Texans Make Unwanted History in 33-28 Loss to Jaguars
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) — The Houston Texans hit rock bottom on Sunday, becoming the first team in NFL history to allow three separate 100-yard rushers in a single game in their 33-28 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Trevor Lawrence stunned by tucking and running for 105 yards of his own, while Travis Etienne (105 yards, TD) and Tank Bigsby (102 yards, TD) joined the rushing parade. In total, the Jaguars piled up a staggering 509 yards of offense, leaving Houston’s defense in shambles.
Despite Drake Maye and the offense scratching out 28 points — usually more than enough to win — the Texans’ defense was so porous that even head coach David Shaw, normally the picture of calm, looked like a man at his wit’s end.
When asked postgame what he would say to defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard in the locker room, Shaw replied coldly: “I don’t know, Jim isn’t welcome in the locker room after that performance.” The room erupted in laughter, but Shaw’s face remained unreadable. He turned and walked into the locker room, leaving the press corps stunned into silence.
Reports soon confirmed Leonhard had been fired immediately, with linebackers coach Aaron Curry stepping in as interim defensive coordinator. As if the debacle couldn’t get more surreal, Leonhard was later spotted wandering the streets of downtown Jacksonville. Witnesses said the Texans didn’t even provide him cab fare.
By Monday morning, rumors swirled that Leonhard had managed to hitchhike home — not in a car, but on a cargo plane bound for a small airfield just north of Houston.
For Houston (2-1), the loss isn’t just another mark in the standings — it’s a sobering reminder that their “talented but underachieving” defense must turn things around quickly, or more changes may be coming.
Packers Storm Back to Beat Browns 23-13
CLEVELAND (AP) — The Green Bay Packers flipped the script on Sunday, erasing a sluggish first half to beat the Cleveland Browns 23-13 on the road.
Cleveland controlled the opening half, putting up all 13 of its points before halftime behind steady defensive play and timely offense. But after the break, the Packers found another gear. Green Bay scored all 23 of its points in the second half, leaning on explosive plays from their stars to secure the win.
Wide receiver Justin Jefferson was the spark, catching eight passes for 117 yards and a touchdown as he consistently found holes in Cleveland’s secondary. On defense, it was a homecoming performance for pass rusher Myles Garrett. Facing his former team, Garrett racked up 1.5 sacks and an eye-popping eight tackles for loss, disrupting the Browns’ protection and shutting down their ground game.
For Garrett, the game carried extra meaning but little sentimentality. “Coming back here, I wasn’t thinking about memories or emotions — just business,” Garrett said. “My job is to dominate up front, no matter who’s on the other sideline. Today was about getting this team a win.”
The Packers (3-0) remained unbeaten to start the season, showing resilience in hostile territory, while the Browns (1-2) were left frustrated after failing to sustain their early momentum.
49ers Fall to Cardinals 20-16, Drop Second Straight
SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — The San Francisco 49ers stumbled for the second week in a row, falling 20-16 to the unbeaten Arizona Cardinals on Sunday.
Quarterback Jordan Love once again struggled with consistency, completing just 57% of his passes as the 49ers’ offense failed to sustain drives. Love admitted afterward that mechanics may have been part of the problem. “I’ve got to go back and look at my footwork — I felt off at times, and that shows up in the accuracy,” Love said.
Arizona, meanwhile, leaned on the dynamic play of Kyler Murray. The Cardinals quarterback hurt San Francisco repeatedly with his legs, rushing for 93 yards and scoring both of Arizona’s touchdowns on the ground.
The loss drops the 49ers to 1-2, while the Cardinals moved to 3-0 and cemented themselves as the early surprise of the NFC West.
Chargers Dominate Broncos, Stay Perfect at 3-0
DENVER (AP) — The Los Angeles Chargers look every bit the early-season juggernaut after a 27-3 win over the Denver Broncos on Sunday, fueled by another monster outing from Christian McCaffrey and a defense that is playing at an elite level.
McCaffrey carried the Chargers’ offense, pounding out 254 rushing yards on 31 carries and wearing down Denver’s front throughout the game. His blend of vision and power left the Broncos with no answers.
On the other side of the ball, the Chargers’ defense was smothering. They limited Denver to just 172 total yards, closing lanes in the run game and making life miserable for quarterback Bo Nix. Through three weeks, the unit is building a case as one of the league’s best, combining speed off the edge with lockdown play in the secondary.
The win puts Los Angeles at 3-0 overall and, perhaps more importantly, 3-0 in the AFC West. In a division often defined by razor-thin margins, stacking early wins against rivals could prove pivotal in December.
