HOUSTON – Jayden Higgins delivered one of the most important plays during the Texans’ dramatic comeback victory Sunday over the Jacksonville Jaguars.
So did fellow rookie wide receiver and Iowa State football alum Jaylin Noel, who converted a clutch fourth down to keep that scoring drive alive to launch the second-greatest comeback in franchise history.
Recommended Videos
Texans coach DeMeco Ryans singled out Higgins for his 12-yard touchdown catch in the fourth quarter that began a string of 26 unanswered points to complete a 36-29 victory Sunday at NRG Stadium.
It was like old times for Higgins and Noel, who galvanized the Cyclones’ passing game as teammates in Ames, Iowa.
“I think the biggest thing there was I just had opportunities to go out there and make plays, and I feel like I capitalized on the moment,” Higgins said. “I feel like whenever he makes a big play, I’m always almost in with him, so I can celebrate with him and just show that love.”
A second-round draft pick, Higgins caught five passes for 42 yards and one score on seven targets.
A third-round draft pick, Noel had four catches for 35 yards on four targets. That included his key fourth down conversion of a Davis Mills pass to set up Higgins’ touchdown. Noel also returned one punt for eight yards.
“Just being on top of the little details, being able to move the ball down the field,” Noel said. “We had a moment there where we had a turnover or two, but we bounced back from it, so that really just showed the resiliency of the team. That’s kudos to Davis Mills to be able to put the ball on the money, and just having a good week of preparation, being ready when my name was called when I was out there.”
The rapport, chemistry and timing with Mills was on full display.
Mills emphasized how he’s been working with the rookies ever since the spring with the backup offense.
“I feel like Davis, just the way he carries himself, just a great leader, a great guy, I was just joking that I felt like he was a lot older than he was,” Higgins said. “They said he’s only been in the league for four years, but he kind of carries himself like a 10-year veteran or something like that.
“Just a good guy and someone that slings it around out there. He’s super cool. I feel like he’s not super talkative all the time. He definitely was showing his leadership there.”
The Texans are now poised to potentially reach .500 for the first time this season, if they can get a road win Sunday over the Tennessee Titans, a 1-8 squad.
The Texans are in the mix in the AFC wild-card race.
“I think the biggest thing, of course, is just taking it week by week,” Higgins said. “No matter what it is, just taking it week by week. We’ve got to win every day, and just making sure we’re prepared out here for practice. Just super focused on this game and ready to go out there and make plays.”
Higgins hasn’t carved out a major role in the Texans’ offense despite an extremely efficient catch ratio and one of the largest catch radiuses in the league.
The 22-year-old has a rare blend of size, speed, athleticism and polish to his game. At 6-foot-4, 215 pounds, Higgins has NBA guard size, sprinter’s speed (4.47 40-yard dash), leaping ability with a 39-inch vertical leap and a growing repertoire of moves.
Higgins caught 87 passes for 1,183 yards and nine touchdowns last season as the Cyclones’ go-to receiver.
One advantage Higgins has going for him is an obvious one: his superior size.
A former basketball point guard growing up in South Florida, Higgins isn’t going to encounter any cornerbacks as tall as him. It’s been a long time since the day of Philadelphia Eagles 6-foot-4 standout corner Bobby Taylor. Generally, cornerbacks range in height from 5-foot-10 to 6-foot-1 and most don’t weigh more than 200 pounds.
There are signs that Higgins’ role is starting to increase, though, in the playbook of offensive coordinator Nick Caley.
He’s up to 19 catches for 201 yards and three touchdowns on just 29 targets in nine games and five starts.
“For me, really just every time I get a chance to go out there and make a play, just making sure I’m ready for my moment,” Higgins said. “Definitely just making sure that I’m doing everything right during the week and prepared to play. Really exciting, ready to go out there and make some plays.”
The upward trend for Noel came to a halt, and it wasn’t necessarily because of the Denver Broncos’ defense.
After weeks of increasing productivity, he wasn’t involved on offense against Denver upon the healthy return of veteran slot Christian Kirk from a hamstring injury.
Noel had zero targets on four pass routes and 11 snaps on offense. He had one carry for minus-3 yards.
On special teams, he was dynamic with a 45-yard punt return.
What happened?
“I just continue to prepare the same way, no matter if it’s 11 snaps or 40 snaps, it doesn’t matter,” Noel said. “Just being ready and when my name is called, just go capitalize on those opportunities.”
The previous game before his lack of involvement against Denver, Noel caught a season-high five passes for 63 yards on six targets against the San Francisco 49ers. He had four catches for 77 yards on seven targets against the Seattle Seahawks. Three games ago, he caught his first touchdown.
For the season, he has 18 catches for 197 yards on 24 targets and is averaging 11.4 yards per punt return and 27 yards per kickoff return.
“All our young guys have done a really nice job,” Texans coach DeMeco Ryans said. “They’re all growing and developing, doing the things that we ask them to do. I think J. Noel and Higgs have done a really good job of the things we’ve asked them to do.”
Aaron Wilson is a Texans and NFL reporter for KPRC 2 and click2houston.com