Houston Texans vs. Jacksonville Jaguars: 2017 Week 15 Recap

Game story

In Week 15 of the 2017 NFL season on 2017-12-17, the Jacksonville Jaguars took care of business against the Houston Texans, pulling away with a 45–7 final that controlled the game from start to finish.

The highest-scoring period was Q2 with 24 combined points — the stretch that most shaped the final margin.

T. Yates (Houston Texans) paced the passing game, with -15.25 total EPA, and -17.4% completion percentage over expected.

On the individual side, B. Bortles (Jacksonville Jaguars) delivered the top overall EPA impact at +22.92 — the clearest player-of-the-game signal on the analytics sheet.

The momentum swing (-6.7% win probability) landed in the opening quarter when Houston Texans changed the game: (11:29) (Shotgun) 2-T.Yates sacked at HOU 25 for -8 yards (93-C.Campbell).

Line score

Final score and points by quarter.

Stars of the game

Top performers by total expected points added (EPA) across passing, rushing, and receiving.

1. 1 B. Bortles · Jacksonville Jaguars · Passing · +22.92 total EPA · 32 snaps · +0.72 EPA/play
2. 2 K. Cole · Jacksonville Jaguars · Receiving · +13.77 total EPA · 9 snaps · +1.53 EPA/play
3. 3 J. Mickens · Jacksonville Jaguars · Receiving · +6.12 total EPA · 5 snaps · +1.22 EPA/play
4. 4 W.Fuller V · Houston Texans · Receiving · +3.51 total EPA · 5 snaps · +0.70 EPA/play
5. 5 T. Bohanon · Jacksonville Jaguars · Rushing · +2.05 total EPA · 2 snaps · +1.03 EPA/play
6. 6 C. Grant · Jacksonville Jaguars · Rushing · +1.83 total EPA · 10 snaps · +0.18 EPA/play
7. 7 M. Lewis · Jacksonville Jaguars · Receiving · +1.71 total EPA · 2 snaps · +0.86 EPA/play
8. 8 D. Westbrook · Jacksonville Jaguars · Receiving · +1.70 total EPA · 2 snaps · +0.85 EPA/play

Player of the game

FantasyHQ analytics player-of-the-game pick based on total EPA and signature plays.

Who scored touchdowns and field goals

Every touchdown and field goal with the player named in official play-by-play.

Touchdowns

• Jacksonville Jaguars — T. Bohanon (Q1 48:54)
• Jacksonville Jaguars — J. Mickens (B. Bortles pass) (Q2 44:51)
• Jacksonville Jaguars — J. Mickens (B. Bortles pass) (Q2 40:18)
• Jacksonville Jaguars — K. Cole (B. Bortles pass) (Q2 30:29)
• Houston Texans — D. Hopkins (T. Yates pass) (Q3 23:17)
• Jacksonville Jaguars — T. Bohanon (Q3 22:16)
• Jacksonville Jaguars — C. Grant (Q4 10:30)

Field goals

• Jacksonville Jaguars — J. Lambo (Q2 30:56)

How it unfolded, quarter by quarter

A quarter-by-quarter recap built from live scoring plays and play descriptions.

The opening quarter: Jacksonville Jaguars won the period 7–0. Jacksonville Jaguars found the end zone from the HOU 1 (Q1 48:54) — (3:54) 40-T.Bohanon up the middle for 1 yard, TOUCHDOWN.; Jacksonville Jaguars added 1 points from the HOU 15 (Q1 48:52).

The second quarter: Jacksonville Jaguars won the period 24–0. Jacksonville Jaguars found the end zone from the HOU 5 (Q2 44:51); Jacksonville Jaguars added 1 points from the HOU 15 (Q2 44:45); Jacksonville Jaguars found the end zone from the HOU 14 (Q2 40:18) — (10:18) (Shotgun) 5-B.Bortles pass short middle to 85-J.Mickens for 14 yards, TOUCHDOWN.; Jacksonville Jaguars added 1 points from the HOU 15 (Q2 40:12) — (Kick formation) 4-J.Lambo extra point is GOOD, Center-49-C.Holba, Holder-3-B.Nortman.; Jacksonville Jaguars connected on a field goal from the HOU 20 (Q2 30:56) — (:56) (Field Goal formation) 4-J.Lambo 38 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-49-C.Holba, Holder-3-B.Nortman.; Jacksonville Jaguars found the end zone from the HOU 9 (Q2 30:29); Jacksonville Jaguars added 1 points from the JAX 50 (Q2 30:26) — 4-J.Lambo kicks 50 yards from 50 to end zone, Touchback..

The third quarter: The quarter finished even at 7–7. Houston Texans found the end zone from the JAX 25 (Q3 23:17) — (8:17) (Shotgun) 2-T.Yates pass deep left to 10-D.Hopkins for 25 yards, TOUCHDOWN.; Houston Texans added 1 points from the JAX 15 (Q3 23:12) — (Kick formation) 7-K.Fairbairn extra point is GOOD, Center-46-J.Weeks, Holder-9-S.Lechler.; Jacksonville Jaguars found the end zone from the HOU 1 (Q3 22:16) — (7:16) 40-T.Bohanon up the middle for 1 yard, TOUCHDOWN.; Jacksonville Jaguars added 1 points from the HOU 15 (Q3 22:13) — 4-J.Lambo extra point is GOOD, Center-49-C.Holba, Holder-3-B.Nortman..

The fourth quarter: Jacksonville Jaguars won the period 7–0. Jacksonville Jaguars found the end zone from the HOU 8 (Q4 10:30) — (10:30) 30-C.Grant up the middle for 8 yards, TOUCHDOWN.; Jacksonville Jaguars added 1 points from the HOU 15 (Q4 10:26) — 4-J.Lambo extra point is GOOD, Center-49-C.Holba, Holder-3-B.Nortman..

Turning points

Plays that moved win probability the most — the swings that decided the game.

• Houston Texans (Q1 56:29) — (11:29) (Shotgun) 2-T.Yates sacked at HOU 25 for -8 yards (93-C.Campbell). [WPA -6.7% · EPA -2.20]
• Houston Texans (Q1 58:45) — (13:45) (Punt formation) 9-S.Lechler punts 58 yards to JAX 18, Center-46-J.Weeks. 85-J.Mickens to JAX 18 for no gain (14-C.Thompson). PENALTY on JAX-53-B.Brown, Offensive Holding, 9 yards, enforced at [WPA +5.6% · EPA +2.04]
• Jacksonville Jaguars (Q1 50:09) — (5:09) (Shotgun) 5-B.Bortles pass incomplete deep left to 85-J.Mickens. PENALTY on HOU-30-K.Johnson, Defensive Pass Interference, 13 yards, enforced at HOU 16 - No Play. [WPA +5.2% · EPA +2.71]
• Houston Texans (Q1 47:33) — (2:33) (Shotgun) 2-T.Yates sacked at HOU 29 for -10 yards (97-M.Jackson). FUMBLES (97-M.Jackson) [97-M.Jackson], recovered by HOU-68-B.Giacomini at HOU 27. 68-B.Giacomini to HOU 27 for no gain (91-Y.N [WPA -4.8% · EPA -2.28]
• Jacksonville Jaguars (Q1 46:10) — (1:10) 5-B.Bortles pass deep left to 84-K.Cole to HOU 15 for 42 yards (21-M.Gilchrist). [WPA +4.7% · EPA +2.94]

Impact plays

Highest expected-points added snaps that flipped field position and scoring chances.

• Jacksonville Jaguars (Q3 23:07) — (8:07) 5-B.Bortles pass deep middle to 84-K.Cole to HOU 1 for 73 yards (55-B.McKinney). [WPA -0.0% · EPA +5.01]
• Houston Texans (Q3 24:50) — (9:50) (Shotgun) 2-T.Yates pass deep left to 10-D.Hopkins to JAX 30 for 40 yards (20-J.Ramsey) [91-Y.Ngakoue]. [WPA +0.0% · EPA +4.32]
• Houston Texans (Q3 23:17) — (8:17) (Shotgun) 2-T.Yates pass deep left to 10-D.Hopkins for 25 yards, TOUCHDOWN. [WPA -0.0% · EPA +3.68]
• Jacksonville Jaguars (Q2 30:37) — (:37) (Shotgun) 5-B.Bortles pass deep left to 85-J.Mickens pushed ob at HOU 4 for 41 yards (21-M.Gilchrist). [WPA +0.0% · EPA +3.45]

Quarterback report card

T.Yates led all passers in efficiency for Houston Texans, setting the tone in the passing game according to FantasyHQ analytics.

• T.Yates (Houston Texans) · 36 dropbacks · 33.3% completion · -17.4% CPOE · -0.42 EPA/play · -15.25 total EPA
• B.Bortles (Jacksonville Jaguars) · 32 dropbacks · 65.6% completion · +13.9% CPOE · +0.72 EPA/play · +22.92 total EPA

Team stats comparison

Side-by-side offensive and defensive efficiency from FantasyHQ analytics.

By the numbers

Jacksonville Jaguars held the efficiency edge in offensive EPA per play (+0.22 vs -0.25), even if the scoreboard told a different story.

• Houston Texans: 14 drives, -21.32 total EPA, 1 scoring drives
• Jacksonville Jaguars: 14 drives, +20.05 total EPA, 7 scoring drives

Key takeaways

What to remember for fantasy research, film review, and follow-up box score digging.

• Jacksonville Jaguars leaves with the win and the better postgame narrative for Week-to-week momentum.
• B. Bortles (Jacksonville Jaguars) is the first name to pull up for highlight reels and prop-retrospective research.
• T. Yates (HOU) finished below expected efficiency — volume may have masked accuracy issues.
• B. Bortles (JAX) beat expectation through the air — positive CPOE game for stack builds.

Every scoring play

Chronological scoring with field position and full play-by-play context.

1. Jacksonville Jaguars TD (+6) — Q1 48:54 · HOU 1 · Score 0-6
   (3:54) 40-T.Bohanon up the middle for 1 yard, TOUCHDOWN.
2. Jacksonville Jaguars XP (+1) — Q1 48:52 · HOU 15 · Score 0-7
   (Kick formation) 4-J.Lambo extra point is GOOD, Center-49-C.Holba, Holder-3-B.Nortman. PENALTY on HOU, Defensive 12 On-field, 5 yards, enforced between downs. P
3. Jacksonville Jaguars TD (+6) — Q2 44:51 · HOU 5 · Score 0-13
   (14:51) (Shotgun) 5-B.Bortles pass short left to 85-J.Mickens for 5 yards, TOUCHDOWN. The Replay Official reviewed the runner broke the plane ruling, and the pl
4. Jacksonville Jaguars XP (+1) — Q2 44:45 · HOU 15 · Score 0-14
   4-J.Lambo extra point is GOOD, Center-49-C.Holba, Holder-3-B.Nortman. PENALTY on HOU-91-C.Watkins, Leverage, 15 yards, enforced between downs.
5. Jacksonville Jaguars TD (+6) — Q2 40:18 · HOU 14 · Score 0-20
   (10:18) (Shotgun) 5-B.Bortles pass short middle to 85-J.Mickens for 14 yards, TOUCHDOWN.
6. Jacksonville Jaguars XP (+1) — Q2 40:12 · HOU 15 · Score 0-21
   (Kick formation) 4-J.Lambo extra point is GOOD, Center-49-C.Holba, Holder-3-B.Nortman.
7. Jacksonville Jaguars FG (+3) — Q2 30:56 · HOU 20 · Score 0-24
   (:56) (Field Goal formation) 4-J.Lambo 38 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-49-C.Holba, Holder-3-B.Nortman.
8. Jacksonville Jaguars TD (+6) — Q2 30:29 · HOU 9 · Score 0-30
   (:29) 5-B.Bortles pass short left to 84-K.Cole for 9 yards, TOUCHDOWN [90-J.Clowney]. PENALTY on HOU-90-J.Clowney, Roughing the Passer, 15 yards, enforced betwe
9. Jacksonville Jaguars XP (+1) — Q2 30:26 · JAX 50 · Score 0-31
   4-J.Lambo kicks 50 yards from 50 to end zone, Touchback.
10. Houston Texans TD (+6) — Q3 23:17 · JAX 25 · Score 6-31
    (8:17) (Shotgun) 2-T.Yates pass deep left to 10-D.Hopkins for 25 yards, TOUCHDOWN.
11. Houston Texans XP (+1) — Q3 23:12 · JAX 15 · Score 7-31
    (Kick formation) 7-K.Fairbairn extra point is GOOD, Center-46-J.Weeks, Holder-9-S.Lechler.
12. Jacksonville Jaguars TD (+6) — Q3 22:16 · HOU 1 · Score 7-37
    (7:16) 40-T.Bohanon up the middle for 1 yard, TOUCHDOWN.
13. Jacksonville Jaguars XP (+1) — Q3 22:13 · HOU 15 · Score 7-38
    4-J.Lambo extra point is GOOD, Center-49-C.Holba, Holder-3-B.Nortman.
14. Jacksonville Jaguars TD (+6) — Q4 10:30 · HOU 8 · Score 7-44
    (10:30) 30-C.Grant up the middle for 8 yards, TOUCHDOWN.
15. Jacksonville Jaguars XP (+1) — Q4 10:26 · HOU 15 · Score 7-45
    4-J.Lambo extra point is GOOD, Center-49-C.Holba, Holder-3-B.Nortman.