Saints 34, Texans 7, and it was not that close. Tyler Shough was steady for Saints — 26/36, 331 yards, 5 TD. C.J. Stroud did the damage for Texans — 7/17, 225 yards, 1 TD, 3 INT — in a losing effort. Total yards: Saints 406, Texans 247.

Steelers kept it respectable. Texans still won by 18. C.J. Stroud was steady for Texans — 17/25, 263 yards, 1 TD. Jowon Briggs got after the quarterback for Texans — 2 sacks. Three weeks of this now from Trey Benson: 63 rushing yards a game, well clear of his 46 average. Through the air: Texans 263, Steelers 163.

Texans got it done 20-13 over Patriots. Julian Sayin was steady for Texans — 24/48, 263 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT. Woody Marks did the work on the ground for Texans — 18 carries, 96 yards. A season best for Woody Marks. Total yards: Texans 384, Patriots 247.

Jaylen Rivers: "This was a slog. Neither offense could breathe — Houston managed 41 rushing yards, Indianapolis 24 — but the Colts' line gave up 8 sacks and still found a way to win it, which tells you everything about which team's dysfunction mattered more. Will Anderson Jr. was living in their backfield, and it almost didn't matter." Zoe Bell: "Indianapolis just proved it can win ugly — but Houston's dysfunction is now structural. The Texans threw 70% of the time with nothing on the ground and still couldn't close a winnable game; the Colts are at 9-1 despite being unable to run at all. One team has a problem it can solve. The other one is the problem."

Colts took care of Texans, 24-16. LaNorris Sellers was steady for Colts — 13/25, 242 yards, 2 TD, 2 INT. C.J. Stroud was steady for Texans — 14/31, 201 yards, 2 TD, 3 INT — in a losing effort. Tyler Warren is in form — 90 receiving yards a game over his last three, against a season average of 62. Through the air: Colts 242, Texans 201.

Giveaways decided this one. Texans 24, Bills 13. Tank Dell moved the ball for Texans — 10 catches, 100 yards, 1 TD. Dalton Kincaid was the target for Bills — 4 catches, 65 yards — in a losing effort. Dalton Kincaid's high-water mark for the year. On the ground: Bills 139, Texans 110.

Ava Collins: "Bhayshul Tuten punched in 2 touchdowns on 129 yards and the Jaguars' ground game won the point of attack — Jacksonville leaned on the run when it mattered and held off a Texans team that had to throw its way back into it." Talia Morgan: "Jacksonville's undefeated run survives, but Houston showed enough defensive pressure—3 sacks to 1—to suggest this gap closes if they meet again. The Jags haven't had to win ugly before."

Jacksonville won 17-16 in a 1-point margin that belied the Jaguars' control of the game. Bhayshul Tuten rushed for 129 yards and 2 touchdowns on 16 carries while the Jacksonville ground game outgained Houston 147 to 101, yet C.J. Stroud kept the Texans within reach, completing 14 of 23 passes for 236 yards and 2 touchdowns despite 2 interceptions. Houston's defense generated 3 sacks and controlled the line of scrimmage, but the Texans turned the ball over twice to Jacksonville's once—a differential that shows up clearly in a team that has now built an 8-point scoring margin per game better than Houston's when adjusted for schedule strength. The Jaguars remain undefeated at 7-0; the Texans fall to 5-3.