Story by
Jaguars defensive end Josh Hines-Allen dominated on defense without dominant stats
- Story by
- Jaguars defensive end Josh Hines-Allen dominated on defense without dominant stats
Jacksonville Jaguars defensive end Josh Hines-Allen proved that dominant games can come without eye-catching statistics.
Hines-Allen had two tackles in the Jaguars' 17-10 victory over the Houston Texans on Sept. 21 at EverBank Stadium. One was on an assisted sack of Houston quarterback C.J. Stroud with defensive tackle Arik Armstead and it was for a modest 4-yard loss.
Advertisement
But Houston was so conscious of not letting the seven-year veteran dominate the game that it resorted to all manners of tactics: double teams, chipping with tight ends and running backs, increasing the tempo and calling plays designed to get the ball out of Stroud's hand early.
Sometimes the ploys stopped Hines-Allen. Sometimes they didn't. But it also created openings for other Jaguars' players.
"It hasn't quite shown in every stat book, but his presence, what he does in terms of affecting the game both in the game and the pass has been really, really something," said Jaguars coach Liam Coen. "That's helped us out to get other people to be able to get pressures ... the way that he affects the game."
Josh Hines-Allen factored in a crucial interception
On the interception by Jaguars cornerback Jourdan Lewis , for example, Hines-Allen pushed offensive tackle Juice Scruggs into the backfield, disrupting Stroud's timing.
Advertisement
And then on the play that iced the victory with 20 seconds left, Hines-Allen looped around tackle Aireontae Ersery and caught a piece of the ball as Stroud was throwing downfield. Because it was tipped, Lewis was allowed, within the rules, to tackle intended receiver Christian Kirk and Antonio Johnson intercepted it when the ball fluttered short.
Jaguars linebacker Devin Lloyd (0) celebrates his interception with teammate Jacksonville Jaguars defensive end Josh Hines-Allen (41) during the fourth quarter between the Houston Texans and the Jacksonville Jaguars Sunday September 21, 2025 at EverBank Stadium in Jacksonville, Fla. The Jaguars defeated the Texans 17-10. [Doug Engle/Florida Times-Union]
Hines-Allen called it "a take-it game," and the defense overcame the offensive shortcomings, a week after it failed to back up an offense that put up 27 points in a road game.
He also deflected any individual credit.
"We battled our butts off today," he said. "It was going to be offense, defense, special teams, whoever it was going to be in that moment at the last second, we were going to have to take it ... my teammates, man, they battled their butts off. For me, I just did my part, tried to stay one play at a time and just do what I can for my team, and I saw an opportunity and, yeah. We ended the game the right way."
Advertisement
Hines-Allen's half-sack means he needs 1.5 to catch Tony Brackens for the Jaguars' career record of 55. Hines-Allen added three quarterback hits, a team-high five quarterback pressures and was the vocal leader of a unit that held the Texans to their lowest total in Jacksonville since 2017 and forced Stroud into interceptions against the Jaguars for the first time in his career.
Hines-Allen also drew two offensive holding penalties against Esery.
Defense rebounds from Cincinnati loss
The Jaguars' defense bounced back from last week's game in which it gave up a game-winning, 90-yard scoring drive at Cincinnati at game's end.
Advertisement
The Texans came close. They got a first down at the Jags' 37 but on third-and-one from the 28 with 20 seconds left, Johnson made the game-sealing interception. In addition to the two interceptions, Devin Lloyd recovered a Nico Collins fumble that Tyson Campbell punched out of Collin' grasp.
The three turnovers gave the Jaguars nine for the season, matching last year's total and topping eight by the defense (there was one special-teams turnover in 2024).
Lewis became the third Jaguars player in the last 20 seasons to have multiple interceptions in the first three games and Walker now has 17.5 sacks in his last 24 games.
"There are things we still need to clean up but it was a good one," Lewis said. "We fought and that's all you can ask in a division game. We leaned on our training, being hard-nosed, grind it out and believing in each other."
Advertisement
Liam Coen had a feeling about the defense
Coen changed his tactics on the coin flip from the first two games. The Jaguars won the toss and elected to receive to get his offense on the field first. The result was 10 points.
But after winning the coin toss for the third game in a row, Coen deferred and the Texans took the ball.
It was what Coen wanted.
Jacksonville Jaguars defensive end Josh Hines-Allen (41) tackles Houston Texans running back Woody Marks (27) during the third quarter of an NFL football matchup at EverBank Stadium, Sunday, Sept. 21, 2025, in Jacksonville, Fla. The Jaguars defeated the Texans 17-10. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union]
"We elected to defer ... just kind of get our defense out there and let them start fast and affect the game, and those guys did," he said.
Hines-Allen made his point on the game's second play when he beat two stock ways of holding off an elite pass-rusher.
Advertisement
He breezed past Esery and tight end Harrison Bryant , who was in the game to chip on that side, then faced running back Nick Chubb , who was pass blocking.
Hines-Allen merely pushed Chubb to the ground and continued on his way to Stroud. The Houston quarterback got rid of the ball but Hines-Allen gave him a jolt as he released it and a deep pass intended for Nico Collins was incomplete.
Coen didn't discount Hines-Allen's emotional lift for the defense.
"He was pretty emotional in there and excited and juiced up," Coen said. "So, hopefully it's a sign to keep moving forward. Josh ... it's the way he plays. His strain, his finish. Even if he doesn't win on a rush, those guys up front have done a nice job of getting their hands up and affected the pass game in different ways."
Advertisement
In addressing the emotional issues, Hines-Allen made a point: How could he not, especially when the Jaguars were 3-10 in one-score games last year.
"It's huge, man. I feel like going into each game, we expect to win," he said. "We put the work in every single day. We trust the process. We trust each side of the ball, offensively, defensively, special teams. It's just a wonderful feeling and we're going to have to keep building on."
This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Jaguars DE Josh Hines-Allen led the defense in a "take-it" game
