**HOUSTON, Tex.** – Call this one frustrating. Really frustrating.
Call it a missed opportunity, too – with the Jaguars missing a chance for a big victory, and doing so in heartbreaking fashion.
Parker Washington scored two touchdowns, and the Jaguars took a huge early lead, but they squandered a chance to sweep their AFC South rivals – with the Houston Texans rallying from a 19-point second-half deficit for a 36-29 victory over the Jaguars at NRG Stadium Sunday afternoon.
Quarterback Davis Mills' 17-yard scramble with :30 remaining in the fourth quarter capped the Texans' rally, giving them a 30-29 lead. The two-point attempt failed.
Texans defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins returned a fumble by quarterback Trevor Lawrence 32 yards for a touchdown on the game's final play for the final margin.
Washington, the Jaguars' third-year wide receiver, scored the Jaguars' first two touchdowns – both in the first half. Cam Little, the Jaguars' second-year kicker, converted all three of his field-goal attempts to extend and protect an early lead built off Texans turnovers.
Washington scored on a seven-yard first-quarter touchdown reception for a 10-0 lead, and his 73-yard second-quarter punt return pushed the lead to 17.
Jaguars running back Travis Etienne Jr. rushed for 58 yards on 16 carries, with his six-yard third-quarter touchdown giving the Jaguars a three-score lead late in the third quarter.
Mills threw touchdown passes to wide receiver Jayden Higgins and tight end Dalton Schultz to rally the Texans to within five.
The Jaguars (5-4) lost for a third time in four games and trail the AFC South-leading Indianapolis Colts (8-2) by two and a half games. The Colts beat the Atlanta Falcons, 31-25, in overtime Sunday.
The Jaguars missed a chance at their first season sweep over the Texans (4-5) since 2017. The Jaguars beat the Texans, 17-10, in Jacksonville in Week 3.
Lawrence completed 13 of 23 passes for 158 yards and one touchdown with one interception.
Mills, playing for injured starter C.J. Stroud (concussion) completed 27 of 45 passes for 292 yards and two touchdowns with one interceptions, with cornerback Jarrian Jones intercepting Mills to set up a first-quarter field goal.
The Jaguars registered two takeaways Sunday, with rookie defensive end Danny Striggow recovering a fumble on an early Texans kickoff return to set up Washington's touchdown reception. Sunday marked the Jaguars first multi-takeaway game since Week 4, and they now have 17 takeaways for the season.
The Jaguars also registered two sacks Sunday – one each by safety Antonio Johnson and defensive tackle Arik Armstead – and now have 11 for the season.
**2025 Week 10, Step by step:**
* Little gave the Jaguars a 3-0 lead with 11:04 remaining in the first quarter, a score that came seven plays after Jones intercepted Mills to end the Texans' first possession. The Jaguars turned their second takeaway of the game into a 10-point lead, with Lawrence's 7-yard touchdown pass to Washington giving the Jaguars a 10-lead with 8:17 remaining in the first quarter, a play that came five plays after Striggow recovered a fumble by Texans kickoff returner Tremon Smith.
* Washington's punt return for a touchdown came with 11:40 remaining in the second quarter and pushed the Jaguars' lead to 17-0, with Texans kicker Matthew Wright capping the ensuing possession with a 23-yard field goal that cut the lead to 17-3 with 8:04 remaining in the half. Little's 53-yard field goal with 4:02 remaining in the half capped a seven-play, 40-yard drive and pushed the Jaguars' lead to 20-3. A one-yard run by Texans running back Woody Marks made it 20-10 with 4:02 remaining in the half.
* Little's 33-yard field goal capped a nine-play, 59-yard drive and pushed the Jaguars' lead to 23-10 with 10:17 remaining. Etienne's six-yard run that pushed the lead to 19 with 1:33 remaining in the third quarter capped an 11-play, 58-yard drive.
* Higgins' 12-yard reception on a pass from Mills and wide receiver Nico Collins' ensuing two-point reception cut the lead to 29-18 with 12:16 remaining. Mills capped the Texans' ensuing drive with a 7-yard touchdown pass to Schultz, cutting the Jaguars' lead to 29-24 with 7:29 remaining.
**Notable:** Jaguars wide receiver Dyami Brown played Sunday after being questionable with a concussion on Friday's final injury report of the week; the Jaguars' six inactive players Sunday: Starting left guard Ezra Cleveland (knee/ankle), tight end Hunter Long (hip/knee), running back Cody Schrader, starting wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. (ankle), defensive tackle Austin Johnson and starting cornerback Jourdan Lewis (neck).
**Injury report:** Jaguars right tackle Anton Harrison and right guard Patrick Mekari sustained fourth-quarter knee injuries.