HOUSTON, Tex. –– Senior writer John Oehser examines five key plays from the Jaguars' 36-29 loss to the Houston Texans in a 2025 Week 10 game at NRG Stadium in Houston, Tex., Sunday.

1. Slip, sliding away. The Jaguars on Sunday let a 19-point fourth-quarter lead slip away in historic, frustrating fashion – and it wasn't so much one play in that final quarter, but an avalanche. "We were trying to hold on to a lead and make them earn it, and we let up too many explosive plays," Head Coach Liam Coen said of a quarter in which the Jaguars allowed two touchdown passes by Texans quarterback Davis Mills before his 14-yard, game-winning scramble with :31 remaining. But perhaps no play from Sunday will resonate to the degree of a 23-yard pass interference penalty on second-year cornerback Jarrian Jones covering former Jaguars wide receiver Christian Kirk, a play that turned first-and-10 at the Jaguars 25-yard-line into first-and-goal at the 2-yard line. Coen said he didn't see the interference, adding, "They said that he might have had his wrist or something, but, yeah … we're not going to get any of those." Mills' scramble capped a 14-play, 93-yard drive, with the Texans driving for touchdowns on drives of 65 and 51 yards on their two previous fourth-quarter possessions.

2. All.The.Way. Wide receiver Parker Washington has given the Jaguars multiple huge plays on offense and special teams in recent seasons. He made huge plays in both areas Sunday, with his special-teams play perhaps the key play of a first half in which the Jaguars built and maintained a double-digit lead. The Jaguars led 10-0 early in the second quarter Sunday when Washington took a punt at the Jaguars 28-yard, started slightly to his left, then weaved his way back right through the Texans coverage for a 73-yard return and a 17-0 lead with 11:40 remaining in the first half. It was Washington's second touchdown of the game and his second punt return touchdown of the season – his third punt return over the last two seasons. "Parker played great," Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence said. "He did a lot of really good things. He's playing with a lot of confidence right now. He obviously was a bright spot of a rough day. He did some great things and is continuing to play well."

3. Jo-o-o-ohnny Mundt. The Jaguars held a double-digit lead throughout the second half, with a key play from that stretch coming with Jacksonville holding a 13-point lead. The Jaguars with just over five minutes remaining in the third quarter led 23-10, but faced third-and-17 at their 45. Lawrence on the play threw to his right to tight end Johnny Mundt, who broke a tackle and maintained his balance for a 21-yard gain and a key first down at the Texans 34. Running back Travis Etienne Jr. six plays later scored on a six-yard run to cap an 11-play, 58-yard drive and give the Jaguars a 29-10 lead with 1:33 remaining in the third quarter.

4. Piiiick. The Jaguars took an early lead with a 32-yard field goal by kicker Cam Little, a play that capped a seven-play, 26-yard drive. Jarrian Jones intercepted Mills to set up the drive, with Jones making a nice break on the ball. The Jaguars got a break on the drive when an 15-yard unnecessary roughness penalty on Texans defensive end Denico Autry turned fourth-and-7 at the Texans 37 into first-and-10 at the Texans 22, but the drive stalled again with Little converting the 32-yarder. "We got a couple of turnovers early, but we weren't able to go capitalize," Coen said. Jones also registered a pass breakup on a fourth-and-5 pass to wide receiver Nico Collins from the Jaguars 42-yard-line in the third quarter.

5. Fuuuuumble! The Jaguars forced their second takeaway of the game on the kickoff following Little's early field goal, with defensive end Danny Striggow recovering a fumble that linebacker Ventrell Miller forced with a hit on Texans returner Tremon Smith. That gave the Jaguars first-and-10 at the Texans 19. The Jaguars turned this turnover into a 10-point lead when Lawrence threw into the left corner of the end zone on third-and-goal from the 7-yard-line, with Washington making a remarkable twisting, leaping reception for a 10-0 lead with 8:17 remaining in the first quarter.