The Houston Texans earned their sixth straight win Sunday, defeating the Arizona Cardinals 40-20 in Houston to keep pace with the Jacksonville Jaguars in the AFC South race.

Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud finished 22-for-29 with 260 yards and three touchdowns. Rookie running back Jawhar Jordan, who replaced the injured Woody Marks, rushed for 101 yards on 15 carries in his NFL regular-season debut.

Houston jumped out to a 17-0 lead in the first quarter. Stroud connected with favorite target Nico Collins for a 57-yard score on the second play from scrimmage. Collins had three catches for 85 yards and two touchdowns. On third-and-goal at the 1-yard line and the Texans already leading 10-0, Stroud dropped the snap, but the ball ricocheted to Marks, who scooped it up and raced into the end zone to increase Houston’s lead to 17.

On the opening drive of the second half, Houston cornerback Kamari Lassiter picked off Cardinals quarterback Jacoby Brissett for his fourth interception this season. With two takeaways on Sunday, the Texans now have 24 on the season.

Stroud capped off the ensuing eight-play, 80-yard drive with a 4-yard touchdown pass to tight end Dalton Schultz, putting Houston in front 30-7. Schultz had eight catches for 76 yards and a touchdown.

Cardinals tight end Trey McBride had a huge game, catching 12 passes for 134 yards. Now with 105 catches this season, he becomes the first tight end in NFL history to record consecutive seasons with 100-plus receptions. Brissett threw for 249 yards with three touchdowns and an interception.

Houston remains one game behind Jacksonville in the AFC South at 9-5. Arizona has now lost six straight after starting 2-0.

Fast start powers Texans

The Texans didn’t face much resistance, but they did what good teams do — stomping out the opposition’s hope from the start and cruising the rest of the way. They led 17-0 before the Cardinals had secured a first down and led 30-7 near the end of the third quarter. They forced two turnovers, picking off Brissett in the end zone. While they struggled to slow McBride and eased up slightly with the outcome in hand, the Texans showed why they could be dangerous in the playoffs.

Over their six-game win streak, only Buffalo (326) and Arizona (307) have gained more than 300 total yards against them. The Texans finish with the Las Vegas Raiders at home and a trip to the Los Angeles Chargers before hosting the Colts. — Doug Haller, Cardinals beat writer 

Jawhar Jordan’s memorable debut

Stroud had a solid day offensively. Collins set the day’s tone, breaking loose for a 57-yard, catch-and-run touchdown in the opening minute. The day’s star, however, was Jordan. On and off Houston’s practice squad all season, Jordan was activated before Sunday’s game — and got a huge opportunity because of injuries. In his first NFL action, Jordan posted Houston’s first 100-yard rushing game of the season. He finished with 15 carries for 101 yards, which included a 50-yard burst, Houston’s longest run of the season. Safe to assume it will be a day Jordan, a 2024 sixth-round draft pick, will never forget. — Haller

Trey McBride continues to shine for the Cardinals

McBride continues to make a strong case as pro football’s top tight end. With 12 catches in Sunday’s loss, the fourth-year pro became the first tight end in NFL history to post 100-plus catches in back-to-back seasons. McBride (two) joins Kansas City’s Travis Kelce (three) as the only tight ends to have multiple 100-plus catch seasons. McBride also passed Kelce for most consecutive games with at least five receptions (16), the longest streak in NFL history. McBride’s 12 receptions went for 134 yards and two touchdowns. Against the NFL’s top defense, he accounted for 44 percent of Arizona’s offense. — Haller

Arizona’s draft positioning improves

The best news for Arizona fans: With each loss, the Cardinals improve their 2026 NFL Draft positioning. The No. 1 pick is not completely out of reach, but the Cardinals would need a ton of help. Before Sunday’s loss, The Athletic’s No. 1 pick simulator gave Arizona a 2 percent chance of landing the top selection and a 47 percent chance of securing a Top 5 pick. The Cardinals (3-11)  finish the regular season at home against Atlanta, followed by contests at the Cincinnati Bengals and Los Angeles Rams.

If the Cardinals lose all three — a realistic possibility — their chances of landing the No. 1 pick increase to 7 percent. That percentage would jump significantly with wins from the other teams in No. 1 contention — the New York Jets, Tennessee Titans, Cleveland Browns, Raiders, New York Giants, New Orleans Saints and Washington Commanders. With Kyler Murray’s future in Arizona unknown, the Cardinals could target a quarterback. They also need help on the offensive line. — Haller