Collins has 2 TD catches, Texans force 4 turnovers in 20-12 win over Dolphins

HOUSTON (AP) — Tasked with shadowing Miami's star receiver Tyreek Hill for most of Sunday's game, Houston cornerback Derek Stingley shined.

Houston’s defense forced four turnovers, highlighted by two fourth-quarter interceptions by Stingley, to help the Texans to a 20-12 win over the Miami Dolphins on Sunday.

“Stingley is playing just unbelievable football right now,” Houston coach DeMeco Ryans said.

Stingley was asked about his performance against Hill, who had just two receptions for 36 yards.

“It’s a good opportunity going against somebody that’s the face of the NFL,” he said. “So anytime you get to go out there on the field, it’s just a good time, just time to have fun.”

Nico Collins had two TD receptions as the Texans (9-5) got a second straight victory. They can clinch the AFC South title for a second consecutive season with a loss by the Colts later Sunday.

Collins had a 6-yard TD reception in the second quarter and his second 6-yard scoring grab made it 20-6 in the third. That score was set up by a 35-yard run by Dare Ogunbowale on a fake punt.

Tua Tagovailoa threw a 7-yard TD pass to Jonnu Smith with about 4½ minutes left in the third quarter, but the kick failed to cut the lead to 20-12.

The Dolphins were driving again with about 10½ minutes left when Stingley hopped in front of Hill to grab an interception at the Houston 20.

The Texans had two drives after that, but had to punt both times to give the Dolphins a last chance. Stingley came through again, intercepting another pass intended for Hill to recure the win.

“Defensively our guys stepped up and did a really good job of closing out the game the way we needed to,” Ryans said.

Houston quarterback C.J. Stroud is so impressed with Stingley's skill set that he's been campaigning to get him on his side of the ball.

“He’s one of a kind,” Stroud said. “Trying to get him a play on offense one of these days. I think he’s that good with the ball in his hands.”

Stroud threw for 131 yards and two touchdowns for Houston on a day Joe Mixon managed just 23 yards rushing on 12 carries after being shaken up by a hard hit early.

Tagovailoa lost a fumble and threw three interceptions for Miami (6-8) on a day he played without starting tackles Terron Armstead and Kendall Lamm. Tagovailoa threw for 196 yards.

“Plain and simple, my fault,” he said. “I've got to protect the ball. I’ve got to play better ball for our guys, especially in the situation where the team is counting on me to drive our offense down to potentially tie the game up. That is not what I did.”

There was a scary scene in the third quarter when Miami receiver Grant DuBose was taken off the field on a stretcher after a helmet-to-helmet hit. The team said he is in stable condition and being taken to a local hospital for further evaluation.

“There’s been some positive feedback related to some head and neck imaging,” coach Mike McDaniel said. “He will stay here overnight, and we’ll find out more by (Monday).”

DuBose tried to make a catch in the third quarter, but was hit in the head by rookie Calen Bullock before his head violently hit the turf. Bullock was given a flag for unnecessary roughness for hitting a defenseless receiver on the play.

DuBose remained on the field for more than 10 minutes as he was tended to by emergency medical personnel. His jersey was cut off him and a neck brace was put on him while players from both teams watched with concern.

DuBose was eventually put on a spine board where his arms and legs were strapped down and he was taken off the field. A tube of some kind was in his mouth and no movement could be seen as he was taken off the field.

The Texans got a 44-yard field goal on their first possession and the Dolphins tied it with a 55-yard field goal early in the second.

Will Anderson Jr. sacked Tagovailoa from his blind side, causing a fumble which Tim Settle recovered on the Miami 28. Stroud put the Texans on top when he scrambled away from pressure and found Collins in the end zone for his first TD about seven minutes before halftime.

Miami cut the lead to 10-6 on a 36-yard field goal with about two minutes left in the second quarter.

Stroud wasn’t ready for a snap on Houston’s next drive and it bounced off his chest for a fumble which the Dolphins recovered.

But they came away empty when Tagovailoa was intercepted by Bullock four plays later. Bullock returned it 68 yards to the Miami 5 and the Texans added a field goal at the end of the half to extend the lead to 13-6.

Miami WR Jaylen Waddle sustained a knee injury in the second quarter and didn’t return. …Houston TE Cade Stover missed the game after having an emergency appendectomy Saturday night. … DT Foley Fatukasi injured an ankle in the second quarter and didn’t return.

Dolphins: host San Francisco next Sunday.

Texans: visit Kansas City on Saturday.

AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl

Miami Dolphins tight end Jonnu Smith (9) celebrates scoring a touchdown during the second half of an NFL football game against the Houston Texans, Sunday, Dec. 15, 2024, in Houston. (AP Photo/Eric Christian Smith)

Miami Dolphins wide receiver Grant DuBose (88) is carted off the field after being injured during the second half of an NFL football game against the Houston Texans, Sunday, Dec. 15, 2024, in Houston. (AP Photo/Eric Christian Smith)

Houston Texans running back Joe Mixon (28) is tackled by Miami Dolphins linebacker Jordyn Brooks (20) during the first half of an NFL football game Sunday, Dec. 15, 2024, in Houston. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)

Miami Dolphins tight end Jonnu Smith (9) gets tackled by Houston Texans defensive end Will Anderson Jr. (51) as linebacker Christian Harris (48) pressures, during the first half of an NFL football game Sunday, Dec. 15, 2024, in Houston. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)

Miami Dolphins running back De'Von Achane (28) is tackled by Houston Texans defensive tackle Folorunso Fatukasi (91) during the first half of an NFL football game Sunday, Dec. 15, 2024, in Houston. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)

Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa (1) walks on the field during warmups ahead of an NFL football game against the Houston Texans, Sunday, Dec. 15, 2024, in Houston. (AP Photo/Eric Christian Smith)

Houston Texans cornerback Derek Stingley Jr. (24) and teammates celebrate his interception during the second half of an NFL football game against the Miami Dolphins, Sunday, Dec. 15, 2024, in Houston. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)

Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud (7) looks to pass during the first half of an NFL football game against the Miami Dolphins, Sunday, Dec. 15, 2024, in Houston. (AP Photo/Eric Christian Smith)

Houston Texans cornerback Derek Stingley Jr. (24) intercepts a pass intended for Miami Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill (10) during the second half of an NFL football game Sunday, Dec. 15, 2024, in Houston. (AP Photo/Eric Christian Smith)

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) — Davante Adams and Aaron Rodgers gave the New York Jets' next general manager and head coach something to ponder with a glimpse into the past — and potentially the future.

Adams caught nine passes from Rodgers for 198 yards and two touchdowns — all in the second half — and the Jets rallied to beat the Jacksonville Jaguars 32-25 to end a four-game skid Sunday.

Adams hauled in a 71-yard TD pass with 3:24 remaining and a 41-yarder that set up Breece Hall's 1-yard plunge with 1:05 to play. In between, he made a circus catch along the sideline for a first down.

It was vintage Adams, who became the 12th player in NFL history with 100 receiving touchdowns. And vintage Rodgers, who threw for 289 yards and three scores as the Jets (4-10) topped 30 points for the first time this season. The 41-year-old quarterback also led New York with 45 yards rushing.

“Historic, magical," Jets interim coach Jeff Ulbrich said. "To get his 100th TD ... I feel honored to have seen it and to have been here for it. It was an amazing moment for those two guys. Obviously, a lot of ball between them and a lot of touchdowns. So, for them to get that was special.”

No one would be totally surprised to see the Jets run it back with Rodgers and Adams, even though the former Green Bay teammates are scheduled to count nearly $52 million against the Jets’ salary cap in 2025.

After all, they showed their potential together against the Jags.

“Oh yeah, today was one of those days in the second half," Adams said. “Definitely felt very, very similar to the way we used to get it rolling."

Adams' 100th TD grab came on a 1-yard fade route in the third quarter. No. 101 was even more impressive. He streaked down the middle of the field, running past linebacker Devin Lloyd and seeing no safety help from Darnell Savage until it was too late.

Adams was completely uncovered in the flat for the 41-yarder and then tackled at the 1. The Jets probably should have taken a knee from there, forced Jacksonville to use its remaining timeouts and kicked a short field goal to win it. But Hall's plunge gave the Jaguars (3-11) a chance late.

“I wanted to be aggressive, and I wanted the points,” Ulbrich said. "I wanted to put the nail in the coffin at the end.”

Mac Jones drove Jacksonville into Jets territory before throwing his second interception of the day. Sauce Gardner's first pick of the season essentially ended the game.

Jones completed 31 of 46 passes for 294 yards, with two touchdowns to rookie Brian Thomas Jr. and two interceptions. Thomas finished with 10 catches for 105 yards. Tight end Brenton Strange caught 11 passes for 73 yards.

Jones looked as though he would improve to 6-0 as a starter against the Jets, and the Jaguars looked like they would win consecutive games for the first time in 13 months. But Rodgers and Adams had other thoughts.

The duo has now connected 81 times for touchdowns, including the playoffs, for the fourth most by a QB-WR duo in NFL history. They are one shy of Miami’s Dan Marino and Mark Clayton.

“Aaron is a great quarterback. He’s a Hall of Fame quarterback,” Jaguars coach Doug Pederson said. “They made plays that we didn’t make, and that part’s unfortunate. It comes down to just a couple plays in your season or your game or whatever could be a little bit different.”

Both teams got off to fast starts — a rarity this season.

The Jaguars scored a touchdown on their opening drive for the first time in 19 games. It had been the longest drought in the NFL. The Jets answered with their first opening-driving touchdown of the season. Rodgers connected with Garrett Wilson for a 22-yarder after the Jaguars left him wide open down the middle.

Thomas, Jacksonville's first-round draft pick, broke two single-season team rookie receiving records that he had been chasing for weeks. He topped Justin Blackmon’s franchise mark of 865 yards receiving (2012) and hauled in his seventh TD catch, snapping a tie with Allen Hurns (2014).

Jaguars defensive tackle Jeremiah Ledbetter, a 30-year-old veteran and a 300-pound defender, celebrated his third-quarter sack of Rodgers with an impressive backflip. Ledbetter’s second sack of the season resulted in a 14-yard loss and forced the Jets to settle for a field goal.

Jets safety Jalen Mills (chest), safety Tony Adams (facial lacerations), linebacker Jamien Sherwood (evaluated for a concussion), running back Braelon Allen (back) and nickel cornerback Michael Carter (back) left the game. Adams, Sherwood and Allen returned.

Jets: host the Los Angeles Rams next Sunday.

Jaguars: play at the Las Vegas Raiders next Sunday.

AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl

New York Jets wide receiver Davante Adams (17) catches a 1-yard touchdown pass in front of Jacksonville Jaguars cornerback Montaric Brown (30) during the second half of an NFL football game Sunday, Dec. 15, 2024, in Jacksonville, Fla. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack)

Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. (7) runs past New York Jets safety Tony Adams (22) after a catch during the second half of an NFL football game Sunday, Dec. 15, 2024, in Jacksonville, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux)

New York Jets wide receiver Garrett Wilson, left, gets away from Jacksonville Jaguars safety Andre Cisco after a catch during the second half of an NFL football game Sunday, Dec. 15, 2024, in Jacksonville, Fla. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack)

New York Jets wide receiver Davante Adams (17) is hit by Jacksonville Jaguars cornerback Tyson Campbell (3) after a sucessful two-point conversion during the second half of an NFL football game Sunday, Dec. 15, 2024, in Jacksonville, Fla. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack)

Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Mac Jones (10) is tripped up by New York Jets defensive end Solomon Thomas (94) during the second half of an NFL football game Sunday, Dec. 15, 2024, in Jacksonville, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux)

New York Jets running back Breece Hall (20) celebrates his touchdown against the Jacksonville Jaguars during the second half of an NFL football game Sunday, Dec. 15, 2024, in Jacksonville, Fla. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack)

New York Jets running back Breece Hall (20) scores on a 1-yard touchdown run against the Jacksonville Jaguars during the second half of an NFL football game Sunday, Dec. 15, 2024, in Jacksonville, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux)

New York Jets running back Breece Hall (20) scores against the Jacksonville Jaguars on a 1-yard run during the second half of an NFL football game Sunday, Dec. 15, 2024, in Jacksonville, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux)

A New York Jets fan reacts to a missed field goal during the second half of an NFL football game against the Jacksonville Jaguars Sunday, Dec. 15, 2024, in Jacksonville, Fla. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack)

New York Jets wide receiver Davante Adams (17) scores ahead of Jacksonville Jaguars safety Darnell Savage (6) on a 71-yard touchdown reception during the second half of an NFL football game Sunday, Dec. 15, 2024, in Jacksonville, Fla. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack)

New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers (8) throws a pass against the Jacksonville Jaguars during the second half of an NFL football game Sunday, Dec. 15, 2024, in Jacksonville, Fla. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack)

New York Jets wide receiver Davante Adams (17) gets between Jacksonville Jaguars safety Darnell Savage (6) and linebacker Devin Lloyd (33) tomscore on a 71-yard touchdown reception during the second half of an NFL football game Sunday, Dec. 15, 2024, in Jacksonville, Fla. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack)