The Texans left London with a 34-31 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars, but the bigger takeaway for Houston may have been the first NFL glimpse of C.J. Stroud and Marvin Harrison Jr. working together again.
Harrison made his Texans debut only days after being traded from the Arizona Cardinals, and the reunion with Stroud brought back the old Ohio State rhythm almost immediately. The two former Buckeyes picked up where they left off in spots, and Houston walked away with a second straight victory plus a new wrinkle for its offense.
Stroud sounded like a quarterback who already knows what this partnership can become. “It felt like old times,” Stroud said after the game, expressing his excitement about playing with Harrison again.
“I’m proud of him, happy for him. I thought he looked great.
We’ll get him more touches and more plays here in the season.”
Even with limited time to digest the playbook, Harrison made an impact. He caught three passes for 34 yards on four targets, and every one of those receptions moved the chains. For a player who had only a few practices under his belt before stepping into the lineup, that was a strong opening act.
The connection showed itself early. Harrison’s first catch was a difficult 14-yard grab over the middle, and Stroud came right back to him on the next snap. Jacksonville knocked that second throw away, but the message was clear: Stroud wasn’t shy about leaning on his old teammate.
Harrison added two more receptions on a third-quarter scoring drive, helping Houston keep the offense rolling when it mattered. Stroud said afterward that the pairing could have even produced more, pointing to a missed touchdown chance and hinting at how much sharper this duo can get as the season goes on.
That matters for a Texans passing game that already includes Nico Collins and rising young options like Jaylin Noel. Harrison gives Stroud another target who can win contested balls and convert key third downs, and Sunday offered a first look at how that can change the shape of the offense.
Stroud did plenty of damage on his own, too. He threw for 312 yards and three touchdowns while completing 70.5% of his passes against Jacksonville. Put Harrison into that mix with more time to practice, and Houston’s aerial attack suddenly looks even more dangerous.
There’s still plenty to clean up. Harrison said he had not learned a significant portion of the playbook before making his debut, which makes what he did on Sunday even more notable. As he settles in, the Texans should have more chances to expand his role and build on what was already a promising start.
The win helped Houston keep moving in the right direction. The Stroud-Harrison reunion may end up mattering just as much.
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