent season mark heading into the game).
PFF Game-Ball Winner: Duane Brown, OT, Texans
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