Trevor Lawrence wishes Houston Texans didn't have CJ Stroud after Jacksonville Jaguars hold off rookie quarterback
Trevor Lawrence led the Jacksonville Jaguars to their eighth win this season as they beat the Houston Texans 24-21 following Matt Ammendola's missed field goal in the closing seconds of the game; Texans rookie quarterback CJ Stroud starred again with two touchdown passes
Monday 27 November 2023 08:53, UK
Trevor Lawrence joked he wants the Jacksonville Jaguars' close rivals to be as "bad as possible" after his side fended off a CJ Stroud-inspired Houston Texans to take control of the AFC South on Sunday.
Matt Amendola missed a 58-yard field goal to send the game to overtime in the final seconds as Jacksonville ran out 24-21 winners to move to 8-3 on the year.
Lawrence threw for 364 yards, one touchdown and one interception while Stroud continued his sublime rookie campaign by posting 304 yards for two scoring strikes alongside a team-high 47 rushing yards and a touchdown.
It set the tone for yet another duel between young star quarterbacks that the league can look forward to watching for years to come.
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"I want the teams in our division to be as bad as possible, that's how I see it," Lawrence told reporters. "The way they're playing, it's exciting, I'm sure there's going to be some great matchups down the road.
"CJ Stroud is playing lights out, he's doing a great job, and to be a rookie and play how he is, I've got a lot of respect for him.
"I know how hard it is, I've been in that position. It's going to be fun for years to come.
"I wouldn't prefer that, though. I'd prefer if the guys in our division didn't have good quarterbacks, it would be better for us. But he's doing a heck of a job and he's getting better, to see how he's playing now it's been impressive to watch."
Edge rusher Josh Allen starred with a game-saving sack down the stretch, while Calvin Ridley and Christian Kirk recorded 89 receiving yards apiece as the Jacksonville offense preserved the spark it had rediscovered against the Tennessee Titans last week.
"We are getting better every week, not just Calvin Ridley but the whole offense," said Lawrence. "We're being more explosive, moving the ball at will, we're doing a lot of great things, we've got to play cleaner.
"Too many dumb mistakes and missed opportunities. We know what we've got to do, it's a week to week business."
Lawrence and the Jags now sit with a cushion at the tip of their division and firmly in the race for a top seed heading into the postseason.
With Stroud under center, the Texans will still believe they can keep their name in the playoff discussion having received glistening reassurance that they found their quarterback of the future with the second overall pick at the Draft.
"His poise and command in the pocket is like nothing I've seen from a rookie. I'm always looking at the footwork, is it calm in the pocket? Are you in position to throw accurately? And he is," said Sky Sports NFL's Jason Bell.
"When he's extending the play, he always seems balanced, and that's what the best do. He did it over and over again in crucial situations. This kid has it all."
