Deshaun Watson, Texans Dominate Gardner Minshew, Jaguars in London

London has become the Jacksonville Jaguars' home away from home, as the franchise has played in London for seven straight seasons. 

Unfortunately, that has not translated to any type of home-field advantage.

Deshaun Watson played a controlled game under center, and Duke Johnson had his best game in a Texans uniform, as Houston took a flight across the pond and will come home a 26-3 victor over the Jaguars.

The loss drops Jacksonville to 3-4 in London games, including two straight losses. The Jags came into this week within striking distance of playoff contention after wins against the Bengals and Jets, but this will likely push Gardner Minshew II and Co. too far behind Houston and Indianapolis to win the division.

Minshew Magic appears to be over after the quarterback turned the ball over three times.

The Texans, who also got a 160-yard rushing game from Carlos Hyde, will go into their bye week either a half-game ahead or behind the Colts in the AFC South.

Notable Stats

Texans

QB Deshaun Watson: 22-of-28 passing, 201 YDS, 2 TD (7 CAR, 37 YDS)

RB Carlos Hyde: 19 CAR, 160 YDS

RB Duke Johnson: 7 CAR, 13 YDS, 1 TD (5 REC, 68 YDS)

WR DeAndre Hopkins: 8 REC, 48 YDS, 1 TD

Jaguars

QB Gardner Minshew II: 27-of-47 passing, 309 YDS, 2 INT (4 CAR, 34 YDS)

RB Leonard Fournette: 11 CAR, 40 YDS (5 REC, 32 YDS)

WR DJ Chark Jr.: 4 REC, 32 YDS

WR Keelan Cole: 5 REC, 80 YDS

Texans Offense Continues to Find New Ways to Win

After throwing a pair of picks in back-to-back games against the Chiefs and Colts, Watson has clearly emphasized taking care of the ball. He's thrown five touchdowns without a pick in wins over the Raiders and Jaguars, all while limiting the amount of chances he's taken down the field.

The Texans have completed just one pass that's gained more than 25 yards in the two wins; Hopkins has essentially become a Julian Edelman-esque target, catching a pile of slants and underneath routes to slowly move the chains.

Watson's willingness to take what's in front of him and not force the ball down the field speaks to his growth as a quarterback and a smart schematic move by coach Bill O'Brien, who seemingly recognizes the issues on the offensive line after getting Watson hit constantly in 2018. 

Hyde has been better than anyone could have possibly expected, and he's well on his way to his first 1,000-yard season. Johnson has also been more involved in recent weeks after struggling to make an impact earlier in the season. The Texans are nowhere near a Super Bowl favorite, but the versatility and chemistry of their offense is something worth highlighting.

Nick Foles Should Bet On Getting His Job Back

At least Gardner Minshew waited until after everyone got their Halloween fits off to turn back into a pumpkin. Minshew had his worst game of the season Sunday, looking every bit like an unheralded sixth-round pick who was in over his head.

If you've been paying attention and not just looking at the sometimes-spectacular highlights, the Minshew heel turn has been coming. He's completed under 60 percent of his passes in five of his last six games and under 50 percent in games against the Bengals and Saints last month. No quarterback can miss that many passes with such consistency and not start throwing the ball to the other team.

Munch of Minshew's "magic" also comes from him holding the ball longer than is advisable in the pocket, twisting his body and giving himself just enough time to make a thrilling throw. That type of high-wire behavior is eventually going to lead to fumbles in the pocket.

With Nick Foles likely ready to return after the Jaguars' Week 11, Jacksonville needs to see what it has in the high-priced free agent. The Jags may have found a gem for a sixth-rounder in Minshew, but the idea he is a franchise quarterback was pretty clearly a mirage.

What's Next?

Both teams will be on a bye next week. The Texans visit the Baltimore Ravens and the Jaguars visit the Colts on Nov. 17.