If you just looked at the box score of the Jets vs Texans 2024 game on Halloween night, you’d think it was just another mid-season slog. A 21-13 final. Some decent stats for the star receivers. A needed win for a New York team that was basically on life support. But man, the box score doesn’t even begin to tell the actual story of what happened at MetLife Stadium that night.
Honestly, the first half was a total disaster. It was spooky in all the wrong ways. Aaron Rodgers, a first-ballot Hall of Famer, walked into the locker room at halftime with a grand total of 32 passing yards. That’s not a typo. It was the fewest he’s ever had in a first half in his entire career. Fans were booing. The "season over" chants were starting to get loud. It felt like the same old Jets story, just with a more expensive quarterback.
Then the second half happened, and everything flipped.
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The Catch That Broke the Internet
We have to talk about Garrett Wilson. Specifically, the catch. You know the one.
The Jets were trailing 10-7 in the fourth quarter. They were facing a third-and-19. That’s a "give up and punt" situation for most teams. Rodgers basically just said, "screw it," and lobbed a ball toward the back of the end zone.
Wilson didn't just catch it. He channeled Michael Jordan. He went up with one hand, snagged the ball out of the air while his body was contorted like a "Jumpman" logo, and somehow—god knows how—got his shin down in-bounds before his knee hit the white paint. It was originally called incomplete. Jeff Ulbrich, the interim head coach, had to challenge it. When the replay showed that shin hitting the turf, the stadium went absolutely nuts.
"I just kind of lobbed one up there and he made an unbelievable catch," Rodgers said after the game. "That's a game-changing play."
It wasn't just a highlight; it was the moment the Jets' season actually felt alive for the first time in a month. It drew immediate comparisons to the famous Odell Beckham Jr. grab, and honestly? It might have been harder. Wilson finished the night with 9 catches for 90 yards and two touchdowns, both of which were one-handed snags.
C.J. Stroud and the Nightmare in the Meadowlands
On the other side of the ball, the Texans were having a rough time. C.J. Stroud is usually poised, but the Jets' pass rush treated him like a piñata.
They sacked him 8 times.
Eight.
Imagine trying to do your job while 300-pound men are tackling you every few minutes. Stroud was clearly frustrated. He finished 11-of-30 for 191 yards. No touchdowns. No interceptions. Just a lot of running for his life.
The Texans were missing their top weapons, Nico Collins and Stefon Diggs. Without them, the offense looked stagnant. Joe Mixon did his best, grinding out 106 yards and a touchdown on 24 carries, but you can't win in the modern NFL if your quarterback is getting hit on nearly 50% of his dropbacks.
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Why the Texans Lost (It wasn't just the sacks)
- Mistakes on Special Teams: Ka'imi Fairbairn is usually a lock, but he missed a 27-yard field goal. That's a chip shot. It happened after the Texans took points off the board because of a Jets penalty, hoping to get a touchdown instead. It backfired spectacularly.
- The 98-Yard Drive: The Texans had one amazing moment—a 14-play, 98-yard march that ended in a Mixon touchdown. It was the longest drive the Jets' defense had allowed in over a decade. But after that? Nothing.
- Offensive Line Collapsing: The Texans used six different offensive linemen due to injuries. It showed. Stroud was pressured on 46.7% of his passes.
The Malachi Corley Moment
We can't talk about Jets vs Texans 2024 without mentioning the "Bonehead Play of the Year."
Rookie Malachi Corley had a wide-open lane to the end zone in the second quarter. It should have been his first career touchdown. A 19-yard end-around. He was so excited that he dropped the ball to celebrate before he crossed the goal line.
The ball rolled out of the end zone. Touchback. Texans' ball.
It was a 7-point swing that almost cost the Jets the game. Luckily for Corley, his teammates bailed him out in the second half. Jeff Ulbrich later joked about it, but you could tell that in the moment, everyone was thinking, "Only the Jets."
The Davante Adams Factor
This was also the night Davante Adams finally looked like the Davante Adams of old. He’d been quiet since coming over from the Raiders, and there was even a scare when he had to go into the medical tent for a concussion evaluation.
He came back out and sealed the game with a 37-yard touchdown catch in the fourth quarter. It was his first TD in a Jets uniform. Watching him and Rodgers celebrate felt like a throwback to their Green Bay days. He ended with 91 yards on 7 catches, proving that when the Jets actually protect Rodgers, this offense has a scary amount of potential.
What This Game Actually Meant
For the Texans, this was a "wake-up call." Stroud called the loss "embarrassing." They were 6-3 at the time and still leading the AFC South, but the cracks were starting to show. You can't rely on your defense and run game forever if you can't protect the franchise QB.
For the Jets, it moved them to 3-6. It didn't fix everything—they were still in a deep hole—but it stopped a five-game losing streak. It gave the locker room a reason to believe in Ulbrich.
Key Stats from Jets vs Texans 2024
| Player | Team | Stat |
|---|---|---|
| Aaron Rodgers | NYJ | 22/32, 211 Yds, 3 TD |
| C.J. Stroud | HOU | 11/30, 191 Yds, 0 TD, 8 Sacks |
| Garrett Wilson | NYJ | 9 Rec, 90 Yds, 2 TD |
| Joe Mixon | HOU | 24 Car, 106 Yds, 1 TD |
| Davante Adams | NYJ | 7 Rec, 91 Yds, 1 TD |
Lessons for Next Time
If you’re looking at future matchups between these two, there are a few things to keep in mind.
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First, the Jets' defense is a nightmare for young quarterbacks. They don't just blitz; they disguise coverage in a way that makes guys like Stroud hesitate. That half-second of hesitation is all Quinnen Williams needs to get home.
Second, Garrett Wilson is a superstar who doesn't need "perfect" throws. Rodgers has learned that he can just "aim for the sky" and Wilson will find a way to come down with it.
Finally, the Texans need to figure out their road identity. They looked like a different team under the lights at MetLife than they did at home.
Actionable Insights for Fans
- Watch the O-Line: When the Texans play top-tier pass rushes, look at how many "max protect" sets they run. If they aren't keeping a tight end or back in to help, Stroud is going to have a long day.
- Monitor the Wilson-Adams Dynamic: In this game, Wilson became the primary target while Adams was being evaluated, then Adams came back and got the closer. Defenses can't double both of them.
- Special Teams Matter: The Texans' decision to take points off the board was a coaching gamble that failed. In close games, those decisions are the difference between a division lead and a frustrating flight home.
The Jets vs Texans 2024 game was a weird, messy, brilliant piece of football history. It gave us the catch of the decade and a reminder that even when things look bleak, a 40-year-old quarterback and a kid with "Jumpman" legs can still pull off a miracle on Halloween.
To stay ahead of the next big matchup, you'll want to keep an eye on the injury reports for the Texans' offensive line—it's clearly their Achilles' heel—and track the chemistry between Rodgers and his new favorite targets in New York.