After an impressive outing in last week's loss to the Chiefs, the Jaguars offense took a step back in Week Two, tallying just 281 yards in a 13-12 loss to the Houston Texans.
68 of those yards, though, came on a heroic, fourth quarter drive led by rookie quarterback Gardner Minshew.
Despite not replicating his 22 of 25 performance in Week One, Minshew performed admirably. Making his first career start, the Jaguars' sixth round draft pick was 23 of 33 for 213 yards. He orchestrated what would have been the game-winning drive with two minutes remaining, leading the Jaguars 68 yards down the field and connecting with D.J. Chark for a 4-yard touchdown.
However, the Jaguars elected to go for two and the win, and Leonard Fournette came up inches short of crossing the goal line.
His receivers were also not the issue: Chark had seven catches for 55 yards, and Chris Conley added four catches for 73 yards.
The issue was the Jaguars' offensive line.
Jacksonville had nine total penalties for 70 yards, and their offensive linemen were responsible more than half of them. Brandon Linder, Will Richardson, and Jawaan Taylor were all flagged at different points. The offensive line also allowed four sacks.
Minshew did fumble three times, and twice his offensive linemen recovered the ball. However, the third fumble would prove to be costly: J.J. Watt recovered it for Houston at the Jaguars' 11-yard line. That would set up Deshaun Watson's 2-yard, rushing touchdown, the Texans' only touchdown of the game.
Meanwhile, the Jacksonville defense that struggled mightily in Week One had a bounce-back effort against the Texans. Watson was held to 159 yards and was sacked four times. That included the first career sack for first-round draftee Josh Allen.
Former Jaguar Carlos Hyde was the biggest thorn in "Sacksonville's" side, racking up 90 yards on the ground.
The match-up between cornerback Jalen Ramsey and Texans' wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins was a talking point leading up to the game, and it did not disappoint: Ramsey held the Pro Bowl receiver to just five catches for 40 yards -- despite dropping what could've been his first interception of the year. Early on in the game, though, the biggest story-line was Ramsey and head coach Doug Marrone's scuffle on the sideline. Ramsey appeared upset that Marrone did not challenge a Hopkins catch that Ramsey claimed the receiver did not secure. That catch would help Houston move the chains and, eventually, kick their first field goal.
Special teams was consistent once again, with Josh Lambo notching two field goals. Punter Logan Cooke averaged 48 yards per punt.
It will be a quick turnaround for the Big Cats, who host another AFC South rival, the Tennessee Titans, Thursday night at TIAA Bank Field. Kick-off is scheduled for 8:20 p.m.
The game will be televised on ABC25, with the pregame beginning at 7:30.
