The Texans came to London knowing that they had to win to keep climbing out of an early season hole. They also knew that they were playing one of the hottest teams in the league and one that occupies the penthouse in the AFC South.
Getting the W wasn't easy. This tilt quickly turned into an edge-of-your-seat thriller. Every time you thought the Texans might grab complete control, the Jaguars had an answer.
Yet it was the Texans that had the final piece to the puzzle – a late field goal drive that put the outcome in the hands, or on the foot, of Ka'imi Fairbairn.
Both quarterbacks threw for over 300 yards. Both teams' running games made plays. Each defense got at least one takeaway. But it was the Texans who made the critical crunch time plays when it mattered most.
After C.J. Stroud was picked off in the end zone, on a drive that should have put some kind of points on the board, the defense stopped the Jags at the Texans 42-yard line on the ensuing drive.
This was significant, as the Jags lined up for a 60-yard field goal by the big legged Cam Little. A touchdown would have eaten more clock and made the hill too high to climb.
C.J. Stroud and the Houston offense took the field and drove into field goal range. The big play was a Stroud to Woody Marks third-down conversion pass that changed everything. All of a sudden, the Texans were in long field goal range and found a way to make the winning bid a 49-yard field goal attempt.
When Fairbairn's ball sailed through the uprights, Houston celebrated back-to-back wins and continued to march forward - to another opportunity against the Giants next week.
The big takeaway here is that Houston's passing game is clicking. And the running game had a very nice day. Jawhar Jordan had a terrific 25-yard TD run – the longest rush of the year.
The aerial attack came into the game leading the NFL in explosive plays. Sunday's results will do nothing to stop that. Nico Collins had a 42-yard catch to keep spark the first TD. And Jaylin Noel had a career day with four catches for 107 yards, including a jump-off-the-couch TD catch on third and long from the 13.
We have to point out that saying Foster Moreau is not a receiving Tight End is like saying the Beatles were one hit wonders. He can bring it in the pass-catching game and now has three TDs after two at Wembley,
And welcome to the Texans, Marvin Harrison Jr., who showed up big with three significant catches on scoring drives.
What does it all mean?
The Texans might not be THE team to beat in the AFC South (yet) but they are certain A team to beat, as they took down the Jags at their home away from home.
Now it's crucial to keep building momentum and stacking wins. Back to Houston, back to work and back to Reliant Stadium for another crucial game against the Giants.
