HOUSTON – The Houston Texans clinched the AFC South title as Deshaun Watson threw for 234 yards and ran for a touchdown, and DeAndre Hopkins had 147 yards receiving in a 20-3 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday.
The Texans (11-5) won nine in a row after starting 0-3 to save their season and will make their fifth playoff appearance after winning the division for the fifth time in franchise history. Houston returns to the postseason for the third time in four years after bouncing back from last year's 4-12 record in a season where Watson and J.J. Watt sustained season-ending injuries.
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HOUSTON, TEXAS - DECEMBER 30: Lamar Miller #26 of the Houston Texans scores a touchdown during the second quarter as Tre Herndon #41 of the Jacksonville Jaguars is unable to keep him out of the endzone at NRG Stadium on December 30, 2018 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Bob Levey/Getty Images)HOUSTON, TEXAS - DECEMBER 30: Dede Westbrook #12 of the Jacksonville Jaguars fumbles a punt and is recovered by Zach Cunningham #41 of the Houston Texans at NRG Stadium on December 30, 2018 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Bob Levey/Getty Images)HOUSTON, TEXAS - DECEMBER 30: Deshaun Watson #4 of the Houston Texans celebrates with Nick Martin #66 a touchdown against the Jacksonville Jaguars during the second quarter at NRG Stadium on December 30, 2018 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Bob Levey/Getty Images)HOUSTON, TEXAS - DECEMBER 30: Deshaun Watson #4 of the Houston Texans celebrates a touchdown against the Jacksonville Jaguars during the second quarter at NRG Stadium on December 30, 2018 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Bob Levey/Getty Images)HOUSTON, TEXAS - DECEMBER 30: Deshaun Watson #4 of the Houston Texans runs past Telvin Smith #50 of the Jacksonville Jaguars during the first quarter at NRG Stadium on December 30, 2018 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Bob Levey/Getty Images)HOUSTON, TEXAS - DECEMBER 30: Deshaun Watson #4 of the Houston Texans scores a touchdown as Nick DeLuca #57 of the Jacksonville Jaguars is unable to keep him out of the endzone during the second quarter at NRG Stadium on December 30, 2018 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Bob Levey/Getty Images)HOUSTON, TEXAS - DECEMBER 30: Dede Westbrook #12 of the Jacksonville Jaguars is tackled by Zach Cunningham #41 of the Houston Texans and Andre Hal #29 attempting to score during the first quarter at NRG Stadium on December 30, 2018 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Bob Levey/Getty Images)HOUSTON, TEXAS - DECEMBER 30: J.J. Watt #99 of the Houston Texans is introduced to the crowd before playing the Jacksonville Jaguars at NRG Stadium on December 30, 2018 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Bob Levey/Getty Images)HOUSTON, TEXAS - DECEMBER 30: Deshaun Watson #4 of the Houston Texans warms up before playing the Jacksonville Jaguars at NRG Stadium on December 30, 2018 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Bob Levey/Getty Images)HOUSTON, TX - DECEMBER 30: Whitney Mercilus #59 of the Houston Texans celebrates with Christian Covington #95 after a sack in the second quarter against the Jacksonville Jaguars at NRG Stadium on December 30, 2018 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images)HOUSTON, TX - DECEMBER 30: DeAndre Hopkins #10 of the Houston Texans is tackled by D.J. Hayden #25 of the Jacksonville Jaguars and Myles Jack #44 in the second quarter at NRG Stadium on December 30, 2018 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images)HOUSTON, TX - DECEMBER 30: DeAndre Hopkins #10 of the Houston Texans is tackled by D.J. Hayden #25 of the Jacksonville Jaguars and Myles Jack #44 in the second quarter at NRG Stadium on December 30, 2018 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images)HOUSTON, TX - DECEMBER 30: Blake Bortles #5 of the Jacksonville Jaguars is tackled by Duke Ejiofor #53 of the Houston Texans and Justin Reid #20 in the second quarter at NRG Stadium on December 30, 2018 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images)HOUSTON, TX - DECEMBER 30: Benardrick McKinney #55 of the Houston Texans deflects a pass by Blake Bortles #5 of the Jacksonville Jaguars in the second quarter at NRG Stadium on December 30, 2018 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images)HOUSTON, TX - DECEMBER 30: Deshaun Watson #4 of the Houston Texans escapes a tackle by Myles Jack #44 of the Jacksonville Jaguars in the second quarter at NRG Stadium on December 30, 2018 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images)HOUSTON, TX - DECEMBER 30: Deshaun Watson #4 of the Houston Texans celebrates after a rushing touchdown in the second quarter against the Jacksonville Jaguars at NRG Stadium on December 30, 2018 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images)HOUSTON, TX - DECEMBER 30: Blake Bortles #5 of the Jacksonville Jaguars hands off to Carlos Hyde #34 of the Jacksonville Jaguars in the first quarter against the Houston Texans at NRG Stadium on December 30, 2018 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images)HOUSTON, TX - DECEMBER 30: Josh Lambo #4 of the Jacksonville Jaguars kicks a field goal in the first quarter against the Houston Texans at NRG Stadium on December 30, 2018 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images)HOUSTON, TX - DECEMBER 30: Blake Bortles #5 of the Jacksonville Jaguars scrambles out of the pocket under pressure by Whitney Mercilus #59 of the Houston Texans in the first quarter at NRG Stadium on December 30, 2018 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images)HOUSTON, TX - DECEMBER 30: Cody Kessler #6 of the Jacksonville Jaguars warms up before the game against the Houston Texans at NRG Stadium on December 30, 2018 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images)HOUSTON, TX - DECEMBER 30: Blake Bortles #5 of the Jacksonville Jaguars warms up before the game against the Houston Texans at NRG Stadium on December 30, 2018 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images)
HOUSTON, TEXAS - DECEMBER 30: Lamar Miller #26 of the Houston Texans scores a touchdown during the second quarter as Tre Herndon #41 of the Jacksonville Jaguars is unable to keep him out of the endzone at NRG Stadium on December 30, 2018 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Bob Levey/Getty Images)
Houston built a 14-point lead in the first half behind rushing touchdowns by Watson and Lamar Miller and made it 20-3 on a 24-yard field goal with about 11 minutes left. The Jaguars had a chance to cut the lead later in the fourth period, but Blake Bortles was intercepted in the end zone by Andre Hal.
Jaguars owner Shad Khan issued a statement urging his director of football operations, Tom Coughlin, the keep the status quo with coach Doug Marrone and general manager Dave Caldwell -- even though the team flopped from a spot in the AFC title game to last place.
The Jaguars (5-11) returned to Bortles as starter after benching the quarterback following a loss to Buffalo on Nov. 25. But he did little to get Jacksonville's offense going, the Jaguars managing one first down in the opening half and finishing with six. Bortles was 15 of 28 for 107 yards.
Watt sacked him 1 1/2 times to give him 16 this year for his fourth season with 15 or more sacks, second most in NFL history to Reggie White (5).
The performance by Hopkins gives him 1,572 yards receiving and 115 receptions this season, both career highs. His receptions are tied with Andre Johnson (2008) for most in franchise history.
Dede Westbrook muffed a punt late in the first quarter recovered by Zach Cunningham. The Texans got a first down at the 10 after rookie Tre Herndon received a 27-yard pass interference penalty.
Two plays later Watson scrambled 5 yards to make it 10-3 early in the second quarter.
The Texans faced a third-and-6 late in the second quarter when Myles Jack deflected a pass and Hopkins grabbed it for a 13-yard gain. Miller ran 7 yards for a touchdown on the next play, dragging two defenders into the end zone to make it 17-3.
DeAndre Carter fumbled a punt in the first quarter and it was recovered by Jacksonville at the 10. But the Jaguars couldn't move the ball and settled for a field goal that made it 3-0.
The Texans tied it at 3 with a 23-yard field goal on their next possession.
TEXANS NUMBERS
Hopkins is the fourth player in NFL history (Jerry Rice, Marvin Harrison and Brandon Marshall) to have at least 100 receptions, 1,500 yards receiving and 11 touchdowns in multiple seasons. He had 111 receptions for 1,521 yards and 11 touchdowns in 2015.
Watson, who ran for 66 yards on Sunday, is the first player in NFL history to throw for at least 4,000 yards (4,165) and 25 touchdowns (26) and rush for 500 yards (551) and five touchdowns (5) in a season.
INJURIES
Jaguars: Jacksonville was without starting cornerback A.J. Bouye (toe injury) and running back Leonard Fournette was inactive because of an ankle injury.
Texans: Starting cornerback Johnathan Joseph sat out with a neck injury.
UP NEXT
Jaguars: Jacksonville must decide what to do with Bortles before next season. Most believe he won't return in 2019 after going 24-49 in five seasons. The third overall pick in the 2014 draft also is due to count $21 million against the salary cap, and the Jags can save $9.5 million by cutting him with a post-June 1 designation.
Texans: Will host the winner of Sunday night's Colts-Titans game next Saturday or Sunday, barring a tie between those teams.
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