The Jaguars head to London in Week 6 with a chance to keep rolling, and there are plenty of reasons to like their chances against the Texans.
Start with the quarterback edge. Houston has a talented one in C.J.
Stroud, but Jacksonville enters Sunday with Trevor Lawrence playing the better football. His decision-making and accuracy have taken a clear step forward, even beyond last year’s hot stretch when he was an MVP finalist, and he is still dropping jaw-dropping touchdowns every game.
Right now, Lawrence looks like the kind of player who can carry a matchup like this.
That matters because the Texans’ defense is not getting a free pass here. The Jaguars have already faced four opponents this season with defenses that rank in the top half of the league in EPA/Play, and Lawrence has handled those tests while continuing to impress week after week. In this first battle with Houston in 2026, he feels like the difference-maker.
There is also the way Jacksonville has been approaching games under Liam Coen. This team has taken on his personality, and more often than not, it shows up ready.
The Jaguars have rarely looked out-coached or out-hustled, which is a major edge in a rivalry-type game that figures to be tight anyway. With the Texans on the other side, the Jaguars should be locked in from the start.
And yes, this is the kind of game that carries extra weight. The Jaguars remember last year’s failure in Houston, and they know the Texans have been part of the conversation at the top of the AFC South right alongside them. That gives this one a bigger edge than an ordinary Week 6 game, and it is hard to see Jacksonville letting that moment slip.
The defensive trend also points toward Jacksonville. The Jaguars have been excellent at forcing opponents into one-dimensional football, and the last two weeks made that obvious.
They held both the Cincinnati Bengals and Philadelphia Eagles to 17 points, and those teams combined for 28 rushes and 94 passes. The running attempts produced just 37 yards, an average of 1.32 yards.
Lately, teams have barely bothered to run against Jacksonville and have instead leaned heavily on the passing game.
That lines up poorly for Houston. The Texans’ running game is in complete shambles, which should make this a dropback-heavy matchup whether they want it or not.
That is not the script Houston wants with its offensive line situation, but it may be the one it gets. If the Jaguars force Stroud into that kind of game, they like their chances to leave London with their third fourth win in a row.
In Other News...
Brian Thomas Jr. Trade Buzz Just Got More Real For Jaguars Fans
Brian Thomas Jr. has become one of the more intriguing names to watch around Jacksonville as the season unfolds, not because anything is imminent, but because his future with the Jaguars suddenly feels less settled than it did not long ago. The receiver market has a way of turning quickly, and the latest chatter has connected the Rams and Commanders to the kind of wideout help they may need after injuries thinned out their depth charts.
For Jaguars fans, the interest is obvious because Thomas brings real value and still sits at the center of a conversation that is more about fit and timing than any official move. The Rams and Commanders both make some sense on paper given their receiver situations, but for now it remains exactly that, a theory built on roster need and uncertainty rather than a confirmed deal. [Read more 🡒]
Jaguars Have A Cornerback Problem The Trade Deadline Could Finally Fix
The Jaguars secondary is one of the clearest places to watch as the NFL trade deadline approaches, and the cornerback market has a few names that make sense on paper. Jacksonville has been linked in the discussion to a mix of younger, affordable options and more experienced veterans, with Tariq Woolen, Zyon McCollum, Brandon Stephens and Kristian Fulton among the players that could potentially be available depending on how their current teams view them.
What makes this interesting for Jacksonville is the fit as much as the price. The Jaguars do not need a splashy move just for the sake of it, but they do need help at a spot where the options have to line up with both present needs and future cap reality. Whether the front office can find a corner who actually becomes available is the bigger question, and it is the kind of deadline puzzle that could shape the rest of the season. [Read more 🡒]
Liam Coen Made One Jaguars Decision Fans Will Debate All Week
Late in the fourth quarter of a tight Week 6 matchup, Liam Coen chose the conservative path and sent out the field-goal unit instead of rolling the dice on fourth down. The kick was from 60 yards, a long try by any standard, and it went through, giving the Jaguars a chance to let the defense finish the job.
Coen later pointed to his confidence in the kicker and the situation on the clock as the reasons for taking the points. Still, the choice will linger in Jacksonville after the Texans answered with a game-winning field goal of their own, turning a successful gamble on the scoreboard into one of those coaching decisions fans will revisit all week. [Read more 🡒]