JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - Forget about any quarterback controversy in Houston. Brian Hoyer left little doubt who the starting quarterback will be for the Texans, at least for the foreseeable future.

Behind some pinpoint passing by Hoyer, the Houston Texans scored three touchdowns in less than seven minutes in the fourth quarter to power the Texans past the Jacksonville Jaguars 31-20 on Sunday in a showdown of AFC South Division teams.

Hoyer, who has been on the bench or in mop-up duty since starting the season-opener against Kansas City, turned in a solid performance, connecting on 24 of 36 passes for 293 yards and three touchdowns.

Texans coach Bill O'Brien made it clear when asked if Hoyer had shown him enough in the game for him to continue as the starter.

"Definitely. There is always things that all of us can improve upon, especially coaching-wise," the Houston coach said. "I think when you look at him; he went in there and managed the game well. He has a good calmness about him right now. He is confident and I am proud of the way he played today. "

Hoyer was at his best in the fourth quarter when he led the Texans on two scoring drives to overcome a 14-10 Jaguars lead. Jacksonville scored in the closing seconds of the third quarter when quarterback Blake Bortles connected with tight end Julius Thomas for a 29-yard score. It was Thomas' first touchdown as a Jaguar.

Houston answered that score with an 81-yard drive in nine plays. Hoyer accounted for 65 yards on four completions, including a 9-yard throw to wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins in the corner of the end zone. Three plays earlier, Hoyer left the game after taking a late hit from Jaguars safety Johnathan Cyprien. Hoyer returned, and after a running play and an incompletion, teamed with Hopkins.

The Texans (2-4) weren't done there, though. After the Jaguars went three-and-out, Hoyer needed just four plays to cover 46 yards. The score came on a 26-yard completion to Hopkins, who easily beat Jaguars cornerback Davon House near the goal-line. That gave the Texans a 10-point cushion and put the game out of reach for the Jaguars (1-5).

"It's huge to get a win on the road and especially against a division opponent," Hoyer said. "It was a challenge today, it wasn't always pretty but when it counted, we made the plays. It was a total team win, everyone doing their job."

Hoyer's favorite target was Hopkins, who was targeted 15 times and finished with 10 receptions for 148 yards and two scores. He came into the game with a league-leading 578 yards and will likely stay atop all receivers in yardage.

The defense got in on the scoring parade at that point. On the Jaguars' first play following the kickoff, Bortles overthrew wide receiver Allen Robinson and the ball was grabbed by defensive back Andre Hal. He had a clear path to the end zone to complete the 41-yard interception return and build the Texans' lead to 31-14. It was the sixth pass thrown by Bortles in his 19-game career that was intercepted and returned for a touchdown.

On the Jaguars' next series, backup safety Lonnie Ballentine suffered a leg injury. His leg was put in an air cast and he was taken off the field in a cart.

Jacksonville scored on its next possession when Bortles guided the Jaguars 80 yards in 11 plays. The score came on an 11-yard pass to wide receiver Allen Hurns in the corner of the end zone, but that was as close as the Jaguars could get.

Bortles had his second successive 300-yard game as he finished with 336 passing yards and three touchdowns. That came within 5 yards of his career best, which he set a year ago against Tennessee. But three interceptions and 23 incompletions in 53 attempts kept his passer rating down to a mediocre 70.6.

The Jaguars had a chance to tie or take the lead late in the first half when they took over possession at their own 40 with 1:43 left before intermission. Jacksonville and Bortles have had plenty of success late in the half this year. The Jags have scored 36 points in the final two minutes of a half (second most in the league) while Bortles' four TD passes rank first and his 301 yards are second.

But after marching down to the 18-yard line with 17 seconds left in the first half, Bortles threw low for Thomas, and the pass was intercepted by Hal at the goal line, preserving Houston's 10-7 halftime margin.

Bortles said the interception right before halftime, which cost the Jaguars a chance to tie the game or take the lead, was big.

"It's a chance for us to put up points and go into halftime (with the lead)," Bortles said. "I think it's just bad situational football. We called a play to give ourselves a chance to score a touchdown or throw an incomplete pass and kick a field goal. We had no timeouts, so that's what we needed to do and I didn't do it. It was kind of a bad decision -- bad play. "

Despite their fifth loss in six games, Jaguars coach Gus Bradley said his team will continue to stick to their convictions.

"We believe in our convictions, it's just I don't know if when you go out there and press if that has anything to do with our philosophy," Bradley said. "I think they want it bad. They're going out there and we're trying to find a way to make a play that will get this thing going in the right direction. When you do that mistakes happen. I don't know if that's conviction or what."

NOTES: Prior to Sunday, the Jaguars had scored 36 points in the final two minutes of a half, second only to Pittsburgh's 37. ... Texans DE J.J. Watt, who came into the game as questionable on Friday's injury report, was pretty much contained by the Jaguars. He finished with just two tackles, had one quarterback hit and deflected a pass. Watt was not available after the game. ... Houston's defense, which came into the game with an NFL-low two takeaways, surpassed that total with three interceptions of QB Blake Bortles. ... Sunday's game at EverBank Field marks the Jaguars' only game there in a two-month span. From Sept. 20 to Nov. 19, the Jaguars play five games on the road, have a home game in London against the Bills and have their bye week.