‘I take responsibility, didn’t play up to the standard,’ Texans’ Aireontae Ersery had issues against Josh Hines-Allen

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Josh Hines-Allen was a blur all game Sunday, accelerating around Texans rookie left offensive tackle Aireontae Ersery.

One of the most efficient pass rushers in the NFL, the Jacksonville Jaguars veteran defensive end delivered the play that sealed a 17-10 victory over the winless Texans at EverBank Stadium with 20 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter.

Hines-Allen got around Ersery, finding enough space to deflect a pass from Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud that was intercepted by defensive back Antonio Johnson as the football fluttered short of its intended target: wide receiver Christian Kirk.

A talented second-round draft pick and former Big Ten Conference Offensive Lineman of the Year at Minnesota, Ersery had a difficult game against Hines-Allen. He allowed a sack that Hines-Allen split with Arik Armstead and committed three penalties: two holding infractions and a facemask call.

“Man, I take responsibility,” Ersery told KPRC 2 after the Texans dropped to 0-3 for the season. “I didn’t play up to the standard, and that ain’t gonna never do it. I’ve gotta be way better, so just keep my process the same. But just work way harder and push myself to the limits. And hope that everything just turn out good for me."

Hines-Allen led the Jaguars with three quarterback hits.

The final play by Hines-Allen effectively put the Texans away as they lost in Jacksonville for the first time since 2017, snapping a seven-game road winning streak.

They went to like this two-man kind of coverage, and I thought C. Kirk was open,“ Stroud said. ”I thought maybe we would have scored. My arm got tipped, so unfortunate there. They made a good play. That’s the NFL.

“It’s like two-inch margins, you know. Yeah, it just sucks because I thought I had C.K. down the middle, and I thought we had a good drive. We were moving the ball pretty well, so that’s unfortunate.”

Hines-Allen is 1 1/2 sacks shy of the Jaguars’ all-time sack record of 55 sacks held by Tony Brackens.

Hines-Allen had five quarterback pressures and drew both of the holding penalties by Ersery.

“He was pretty emotional in there and excited and juiced up,” Jaguars coach Liam Coen said. “Josh, it’s the way he plays. His strain, his finish. Even if he doesn’t win on a rush, those guys up front have done a nice job of getting their hands up and affected the pass game in different ways.

“It hasn’t quite shown in every stat book, but his presence, what he does in terms of affecting the game both in the game and the pass has been really, really something. That’s helped us out to get other people to be able to get pressures, the way that he affects the game.”

From his standpoint, Ersery has had his moments. He played well in a 20-19 Monday night loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers after having issues in a season-opening defeat to the Los Angeles Rams against Byron Young while playing right tackle.

The penalty bug has infected the Texans again. They had seven penalties for 66 yards on Sunday with three committed by Ersery.

“I think just over trying to strain and open holes up for the running back and protect CJ and give him time,” Ersery said. “Those things can be fixed. But it’s a game, so things happen. So, just gotta keep working.”

Aaron Wilson is a Texans and NFL reporter for KPRC 2 and click2houston.com