Texans close out season with win over Jaguars Boom amid gloom

Foster earns rushing title as team braces for fallout from frustrating season

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The Texans’ 34-17 victory over Jacksonville on Sunday allowed them to finish 6-10 and helped coach Gary Kubiak avoid the worst record of his five-year career.

Kubiak, who’s expected to return for a sixth season, also finished 6-10 in his first season (2006).

The convincing conquest of the Jaguars, who came to Reliant Stadium in a must-win situation because they had a chance to win the AFC South, didn’t salve the wounds of a disastrous year.

“It was a tough season,” Kubiak said. “We lost a lot of tough games. The difference in winning six and 10 or 11 is winning close games. We didn’t do that, so it’s disappointing.

“I sure as hell don’t want to go through it again, but we’ll all be better because of it. Nobody quit working or busting their butt.”

Nothing could massage away the pain of a 2-8 record over the last 10 games that included blowing games in the fourth quarter and overtime.

Texans running back Arian Foster is lifted in the air by offensive tackle Eric Winston (73) after Foster scored on a 35-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter. Foster rushed for 180 yards on 31 carries in the victory. less Texans running back Arian Foster is lifted in the air by offensive tackle Eric Winston (73) after Foster scored on a 35-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter. Foster rushed for 180 yards on 31 carries in the ... more Photo: Brett Coomer, Chronicle Photo: Brett Coomer, Chronicle Image 1 of / 1 Caption Close Texans close out season with win over Jaguars 1 / 1 Back to Gallery

Change is coming, but it’s expected to be on defense, not offense. The defense played one of its best games against Jacksonville, allowing the second-fewest points of the season.

After last season, Kubiak said the Texans had to improve the running game and red-zone offense.

After carrying 31 times for 180 yards and two touchdowns against the Jaguars, Arian Foster finished as the league’s leading rusher with 1,616 yards.

Foster also led the NFL with 2,220 yards from scrimmage, 18 touchdowns and 16 rushing touchdowns.

“Our offensive line dominated the line of scrimmage,” Foster said. “We were running through some big holes.

“Honestly, they (numbers) would have meant more if we could have gotten the W’s to go along with them.”

The Texans were 2-of-4 in red-zone scoring Sunday. They went into the weekend ranked fourth, up from 30th last season.

It’s no secret what the Texans need to improve this offseason.

“It’s pretty obvious we’ve got some problems on defense,” Kubiak said. “We’ve got some serious problems. That filtered through our special teams, too. We struggled all year.”

Some positives

The Texans finished 3-3 in the division, set a team record with 390 points and have three offensive players — Foster, fullback Vonta Leach and receiver Andre Johnson — in the Pro Bowl.

Playing without Johnson, who is injured, for the third time, quarterback Matt Schaub saved one of his best games for last. He was 18-of-22 for 253 yards and a touchdown. Schaub helped the generate 497 yards.

Schaub received excellent protection from the offensive line. He wasn’t sacked, and he didn’t throw an interception.

“Next year, we’ll come back stronger, and we’ll play 10 times better than we did this year,” Schaub said. “There are definitely things we can do better.

“There were plenty of games where we were leading, and we didn’t put them away in the fourth quarter. We’ve got to do a better job of finishing games.”

The Texans started fast and finished well against the Jaguars. They did so much damage on the ground.

The Texans ran for 244 yards and averaged 6.6 per carry. Derrick Ward came off the bench for 63 yards on four carries, including a 35-yard touchdown run.

The Jaguars needed Tennessee to upset Indianapolis, but the Colts pulled out a three-point victory.

Jacksonville played without quarterback David Garrard and running back Maurice Jones-Drew. Rashad Jennings did a reasonable impersonation of Jones-Drew with 108 of the Jaguars’ 198 yards rushing.

The Jaguars’ Trent Edwards was 12-of-25 for 140 yards, with one touchdown and one interception.

The Texans’ Troy Nolan, starting at strong safety for the first time because of Bernard Pollard’s shoulder injury, intercepted a pass and recovered a fumble forced by cornerback Glover Quin.

The defense played one of its best games, especially in the second half. The Jaguars had 322 yards, but they were shut out in the second half.

Second-half dominance

The Texans started strong for the second game in a row, leading 10-0 in the first quarter after Foster’s 2-yard run and Neil Rackers’ 26-yard field goal.

The Jaguars scored 17 points in the second quarter, and the Texans countered with Ward’s touchdown run and Rackers’ 33-yard field goal for a 20-17 lead at halftime.

The second half was all Texans. Schaub threw a 5-yard touchdown pass to tight end Owen Daniels, and Foster scored on a 35-yard run.

Afterward, Texans players lined up to praise Kubiak and say they want him back.

“He’s a great coach,” outside linebacker Brian Cushing said. “The players play the game, not him. He treats us like men. He takes care of us.”

john.mcclain@chron.com