Ka'imi Fairbairn kicked a 49-yard field goal as time expired to lift the Houston Texans to a 34-31 victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars in a thriller at Wembley Stadium on Sunday.

It was a game that began with referee Larry Smith being carted off with a non-contact injury in the opening seconds. A game that spent its interval staging on-field Corgi races. And a game that concluded with another dose of boot-fuelled drama following Cam Little's last-second winner against the Philadelphia Eagles at Tottenham the previous week.

Texans quarterback CJ Stroud threw for 312 yards and three touchdowns while Jaylin Noel led his side with four receptions for 107 yards and a score as Houston improved to 2-4 on the year.

Stroud's first interception of the season came by way of Travis Hunter as the two-way Jags star became the first player to score a touchdown and record a pick in the same game since Brian Dawkins for the Philadelphia Eagles against the Texans on September 29, 2002.

Trevor Lawrence finished 24 of 41 for 306 yards, four touchdowns and one interception as the Jaguars slipped to 4-2 at the end of their fortnight in the UK.

Hunter had derailed Houston's attempt to put the game to bed with four minutes left when he intercepted Stroud in the end zone to halt a 12-play drive.

Last week's hero Little delivered again moments later when he converted a 60-yard field goal to tie the game at 31-31 with two minutes to play.

Stroud proceeded to navigate a game-winning drive that included a 19-yard connection to Woody Marks on third-and-two as Houston reached field goal range to set up Fairbairn's defining moment. He delivered on cue.

Having led 17-14 at the break, Houston pushed their lead out to 24-14 on the opening drive of the second half through Noel's 13-yard touchdown catch on third-and-10.

Jacksonville's reply came courtesy of a one-handed one-yard touchdown grab by tight end Nate Boerkircher to pull within 24-21 after Jakobi Meyers had springboarded the drive with two catches for a combined 50 yards.

Jawhar Jordan, elevated from the practice squad for Sunday's game, scurried clear for a 25-yard touchdown on the ensuing possession as Houston opened up a 10-point cushion.

Back came the Jags, Hunter taming a bullet from Lawrence for a seven-yard touchdown to make it 31-28 after the extra point with 11.26 to play in the fourth quarter.

Houston had struck first in the game when Stroud floated a six-yard touchdown pass to tight end Foster Moreau, rewarding Nico Collins for his 42-yard airborne contested catch in direct coverage from Hunter along the sideline.

The Jags were foiled in their immediate response when Bhayshul Tuten's three-yard touchdown run was nullified by a Brenton Strange holding penalty, before Lawrence was intercepted by Calen Bullock in the end zone while targeting Jakobi Meyers on third-and-goal.

Tuten refused to be denied again when he slalomed through two tackle attempts for a 27-yard touchdown catch-and-run mid-way through the second quarter.

The Jags running back struck again when Lawrence peeled out to his right to float a two-yard strike to Tuten for a 14-10 lead with a minute remaining in the half. Houston responded instantly when Moreau hauled in a one-yard touchdown pass with eight seconds left after Noel's 50-yard reception.

Stats leaders:

Houston Texans

• Passing: CJ Stroud, 24/34, 312 yards, 3 TDs, 1 INT
• Rushing: Woody Marks, 15 carries, 56 yards
• Receiving: Jaylin Noel, 4 catches, 107 yards, 1 TD

Jacksonville Jaguars

• Passing: Trevor Lawrence, 24/41, 306 yards, 4 TDs, 1 INT
• Rushing: Chris Rodriguez Jr, 11 carries, 55 yards
• Receiving: Jakobi Meyers, 5 catches, 83 yards