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Texans Edge Jaguars in Thrilling London NFL Game

Updated 3:16 AM ET · 7:18 AM ETConfirmed

Sports Desk

In Short: The Houston Texans and Jacksonville Jaguars faced off in a highly anticipated NFL London game at Wembley Stadium on Sunday, October 18, 2026.

The Houston Texans and Jacksonville Jaguars faced off in a highly anticipated NFL London game at Wembley Stadium on Sunday, October 18, 2026. The matchup, which started at 9:30 a.m., saw the Texans emerge victorious with a 34-31 win over the Jaguars.

The NFL has been expanding its international footprint, hosting regular season games in cities like Rio, Mexico City, Melbourne, Berlin, and Dublin. This year's London game marks the league's return to the city after a brief hiatus, with the Jaguars and Texans battling it out in front of an international audience.

The Jaguars, coming off a 4-1 start to the season, were looking to maintain their strong performance. However, they faced a tough challenge from the Texans, who were 1-4 but had just secured their first win of the year against the Tennessee Titans.

Houston's defense, ranked second in scoring defense and 18th in total defense, played a crucial role in the game. The Texans' defense allowed only 14.0 points per game and 330.0 yards per game, making it difficult for the Jaguars to score consistently.

The Jaguars' Travis Hunter made history by becoming the first NFL player since 2002 to catch an offensive touchdown and record a defensive interception in the same game. Hunter's two-way performance was a highlight of the match, but it wasn't enough to secure a win for the Jaguars.

Houston's quarterback, CJ Stroud, had a standout performance, leading the team to victory. Stroud's efforts were crucial in the Texans' second consecutive win, which helped them climb back into the AFC playoff picture.

The game was marked by several controversial moments, including a penalty against the Eagles for illegal formation and a holding call against the Jaguars on the kickoff return. These incidents added to the drama of the already intense match.

Despite the Jaguars' strong start to the season, they struggled against the Texans' defense, allowing 408 yards but only 19 total points. This performance was a stark contrast to their average of 26 points per game entering Week 5.

The game also saw the debut of Marvin Harrison Jr. for the Texans, who was acquired in a trade and waived Jared Wayne in a corresponding move. Harrison's performance was noted positively by head coach DeMeco Ryans, who said, 'I thought Marvin did a really good job today, getting acclimated.'

What this adds

Background

What's confirmed

• Related 'BTS Lyrics Inside Volume 2': The K-Pop Supergroup Breaks Down More of Its Songs In a New Book KATSEYE Gets Personal in New 'WILD HEARTS' Documentary: Here's Where to Stream It 'Grey's Anatomy' Showrunner Recalls Learning Dolly Parton Died in the 'Middle of Shooting' an Episode About Her The NFL London Game happens on Sunday (Oct. 18) with a matchup featuring the Houston Texans (1-4) taking on the Jacksonville Jaguars (4-1) at Wembley Stadium in London, England, with a start time of 9:30 a.m.
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• The Texans' defense arrives as one of the NFL's stingiest, ranking second in scoring defense (14.0 points allowed per game) and 18th in total defense (330.0 yards allowed per game).
• Their second game across the pond will be about 13 miles east of Tottenham Hotspur Stadium (where they played last week) at the famed Wembley Stadium.
• In the fourth quarter, quarterback Trevor Lawrence found Hunter in the end zone for a seven-yard touchdown, his first of the NFL season, pulling Jacksonville within three points of the lead.
• As for the Texans, they are coming off their first win of the season against the lowly Tennessee Titans.

What's still developing

• After nearly 20 years of game play, the NFL returns to London for the 2026-27 season.
• No. 0 LB Azeez Al-Shaair: With 10 tackles, Al-Shaair would become the sixth player in franchise history to record at least 10 tackles in four or more consecutive games, joining LB Jay Foreman, LB Zach Cunningham, LB Brian Cushing, LB DeMeco Ryans and LB Jamie Sharper.
• The broadcaster is showing two live NFL games every Sunday during the regular season, with coverage also available to stream through 5.
• But following Sunday's Week 4 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars, both of these talented pass catchers are dealing with injuries.
• The Philadelphia Eagles and Jacksonville Jaguars couldn't get through the opening kickoff on Sunday without some controversy.
• Things got a little better on Sunday morning for the Cowboys as the Eagles fell to the Jaguars thanks to late-game heroics from Jacksonville.
• They should be 3-2, however, after taking a lead against the Jacksonville Jaguars with eight seconds to play.
• 3; 4-1): On a Sunday that featured plenty of lessons, Jacksonville’s contribution was to highlight the importance of having a backup long snapper.
• Sunday, October 4, 2026 · 4:15 PM ET In Short: Bengals star wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase was ruled out for the remainder of Sunday's game against the Jaguars after sustaining a concussion.
• In the first three games of the season, Chase had caught 18 passes for 185 yards and three touchdowns.
• Chase's ability to walk off the field under his own power was a positive sign, but his status for the upcoming games remains uncertain.
• "I lost us that game and that's what I said to our guys," Sirianni admitted in his post-game news conference.

Sources

• Billboardlink
• Bleacher Reportlink
• Bolavip USlink
• Bozeman Daily Chroniclelink
• CBS Sportslink
• FTN (For the Numbers)link
• Houston Chroniclelink
• Houston Presslink
• Houston Texanslink
• Jackson County Pilotlink
• K-Jewel 99.3 FMlink
• NFL.comlink
• National Football Postlink
• New York Postlink
• Newsweeklink
• Wjcllink
• CBS Sports — video link