After being maligned all week for their late game performance in a season-opening loss to the New Orleans Saints two weeks ago, the Texans’ defense stopped the Jacksonville Jaguars inches from the goal line in the final seconds to preserve a 13-12 win at NRG Stadium on Sept. 15.

“We just banded together, and the defense made a hell of a stop on the conversion,” Texans linebacker Whitney Mercilus said. “I was impressed by everyone on that play. We just had to do our job, and that is what we did.”

After the Jaguars scored a touchdown to make the score 13-12 with 36 seconds to go, they chose to go for the win with a two-point conversion. Jacksonville running back Leonard Fournette took a handoff up the middle and came within inches of scoring before safety Justin Reid stopped his progress and prevented the Jaguars from stealing a division win.

“Reid made a great play. The line got some penetration and Justin is a great tackler. That was a great defensive play,” Texans coach Bill O’Brien said.

It took more than three quarters, and a lot of help from the defense, but the Texans’ offense finally scored a touchdown against the Jaguars.

With 12:59 to go in the game, and the Texans leading 6-3, Mercilus sacked Jaguars rookie quarterback Gardner Minshew II at the Jaguars’ 11-yard line and JJ Watt recovered the fumble to give the Texans a 1st-and-10 at the 11-yard line. Moments later, on 4th-and-1 at the 2-yard line, quarterback Deshaun Watson bootlegged into the end zone to give the Texans a 13-3 lead.

The touchdown energized the raucous crowd, but the Jaguars marched down the field to the Texans’ 14-yard line before settling for a Josh Lambo 32-yard field goal to cut the lead to 13-6 with 6:04 left. The Texans were forced to punt with 3:47 to go, and the Jaguars took possession on their 32-yard line.

On 4th-and-1, Fournette gained just enough for the first down, and the Jaguars retained possession with 2 minutes to go.

A minute later, on 4th-and-10, Minshew ran 18 yards for a first down at the 13-yard line. Minshew then scrambled for four yards to the 4-yard line before throwing a 4-yard pass to DJ Chark Jr. for a touchdown to make the score, 13-12.

The Jaguars decided to go for the win with a two- point conversion, setting up Reid’s heroics.

“We came up a couple of inches short and lost the game. It was a decision that I made prior to us getting the last possession. Every loss hurts,” Jacksonville coach Doug Marrone said.

In the first half, the Texans were able to move the ball but could not put it in the end zone. Watson completed 12 of 20 attempts for 120 yards, and Carlos Hyde rushed eight times for 45 yards, but the Texans had to settle for two Ka’imi Fairbairn field goals.

For the game, Watson completed 16 of 29 attempts for 159 yards. Hyde rushed 20 times for 90 yards, and DeAndre Hopkins had five receptions for 40 yards.

In the first start of his career, Minshew completed 23 of 33 passes for 213 yards and rushed six times for 56 yards.

“These games are tough to win,” O’Brien said. “We didn’t do as well offensively as we wanted to do, and our defense picked us up. This was a very important team win.”

The Texans (1-1) play the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday in Los Angeles.