Jacksonville Jaguars after a hard-fought 17-10 victory over the Houston Texans. This victory was a historic moment for linebacker Josh Hines-Allen. He put together one of the all-time great career-defining playoff performances, dominating every aspect of the game with fury and finesse. Here’s how that important game played out on TIAA Bank Field. Hines-Allen’s memorable game-winning shot left a lasting impression, as she continued to improve the club’s focus on defense and come away with a key victory.
Hines-Allen matched his career high by recording seven pressures on the day. He contributed three QBHs and broke up a huge half sack. His defensive dominance was highlighted by a game-winning pass breakup that stopped a Texans last-minute drive in its tracks. With his monumental performance he was one step closer to breaking Tony Brackens’ franchise record for sacks. He’s only two more away from that being his career milestone.
The Jaguars’ defense really showed its confidence as the game was closing to crunch time. With under two minutes remaining on the game clock, Hines-Allen and his fellow players hardly had a worry in the world. Sure, they thought that 17-10 lead was well protected. “No matter the situation, they weren’t going to score,” Hines-Allen stated, reflecting the team’s focus on preventing any points from being scored by the Texans.
This victory was very sweet for Hines-Allen, as it was her first win against the Texans in Jacksonville. The emotional linebacker was visibly moved after the game, stating, “We’re building something very special here. We got to keep capitalizing off that… it’s just a great building point to how far can we go.”
Though it struggled last year, the Jaguars’ defense has taken a quantum leap this season. In just nine quarters, they forced more total turnovers than last year’s unit. The former crew took 17 contests to hit that very same mark. Trailing this season, their nine turnovers thus far are a league low, with just one coming on special teams. Defensive back Tyson Campbell played a crucial role in this game, punching the ball away from Nico Collins, which was recovered by Devin Lloyd at the Jaguars’ 17-yard line with 3:47 to play.
Head coach Anthony Campanile raved about Hines-Allen’s work ethic and commitment to achieve greatness. He noted that “the way Josh practices, the way that he is in the meeting setting, the way that he lifts” sets an example for the rest of the team. Jourdan Lewis, another defensive player, couldn’t be more in-tune with that message. He attributed the team’s success to the focus on taking away the ball dating back to organized team activities (OTAs). “That’s our calling card: To go out there and take the ball away,” Lewis remarked.
Quarterback Trevor Lawrence was inconsistent, though he had an often tough workload, completing just 20 of 40 attempts for 222 yards. He was let down, as his receivers dropped six passes. Even with those challenges, Lawrence pointed the credit for the win to the tenacity of his defense. “Our defense, can’t say enough just about how they just kept fighting and had our back,” he said.
As the game goes on, Hines-Allen exhibits the grit and fight of the Jaguars’ defense to never give up. Their shared objective is to earn continuous improvement, week after week. The combination of skill and tenacity displayed in this matchup against the Texans demonstrates their potential to achieve success as they move forward.
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