'Thursday Night Football' highlights: Aaron Rodgers leads Jets to 21-13 win against Texans
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The New York QB threw touchdown passes to Davonte Adams and Garrett Wilson.
New York Jets wide receiver Garrett Wilson #5 catches a pass for a touchdown as Houston Texans cornerback Kamari Lassiter (4) defends during the second half of an NFL football game, in East Rutherford, N.J., on Thursday. Frank Franklin II / AP
The New York Jets beat the Houston Texans 21-13 on Thursday, ending a five-game losing streak.
After completing only 7 of 14 passes for 32 yards in the first half, Aaron Rodgers had a monster performance in the final two quarters. He finished completing 22 of 32 of his throws for 211 yards and three touchdowns — including his first scoring connection with Davante Adams since the receiver was traded to the Jets.
Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud, playing without his top two wide receivers, finished with only 191 yards passing. He was sacked eight times.
It was a defensive struggle for most of the night, with both teams making critical mistakes throughout the game.
In the first half, each team fumbled in the red zone. Stroud was stripped by defensive tackle Quinnen Williams inside the New York 15-yard line while New York receiver Malachi Corley prematurely let go of the football while walking into the end zone.
Houston also missed two field goals, and both teams combined for 17 penalties for 143 yards.
The Texans were the first team to score, putting together a 98-yard touchdown drive in the second quarter. They took a 7-0 lead into halftime before the Jets finally evened the game in the third.
After Houston took a lead with a field goal, New York grabbed the lead via a 26-yard touchdown pass from Rodgers to Garrett Wilson on 3rd-and-19. Wilson made an acrobatic one-handed catch in the back of the end zone that was initially ruled incomplete, but overturned on replay.
After the Texans missed a field goal on the next drive, Rodgers iced the game on the following possession with a 37-yard touchdown throw to Adams.
The Jets are now 3-6 after ending their five-game skid, good enough for second place in the AFC East.
Houston has lost two of its last three after a 5-1 start, but is still in first place in the AFC South.
Aaron Rodgers looks back on rough first half vs. Houston
Final: Jets 21, Texans 13
Houston added a late field goal but couldn’t recover the ensuing onside kick.
The Jets win, ending their five-game losing streak.
Touchdown, Jets!
The Texans sent a blitz on third down, and Aaron Rodgers made them pay by floating a perfect pass to Davante Adams for a 37-yard touchdown. It’s Adams’s first touchdown with the Jets.
New York now leads 21-10 with two minutes and 56 seconds to go.
Texans miss chip shot field goal
This game is reaching dangerous levels of Thursday.
The Texans kicked a 43-yard field goal to tie the game, but the Jets committed a personal foul, instead giving Houston a first down from the 12-yard line.
After picking up only three yards, the Texans kicked a 27-yard field goal this time..but Ka'imi Fairbairn doinked it off the left upright.
What a lucky break for New York, which holds on to its slim 14-10 lead.
Touchdown, Jets!
Garrett Wilson may have just made the catch of the year with a one-handed grab in the back of the end zone. Wilson reached back with his right arm and somehow managed to get his shin to fall in bounds.
Rodgers threw up a prayer to Wilson on 3rd-and-19 and it was answered. The Jets now lead 14-10.
Davante Adams being evaluated for concussion
Jets WR Davante Adams is being evaluated for a concussion after his head hit the turf after a fourth-down catch in the third quarter.
End of third: Texans 10, Jets 7
The third quarter ends after a combined 10 points from the two teams, which is a shootout by tonight’s standards.
The Jets are going to have a 4th-and-1 from the Texans’ 22 when the fourth quarter begins. Will they kick or go for it?
Jets pick up fourth down, but Davante Adams hurt
The Jets converted a 4th-and-2, but Davante Adams was hurt on the play.
He was tackled out of bounds on the Texans’ 31, but needed medical attention after hitting the turf.
Texans go back ahead
C.J. Stroud was sacked on 3rd-and-11 from the Jets’ 25, but Ka'imi Fairbairn was able to hit a 54-yard field goal on the next play to put the Texans back up on top.
It’s a 10-7 Houston with four minutes and 11 seconds left in the third.
Touchdown, Jets!
Aaron Rodgers evades a sack and finds Garrett Wilson for 21-yard touchdown pass. Gutsy throw from Rodgers, who had blitzers in his face.
The pass capped New York’s best drive of the day — 11 plays, 70 yards.
It’s now 7-7.
Halftime: Texans 7, Jets 0
Not the best game so far!
Sloppy play from both teams, but Houston leads 7-0 thanks to a 98-yard drive in the second quarter, a rare stretch of competence for either side.
Aaron Rodgers is 7 of 14 for 32 yards through two quarters.
The Jets will receive the opening kickoff in the second half.
One more punt for the Jets
A five-yard pass but then two straight incompletions to Davante Adams, and the Jets punt for the fifth time tonight.
Texans stall at Jets’ 38, miss field goal
C.J. Stroud was sacked on third down in Jets territory and the Texans settled for a 56-yard field goal.
But Ka'imi Fairbairn was wide right, so Houston’s lead remains 7-0.
Jets punt, fans boo again
Aaron Rodgers was sacked on 3rd-and-10 and Jets fans responded by booing and unleashing a “Sell the team!” chant.
The Texans will take over on their own 29 with two timeouts and one minute and 49 seconds left in the first half.
Touchdown, Texans!
After a back-and-forth comedy of errors — penalties, sacks, red zone fumbles — we finally have a touchdown. The Texans went a whopping 98 yards in 12 plays, taking over eight minutes off the clock.
Joe Mixon scored the touchdown with a short run. It’s 7-0 Houston.
Now the Jets go three-and-out
The Jets gained only four plays and will punt right back to Houston.
This game is peak Thursday Night Football.
Fumble, Jets!
On the first play of the second quarter, Malachi Corley seemingly took an end around 19 yards for a touchdown — except he forgot to get into the end zone before he let go of the ball in celebration.
The ball went out of the end zone for a touchback, and the Texans will take over on their own 20.
End of first quarter: Jets 0, Texans 0
Still scoreless after one quarter in New Jersey, but the Jets are in the midst of their best drive of the game.
New York will have a 1st-and-10 on the Texans’ 34-yard line to start the second quarter. The Jets have gone 50 yards in five plays.
Texans can’t overcome mistakes, punt again
The Texans had a 2nd-and-3, but a holding penalty and sack on back-to-back plays were too much for the offense to overcome.
Houston punted again. The Jets take over on their own 31.
Jets punt as crowd gets restless
Breece Hall ran for a first down on the Jets’ first play of the drive, but they went nowhere after that.
Aaron Rodgers threw incomplete on second and third down, which included a miscommunication with Davante Adams.
New York’s offense was booed as it jogged off the field.
The Texans started from their own 13.
Fumble! Jets recover!
The Texans were driving after the roughing the punter penalty and had the ball inside the Jets’ 15, but Quinnen Williams stripped C.J. Stroud on 2nd and 11.
New York recovered and takes over with the teams still tied at 0.
Texans’ second drive gets saved by penalty (for now)
A penalty and a sack set the Texans back, who lost 11 yards to start their second drive of the game. C.J. Stroud tried to find Tank Dell over the middle on 3rd and 21, but was nearly picked off.
Houston punted on the next play, but a roughing-the-punter penalty by the Jets gave the Texans a first down on New York’s side of the 50.
Jets go three and out
Two incomplete passes and a sack, and that will do it for the Jets’ first drive of the game.
New York had to punt from its own end zone, and the Texans will take over near midfield.
Texans stall near midfield
One first down for Houston on its opening drive, but that’s it.
The Jets will take over for their first possession at their own 11.
We’re off...
...And the Texans’ first play from scrimmage is an incomplete pass by C.J. Stroud. Happy Halloween!
Aaron Rodgers and Jets offense still searching for answers
The Jets have only scored 23+ points in two games this season (wins in Weeks 2-3), while they have been held to 22 points or fewer in all six losses. Four-time MVP Aaron Rodgers, who is the oldest player in the NFL at age 40, has struggled to make an impact on a Jets offense that is averaging just 18.8 points per game this season.
Rodgers, who had just one INT through the first four games this season, tied his career high with three picks in the Week 5 loss against Minnesota. He threw one pick in the Week 6 loss vs. Buffalo and two against Pittsburgh in Week 7.
C.J. Stroud remains one of the league’s top QBs
Now in his second NFL season, C.J. Stroud has continued to be one of the top quarterbacks in the league.
Entering Week 9, Stroud has thrown for 1,948 yards (243.5 per game) with 11 passing TDs and 4 INTs. He has thrown a touchdown pass in seven of eight games this season (all but the Week 7 loss at Green Bay).
Jets interim head coach Jeff Ulbrich talks losing streak
After the Jets lost their fourth straight game, a 25-22 loss to the Patriots, interim head coach Jeff Ulbrich explained the emotions in the locker room.
“I’m pissed. They’re pissed. I’m hurt. They’re hurt," he said. "We are not executing in critical moments, especially down the stretch right there. We had opportunities to win this game. Should have won this game, and we do give credit to the Patriots. Took advantage of a team that didn’t execute as well as they can.”
The Jets became the first team since 2012 to have zero turnovers, hold the opposition to fewer than 250 of offense, and still lose the game.
Jets' playoff drought likely to continue
The Jets have not made the playoffs since reaching back-to-back AFC Championship Games in 2009 and 2010 with Rex Ryan as head coach and Mark Sanchez at quarterback. Their current 13-year playoff drought is the longest in franchise history and is tied with the NHL’s Buffalo Sabres for the longest active postseason drought in major American pro team sports (NFL/MLB/NBA/NHL/MLS/WNBA).
The Jets have finished with a losing record for eight straight seasons (finished 7-10 in both 2022 and 2023). They have not finished a season above .500 since 2015, when they went 10-6 in Todd Bowles’ first season as head coach (in 2015, the Jets lost a “win and you’re in” game at Buffalo in the final game of the season to miss the playoffs).
New York has not won a division title since the 2002 season, which was Houston’s first season as an NFL franchise.
Texans inactives vs. Jets
Who steps up for Texans with Collins, Diggs out?
Without Collins and Diggs, second-year wideout Tank Dell, who has had an up-and-down season, will be the Texans’ top target.
Dell did not score a touchdown in any of his first four games played (missed Week 4 with a chest injury) but has now caught two touchdowns in the last three games. While he scored in Week 6 against New England and in Week 8 against Indianapolis, he did not have a single catch in the Week 7 loss at Green Bay.
Dell had 709 receiving yards and seven receiving TDs in 11 games played as a rookie last season. He missed the final five games of the regular season and both playoff games after breaking his leg in Houston’s Week 13 win vs. Denver.
Texans RB Joe Mixon stepping up after injury
Joe Mixon, acquired this offseason from Cincinnati, missed multiple games after suffering a high ankle sprain in Week but he's been effective when healthy. Since returning three weeks ago, he has five touchdowns and has topped 100+ rushing yards in each matchup. His 4.9 yards per carry this season is a career high.
“Sometimes, you’re going to have to be speed. Sometimes you’re going to have to be power. Sometimes you’re going to have to be elusive," Mixon told reporters this week. "I’ve been blessed enough and fortunate enough to be able to do it all… At the end of the day I just to do whatever I can within the run scheme and also be in sync with our linemen. I also try do whatever I can to make their block right. We just take a lot of pride in being on the same page, and it’s been taking us a long way.”
Jets (again) on prime time
This is the Jets fifth prime time game this season. They are 1-3 so far, with their only primetime win coming at home against New England on 'Thursday Night Football' in Week 3.
This will be the third TNF game at MetLife Stadium this season. Along with the Jets win over New England, the Giants lost at home against the Cowboys on TNF in Week 4.
Texans WR Stefon Diggs to miss rest of season
Houston Texans wide receiver Stefon Diggs will miss the rest of the season with a torn ACL, head coach DeMeco Ryans said Tuesday.
Diggs, 30, was injured in the Texans’ 23-20 win over the Indianapolis Colts in Week 8. He was hurt on a noncontact play. Diggs had 47 catches for 496 yards and three touchdowns in eight appearances before the injury. Houston traded a second-round and fifth-round pick to the Buffalo Bills in exchange for Diggs and a sixth-rounder in April. It was the second time in his career Diggs had been traded in the offseason, after he was moved to Buffalo from the Minnesota Vikings in 2020.
