Another week, another London kickoff for the Jaguars. Jacksonville survived the Eagles 19-17 on a last-second kick, and the Jaguars stayed top five in every major power ranking after it. Houston arrives at 1-4, but with a defense that just held Tennessee to three points.
This series has been tight for years, with the last five meetings decided by one score. Here’s how this one breaks down.
When the Jaguars have the ball
Bhayshul Tuten has 349 rushing yards, but yards will be hard to find against a Texans defense allowing 78.4 per game on the ground. That shifts the weight to Trevor Lawrence, who has 10 touchdown passes and 1,174 yards. Parker Washington remains the top option with 352 receiving yards, and Brenton Strange has become a steady target over the middle.
The concern is up front. Anton Harrison is on injured reserve, and what his knee surgery means for the line is simple: Walker Little makes his first start of the season at left tackle. Houston has 18 sacks, and Will Anderson Jr. holds a 92.1 overall grade, first among edge defenders, on his PFF player page. Expect Lawrence to get the ball out quickly.
When the Texans have the ball
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C.J. Stroud hasn’t thrown an interception in 185 attempts, so the Jaguars won’t be able to count on gifts. What they can count on is a defense allowing 14 points per game and red-zone touchdowns on just five of 15 trips. Houston is without running back David Montgomery, and the team averages 3.4 yards per carry.
Nico Collins is the player to watch. He has three touchdowns in three games, and Anthony Campanile’s defense has to account for what he can do deep. Coen knows what kind of game this will be. “We know every time you line up against this team it’s going to be a fight. It’s going to be a brawl,” Coen said, per the Jaguars’ website.
Score prediction: Jaguars 23, Texans 20
Expect a game that’s tied or within a field goal into the fourth quarter. Houston’s defense keeps Tuten in check, but Lawrence converts enough third downs to keep drives alive, and Cam Little has already shown he can win a game in London. Jacksonville gets the late field goal, moves to 5-1 and opens a four-game lead on Houston in the AFC South heading into the bye week. Kickoff is 9:30 a.m. ET on NFL Network.
More on the Jacksonville Jaguars
- Final Injury Report for Texans-Jaguars: Will David Montgomery, Tank Dell Play?
- Experts Expect the Jaguars to Handle the Texans at Wembley and Get to 5-1
- Houston Texans at Jacksonville Jaguars NFL Prediction, Picks & Odds for Week 6
- 4 Reasons the Jaguars Will Beat the Texans, and 2 Reasons They Won’t
