Landry Locker grades the Texans' performance. Here are the grades for the win over the Jacksonville Jaguars. Follow Landry on YouTube.
The Texans got their biggest win of the season in a must-win against the Jaguars. The defense was carried by the offense, which might be the new norm.
Despite starting with four straight losses, the Texans could get to .500 earlier than last season, when it took them 10 games. The competition is about to get easier. If the offense continues to play at this level and the defense starts looking anywhere close to how it should, then this could end up being an extremely exciting season.
The season is very much alive. There are a lot of reasons for hope for this football team, with the main reason being elite quarterback play.
Here are the week six Land Lock grades.
Quarterback: A+
C.J. Stroud has continued to bail out the defense. He should have four game-winning fourth-quarter drives if the defense could hold late leads. Fortunately, the offense had the ball last in London. He was elite and has been all season long.
This is the best Stroud has ever looked. It’s hard to imagine him playing much better than he has. What’s even scarier is that his offensive surroundings appear to be improving, which is a scary thought for the remaining opponents.
Running Backs: A+
Woody Marks was the first running back to rush for over 40 yards against the Jaguars this season. Shortly afterwards, Jawhar Jordan became the second. It doesn’t get much better than that.
The Texans staff was forced to use Jordan when an underperforming veteran got hurt for the second straight season, and for the second time, Jordan was a major contributor in the game. That’s funny and frustrating.
Jordan had a huge touchdown run and a run to set up the game-winner. Marks best play was the third-down reception on that same drive.
This was the best the backs have looked all season, and it’s not a coincidence. It will be very interesting to see how the rotation is handled moving forward, especially when Montgomery is healthy.
Jordan also has a history of getting banged up after the team displays confidence in him, which will be something else to monitor.
Wide Receivers: A
Jaylin Noel had the best game of his career and was still a major factor on offense despite the arrival of Marvin Harrison Jr.
One of the most intriguing formations was the one where Caley lined Noel and Harrison up on the same side of the field. It’s going to be fun to see how this looks as the season goes on.
Kayshon Boutte had his spectacular sideline catch of the game. He’s obviously not DeAndre Hopkins, but like Hopkins, he has at least one of those per Sunday. It’s hard to complain about his usage because things are gelling so well. It feels like Boutte is due for a really, really big play in the next couple of weeks.
Harrison was sprinkled in appropriately. He was able to get chemistry going with Stroud after a Jacksonville penalty to start the third quarter. It’s going to be fun to see how Caley sprinkles him into the mix.
Nico Collins still made all the plays he was required to help and appears to have a supporting cast that will allow him to do what he does and not carry the whole load.
Tight Ends: A
Foster Moreau had two touchdowns and a solo tackle on punt coverage in the first half.
Dalton Schultz was clearly having issues with sliding on the turf and appears to be banged up, but made some plays throughout the day.
Cade Stover continued to block well and also was called upon for a couple of quarterback sneaks, moving the chains on one and centering the ball for the game-winning field goal for the other.
The only bad moment for the tight ends was the unnecessary swing pass to Brevin Jordan, but that was a very small thing.
This was a complete effort at the tight end position, the most complete of the season.
Offensive Line: A-
The offensive line looked a lot better in run blocking with Montgomery out of the rotation. They led the way for the first two running backs to rush for 40 yards against the Jacksonville defense.
They also didn’t allow a sack, which was aided by Stroud’s ability to make plays, but they held up nicely.
There were a few penalties, but that’s expected, and they weren’t too costly.
You would take this offensive line performance every single game, no questions asked.
Defensive Line: D
The Texans defensive line was physically dominated and didn’t have a single sack or tackle for a loss in the game.
Will Anderson Jr. did not wreck the game as expected against a backup tackle, and Danielle Hunter didn’t do anything spectacular either.
There’s a lot of chatter that we are beginning to see the inevitable decline in Hunter playing at a consistently elite level, which isn’t crazy given where he is in his career. Giving him an unnecessary one-year extension at an elite price tag may be crazy, but that’s a completely different conversation.
The Jaguars offensive line and running backs won the battle at the line of scrimmage. Chris Rodriguez looked like Earl Campbell running through the Texans’ defensive front at times.
It wasn’t all bad, and there were times when the defensive line made Trevor Lawrence uncomfortable, but it wasn’t the best outing for this unit.
Linebackers and Safeties: C-
There are a lot of holes in the middle of this defense, especially against the pass. These holes are hard to hide against good teams.
The Jaguars created problems for the middle of the defense on the ground and in the air.
With Jalen Pitre out of the lineup, the Texans started the game with three linebackers on the field. Pitre was most missed against the run.
Henry To’oTo’o was in the mix like he never left and clearly is an upgrade over his backups. He’s still a liability in coverage, but that is what it is, and he’s not alone.
Azeez Al-Shaair had to leave the game briefly, but returned. He had an up-and-down day, with the low points being in coverage and keeping up with the Jags’ running backs.
Calen Bullock had his first interception of the season, capitalizing on a phantom holding call on the Jaguars that negated a touchdown. He also nearly had another.
M.J. Stewart held up nicely and had one play where he had perfect coverage on a deep ball to Parker Washington. He was as good as you should expect.
Reed Blankenship left the game with a concussion, but the Blankenship coaster was on display while he was on the field. He had a few missed tackles, his vintage missed diving attempt to break up a pass, with a nice tackle for a loss on a recognized screen sprinkled in. Honestly, I thought he looked alright when he was in, but he sticks out when he makes mistakes.
Cornerbacks: C-
Derek Stingley Jr. and Kamari Lassiter are still playing far off the line of scrimmage, and while they haven’t been bad, it’s not the standard they have set in previous seasons.
Lassiter is still very up and down and a shell of what he was in his first two seasons in the league. Stingley made some plays.
Tremon Smith stood his ground at times at cornerback.
I believe the best cornerback play is ahead of us and that these guys will perform closer to the expected level of play. Although the expectations haven’t been met, the competition has been tough, and the best is ahead.
Special Teams: B
Ka’imi Fairbairn did what he does, and it was never in doubt. Kai Kroeger punter well. Wade Woodaz showed flashes as a special teams contributor.
The kick coverage is still up and down at best, and the most stressful time of watching the 2026 Texans is when they kick off.
It was a good enough performance to win the game.
Coaching: B
The Good: Nick Caley’s offense. Just a perfect mix of run and pass, and a perfect job of mixing Harrison in while keeping Noel involved in the game plan. Caley gets an A.
The third-down play call and pass to Marks on the game-winning drive was an absolute gem. Caley has dialed up four game-winning quality drives this season with only two wins to show for it. The offense has performed well enough to win five games this season.
I’ve also got to give some credit to new quarterback coach Jerry Schuplinski, aka John Carroll Jerry, who might not have been a counselor at Stroud’s high school camp like former quarterback coach Jerrod Johnson, but has Stroud looking better than he ever has.
The Good: DeMeco Ryans’ in-game management.
Ryans did an excellent job in clock management at the end of the first half, which made Moreau’s second touchdown possible. It was a perfect response to a poor performance at the end of the second quarter last week.
Ryans also didn’t hesitate to settle for the field goal early in the game, which was the right decision.
This was the best in-game management Ryans has had in a game this season and allowed his football team to overcome his defense.
The Bad: Ryans’ defense, which was questioned throughout the broadcast by ESPN’s Louis Riddick, who described the Texans secondary as conceding first downs while mentioning how soft the defense is in the middle.
Typically, Ryans is very smug when his defense is questioned, including this season when I asked him about the soft spot in the middle. It’s one thing to be smug to fans or media questioning the defense, but when a former NFL defensive back sees the obvious, maybe it hits a little different for the defensive play-caller.
Honestly, Ray Charles and Stevie Wonder can see the flaws in this defense. The good news is that there’s still talent on that side of the ball and the competition is about to get much easier in the coming weeks.
The defense was fortunate that their lead on Jacksonville’s final drive was only three points because if the Jags had needed to score a touchdown and had four downs to work with, then let’s be honest, they probably would have done it.
Jacksonville’s offense was having their way with the Texans defense, and every team that has been in that situation against the Texans defense has gotten what they needed late in the game: Buffalo, Indianapolis, Dallas, and the Jags got the field goal they needed.
The Meh: Special teams are still up and down.
The only thing I'm worried about nowis Stroud getting a major payday then turning back into a pumpkin, but there's nothing we can do but pay that man his money. That means this season and next are the best chances we'll ever have to win the big one, which is how Nick designed all of the recent extensions.