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Defense makes statement in taming of Jaguars

The Texans' defense was at it again.

A week after smothering the Titans in Nashville, the Texans shut down the Jaguars in the season finale at NRG Stadium.

For the fourth time this season, Houston kept an opponent from scoring a touchdown. Victorious by a 30-6 margin, the Texans tormented Blake Bortles and the Jaguars throughout the day.

"He started feeling the pressure, started getting a little jittery in the pocket," linebacker Whitney Mercilus said. "We had a plan, just coming in, make sure we could get to him and sack him a few times."

 

Bortles was sacked eight times, and Mercilus accounted for 3.5 of those. He finished 2015 with 12 sacks, the best mark in a season in his four-year career. Defensive end J.J. Watt dropped Bortles three times, and also forced a fumble, recovered a fumble and batted two passes.

"They cause issues," Jaguars head coach Gus Bradley said. "We said some of these guys have the ability to disrupt the game and they did."

But the defense didn't just nullify the Jacksonville passing attack. On the ground, they gave up just 32 rushing yards on 14 carries.

In all, the Texans defense picked off a pair of passes and recovered a couple of fumbles. Kareem Jackson returned his fourth quarter interception 27 yards for a touchdown.

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Check out the snapshots from the Week 17 matchup between the Texans and Jaguars.

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