Backup QB Davis Mills and Texans overcome 19-point, fourth-quarter deficit to stun Jaguars 36-29

HOUSTON (AP) – In a team meeting Saturday night, coach DeMeco Ryans showed the Houston Texans a video of a boxer who dislocated his shoulder and still managed to knock out his opponent.

Down 19 entering the fourth quarter of their matchup against the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday, the Texans remembered that scrappy fighter.

“Keep showing up. Keep fighting and never quit,” defensive end Will Anderson Jr. said.

The defense did exactly that before backup Davis Mills delivered the knockout blow.

Mills threw two touchdown passes in the final quarter and scrambled 14 yards for the go-ahead score with 31 seconds left and the Texans rallied for the 36-29 win.

Mills threw for 292 yards and shook off a forgettable three quarters to lead the remarkable comeback while filling in for C.J. Stroud, who was out after suffering a concussion last week.

“I’ve always had the mentality to stay confident regardless of what happened on the play before,” he said. “It’s kind of like the old basketball mentality – shooters shoot. If you stop you’re not going to see shots go in.”

It was the second-largest comeback in franchise history behind a 21-point comeback in a 31-28 win over the Chargers in 2013.

“The key for our entire game was, no one blinked,” Ryans said. “I told the guys last night it was going to be a heavyweight fight. I wanted us to continue forward, keep punching.”

The Jaguars (5-4) were trying to get into field-goal range after the score by Mills, but Trevor Lawrence was sacked by Anderson and fumbled. Sheldon Rankins recovered the ball and ran 32 yards for a TD to seal the victory.

“The reality is we gave up a 19-point lead to lose the game,” Jacksonville coach Liam Coen said. “Part of winning in the National Football League is sustaining a lead. We just needed one stop and didn’t get one. You score 29 and you feel like you’re going to have a chance to go get a win, but we didn’t get it done.”

It was the first time the Jaguars had led by 19 points in a game and lost. Before Sunday they were 53-0 in such games, including the playoffs and were the only current NFL franchise that had won each such game.

Houston (4-5) trailed 29-10 early in the fourth quarter when a 12-yard TD reception by Jayden Higgins and a 2-point conversion grab by Nico Collins cut the lead to 29-18.

The Texans forced a three-and-out and Mills connected with Dalton Schultz for a 7-yard TD, but the 2-point try failed, to get Houston within 29-24 with 7 ½ minutes to go.

Houston’s top-ranked defense didn’t let the Jaguars get a first down on the next drive either and they punted again.

“We just locked in,” defensive end Danielle Hunter said. “I felt like we had the feeling in the game that we were gonna come out on top.”

Starting on their 7, the Texans then drove 80 yards in 14 plays to take the lead. Mills found Schultz for a 20-yard gain on third down early in the possession and a pass interference call on Jarrian Jones, on a ball intended for Christian Kirk gave Houston a first down on the 2.

But the Texans had two false start penalties in a span of three plays to bring up second-and-14. Mills threw an incomplete pass to Collins on second down before dashing for the score on third down.

Houston dominated on both sides of the ball in the final quarter, piling up 167 yards of offense to just 11 by Jacksonville.

Collins had seven receptions for 136 yards for his fifth straight 100-yard receiving game against the Jaguars.

He was asked what it was like to be part of such a comeback.

“It’s like a party out there,” he said.

Lawrence threw for 158 yards and a touchdown and Jakobi Meyers led the team with three receptions for 41 yards in his Jacksonville debut after a trade from Las Vegas this week. Lawrence was sacked five times, led by 3 1/2 from Hunter.

The Texans failed on fourth-and-5 to give Jacksonville the ball on its 43. The Jaguars used an 11-play, 58-yard drive capped by a 6-yard run by Travis Etienne, but the 2-point try failed, to make it 29-10 late in the third quarter before the Texans took over.

The Jaguars jumped out to an early lead thanks to a couple of big gaffes by the Texans. The Jaguars took a 3-0 lead on a 32-yard field goal. That score came after Jones intercepted Mills on the third play of the game.

Ventrell Miller knocked the ball out of Tremon Smith’s hands on a kickoff return and it was recovered by Danny Striggow. The Jaguars cashed in on that error when Parker Washington grabbed a 7-yard touchdown pass that made it 10-0.

Washington struck again early in the second quarter when he returned a punt 72 yards for a touchdown to push the lead to 17-0. He evaded the first wave of defenders and sprinted down the sideline untouched for the score. Washington stopped just shy of the goal line, turned around and fell backward into the end zone before teammates pretended to perform CPR on him in a unique celebration.

It was his second punt return TD this season and the third of his career.

The Texans trailed by 17 when Woody Marks scored on a 1-yard run that got them within 20-10 just before halftime.

Texans: S M.J. Stewart was carted off in the second quarter with a knee injury.

Jaguars: Host the Rams next Sunday.

Texans: Visit Tennessee next Sunday.