EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- The New York Jets came through with a much-needed win in a strange Thursday night game against the AFC South-leading Houston Texans, pulling out a 21-13 victory at MetLife Stadium to snap a five-game losing streak.

After a scoreless first half, Jets receiver Garrett Wilson gave New York a second-half jolt on Halloween night with two one-handed touchdown catches, the second arguably serving as the catch of the year to put the Jets ahead early in the fourth quarter.

The Texans got 106 rushing yards from running back Joe Mixon but struggled otherwise, as C.J. Stroud was sacked eight times and Ka'imi Fairbairn missed two field goals.

Here are the most important things to know from Thursday night for both teams:

New York Jets (3-6)

The Jets emerged from their "moment of darkness" for a season-saving victory that included a lot of weirdness, just what you'd expect on Halloween.

They overcame their worst play of the year (Malachi Corley's fumble for a touchback) and followed it up with their best play (Wilson's acrobatic fourth-quarter touchdown), sparking a gritty, if not artistic victory over the Texans.

The Jets snapped their five-game losing streak, giving interim coach Jeff Ulbrich his first win after three losses. They were desperate. It was so bleak after Sunday's loss to the New England Patriots that Ulbrich dropped the "darkness" quote. His team, battling several in-game injuries, showed a lot of heart in rebounding from seven- and three-point deficits, something that had been lacking.

They showed resilience, too. The first half was so ugly (69 total yards) that disgruntled fans, some with bags over their heads, were chanting, "Sell the team!" -- directed at owner Woody Johnson, who rocked the franchise by firing Robert Saleh after five games.

If the Jets turn around their season, Wilson's touchdown will be the turning point -- a leaping, one-handed play at the back of the end zone that was one of the best catches of the season. Wilson, rebounding from a poor game two weeks ago, scored two touchdowns to lead the way on a night when they were able to overcome a lot of mistakes.

Pivotal play: The franchise that gave us the "Butt Fumble" (and other assorted bloopers over the years) provided another moment of indignity. Corley scored an apparent touchdown on a jet sweep from 19 yards, but he released the ball before he crossed the goal line and it rolled out of the end zone for a touchback -- an inexcusable gaffe in a then-scoreless game in the second quarter. It was the first carry of his career, and it would've been his first touchdown. You can bet the play will be featured in 2024 lowlight films.

QB breakdown: Maybe Aaron Rodgers' cayenne pepper/water concoction needed a little time to kick in. After a terrible first half (he matched a career low with 32 yards passing), Rodgers perked up and threw touchdowns in the second half, connecting with old friend Davante Adams for the game clincher -- Adams' first touchdown as a Jet. Rodgers (22-for-32, 211 yards) looked like a 40-year-old QB at times, but he made enough winning plays.

Promising trend: The front four brought the heat, as the Jets sacked C.J. Stroud eight times. Defensive end Micheal Clemons and linebacker Jamien Sherwood led the way with two apiece, but it was tackle Quinnen Williams (one sack, seven pressures) and Haason Reddick (six pressures) who generated the most heat.

Troubling trend: What's going on with Sauce Gardner? The All-Pro cornerback hasn't been himself this season, and this was the latest illustration of a talented player struggling to find his mojo. On three consecutive plays in the second quarter, he missed a tackle, allowed a 32-yard completion and committed a holding penalty. It was his fifth penalty, matching his 2023 total. He added a sixth later in the fourth quarter. Like a lot of players on the team, Gardner hasn't played up to expectations. -- Rich Cimini

Next game: at Arizona Cardinals (4:25 p.m. ET, Sunday, Nov. 10)

Houston Texans (6-3)

The Texans' loss resembled their previous two defeats, as they were plagued by offensive issues. In their losses they're averaging 14 points and it's centered around Stroud being under constant pressure.

The Jets sacked Stroud eight times, a career-high, overshadowing a rushing attack that totaled 187 yards. The Texans' offensive struggles kept the Jets -- who didn't score a touchdown until the early third quarter -- alive. But Rodgers eventually threw three touchdown passes in the second half while the Texans' offense was held to a measly six points.

The Texans are scoring only 22.3 points per game, which allows teams to hang around. On Thursday, it cost them a game that they entered with considerable momentum.

Troubling trend: The injuries for the Texans starters are piling up. In this game alone, Houston lost left tackle Laremy Tunsil (ankle), defensive end Will Anderson Jr. (ankle), left guard Kenyon Green (shoulder) for periods of the game. Even Stroud got dinged. Tunsil, Stroud and Anderson eventually returned to the game, but Green didn't. The Texans were already without their wideout duo of Nico Collins (hamstring) and Stefon Diggs (knee) along with linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair (knee) and safety Jimmie Ward (groin).

Pivotal play: Cornerback Derek Stingley Jr. was called for a questionable illegal contact on fourth down on the first play of the fourth quarter, nullifying a Rodgers incompletion that would have turned the ball over to Houston on downs. A few plays later, Rodgers threw a touchdown pass that Wilson caught with one hand to put the Jets up 14-10.

Silver lining: The Texans get a mini-bye to get healthy for their Week 10 battle against the 6-1 Lions. That'll be a tough matchup, but at least the Texans will get healthier with the possible return of Collins, Al-Shaair and Ward.

Most surprising performance: Tank Dell finished with six catches for 126 yards. This was the first 100-yard game he's had since Week 11 in 2023. Dell's performance was needed with wideout Collins and Diggs sidelined. But the Texans couldn't turn it into more points. -- DJ Bien-Aime

Next game: vs. Detroit Lions (8:20 p.m. ET, Sunday, Nov. 10)

SALT LAKE CITY -- Victor Wembanyama had the second 5x5 game of his career while leading the San Antonio Spurs to a 106-88 victory over the Utah Jazz on Thursday night.

Wembanyama had 25 points, 9 rebounds, 7 assists, 5 steals and 5 blocks, giving him at least five in five categories. He also had a 5x5 game in a loss to the Los Angeles Lakers on Feb. 23. His performance Thursday night made him the third player with multiple 5x5 games all time, joining Hakeem Olajuwon (six) and Andrei Kirilenko (three).

Chris Paul added 19 points, 10 assists and six rebounds for the Spurs.

Collin Sexton led the Jazz with 16 points, and John Collins added 14 points and 11 rebounds. Utah played without starting forward Lauri Markkanen, who was out with back spasms.

Patty Mills made three straight 3-pointers to power a 13-0 run that gave Utah a 30-19 lead going into the second quarter. The Jazz did not trail again before halftime.

San Antonio erased a double-digit deficit twice and went ahead for good midway through the third quarter behind a 12-0 surge. Julian Champagnie and Keldon Johnson combined for three baskets off steals over four possessions to cap the run and give the Spurs a 63-55 advantage.

The Spurs led by 20 points in the fourth quarter.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- New York Jets rookie Malachi Corley never will forget his first NFL carry. He will wish that he could.

The wide receiver, known in college for his ability for produce yards after the catch, got the ball on a jet sweep and scored on a 19-yard run -- or so it appeared. The celebration was cut short because it was ruled that he dropped the ball before he crossed the goal line.

It was an intentional drop; Corley thought he was in the end zone. After a replay review, it was ruled a fumble. The ball rolled out of the end zone and was declared a touchback. When things go bad, they really go bad.

What we thought was a Jets TD... is a touchback! Houston ball #HOUvsNYJ on Prime Video
Also streaming on #NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/D3liGAROrt

NFL (@NFL) November 1, 2024

Instead of a 7-0 lead, the Jets had to go back on defense. For the record, it went in the books as an 18-yard rush for Corley.

The third-round pick from Western Kentucky, known as the "YAC King" in college, has played only a handful of snaps this season. The Jets drafted him, in part, because of his ability to make plays with the ball in his hands. Of course, the trick is keeping it in your hands.

SALT LAKE CITY -- Utah Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen sat out Thursday night's game against the San Antonio Spurs because of lower back spasms.

Markkanen is averaging a team-high 18.0 points along with 7.3 rebounds through Utah's first four games. He signed a contract extension with the Jazz in August for $238 million over five years.

The 7-foot forward played just 17 minutes Tuesday night in a 113-96 loss to the Sacramento Kings, finishing with seven points and three rebounds, before leaving because of back spasms. Markkanen practiced with the team Thursday but showed no improvement in his condition.

"He came in this morning and did shootaround and he felt OK," Jazz coach Will Hardy said. "We evaluated him this afternoon again, and he's not healthy enough to play."

Rookie forward Kyle Filipowski started in place of Markkanen against San Antonio. The Jazz selected Filipowski with the 32nd pick in the 2024 draft. He's averaging 4.0 points and 11.3 minutes this season.

The Los Angeles Lakers are declining the third-year rookie option on guard Jalen Hood-Schifino worth $4 million for next season, sources told ESPN.

The move will make the 6-foot-5 combo guard an unrestricted free agent in 2025 and creates roster flexibility for a Lakers team currently set to start the next offseason over the salary cap.

Hood-Schifino, 21, was selected with the No. 17 pick in the 2023 NBA draft after a standout freshman season at Indiana.

He averaged 1.6 points and 0.6 rebounds over 21 games last season and has not played in 2024-25.

LOS ANGELES -- The Dodgers' 7-6 victory over the Yankees in Game 5 for their eighth World Series title and second in five years averaged 18.6 million viewers on Fox, Fox Deportes and streaming, according to Nielsen on Thursday.

That is the most-watched game in the Fall Classic since Game 7 in 2019 when the Washington Nationals' victory over the Houston Astros averaged 23.22 million.

The series averaged 15.81 million, its best performance since 2017 when Houston's victory over the Dodgers in seven games averaged 18.93 million.

Its also quite a turnaround from last year, when the Texas Rangers;' title over the Arizona Diamondbacks in five games averaged a record-low 9.11 million.

The audience Wednesday peaked at 21.27 million from 11:15-11:30 p.m. ET.

The game had a 21.1 rating and 55 share in Los Angeles and 14.8 rating and 39 share in New York.

The rating is the percentage of television households tuned in. The share refers to a percentage of the audience viewing it at the time.

The first ever professional contracts were signed by the womens team at the start of 2022, with Wales making huge strides on the pitch, finishing third in the 2022 and 2023 Womens Six Nations.

But coinciding with the contract talks, 2024 has seen a significant slump in form, with Wales finishing bottom in the championship.

Players brought in the Womens Rugby Association (WRA) in January to represent them, with issues including pay and a performance-based maternity policy among their requests.

The WRA confirmed the Telegraphs revelations saying the girls were in pieces, with the negotiations affecting their health.

England prop Joe Marler has apologised for a "poorly articulated" social media post before Saturday's match against New Zealand, where he said the haka "needs binning".

The 34-year-old called the haka a pre-match ritual challenge - "ridiculous" in a post on X on Tuesday.

But Marler said on Thursday he "should have done better at explaining things" and was "grateful" for the education he has received since.

"Hey rugby fans. Just wanted to jump on here and say sorry to any New Zealand fans I upset with my poorly articulated tweet earlier in the week," Marler posted on X. "I meant no malice in asking for it to be binned, just want to see the restrictions lifted to allow for a response without sanction.

"I'm grateful for the education received on how important the haka is to the New Zealand culture and hope others have a better understanding too. Now roll on 3pm on Saturday for a mega rugby occasion. England by six points."

Marler will not feature in the Autumn Nations Series opener at Twickenham's Allianz Stadium, having left the team camp for personal reasons before posting his initial comments.

The Harlequins player deactivated his X account following his initial post, before reactivating it to claim he was "just having a bit of fun trying to spark interest in a mega rugby fixture".

But amid criticism from various political and cultural figures in New Zealand, All Blacks coach Scott Robertson said Marler could have chosen his words better.

"The haka for us is a custom - it is part of who we are, it's our DNA," added Robertson. "It is not just about the All Blacks, it is about us as a country. It means a lot to us."

In rugby union, regulations prevent opposing teams crossing the halfway line while New Zealand are performing the Maori war dance.

In 2019, England were fined 2,000 for crossing halfway as they lined up in a V formation to face the haka before their Rugby World Cup semi-final match against New Zealand.

Current England captain Jamie George said Marler had "prodded the bear a little bit" before Saturday's match, which kicks off at 15:10 GMT.

"Joe and I don't always agree on everything and we disagree on this topic," he added.

Colorado Avalanche rookie Matt Stienburg was suspended two games Thursday for charging defenseman Erik Cernak during Wednesday's 5-2 home loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning.

The discipline was handed down after Stienburg had a hearing with the NHL Department of Player Safety, which determined that his hit was unnecessary and dangerous.

The forward left his feet and launched into Cernak along the boards after Cernak passed the puck to a teammate. Stienburg, 24, received a five-minute major and a game misconduct. Cernak left the game and did not return.

"... Stienburg elevates unnecessarily, turning his body and launching up and into a check that makes significant contact with Cernak's head and is delivered with requisite force that merits supplemental discipline," a player safety official said in an explanation video.

A third-round pick in 2019, Stienburg made his NHL debut on Oct. 16. Through eight games, he has no points to go along with 16 hits and 22 penalty minutes.

He will not be available for Colorado's road game Saturday against the Nashville Predators or the following home contest Tuesday against the Seattle Kraken.

The Nova Scotia native played three seasons at Cornell before contributing 13 points (five goals, eight assists) and 63 penalty minutes in 54 games with the Colorado Eagles of the American Hockey League in 2023-24.