The Jaguars’ trip to London in Week 6 brings a matchup that could shape the early AFC South picture, and Jacksonville enters it with a few clear edges over Houston.
The cleanest advantage for the Jaguars comes on defense, where their front has a chance to take over. Jacksonville got plenty of pressure on the Philadelphia Eagles’ offensive line last week, doing it both with straight four-man rushes and with blitzes.
If that kind of disruption shows up again against C.J. Stroud, it could tilt the game quickly.
Houston’s offensive line is still a problem. The Texans are working with a patchwork group that has not come together, and on paper it is a bad fit against Josh Hines-Allen, Travon Walker and Arik Armstead rushing the passer. Hines-Allen and Walker have already produced big outings against the Texans before, and the setup is there for more of the same.
Jacksonville should also feel good enough about its own run game to at least hold its own against a solid Texans run defense. The Jaguars have had their rushing attack humming throughout 2026, even if last week brought some issues. Bhayshul Tuten’s rise has mattered, and rookies Josh Cameron and Emmanuel Pregnon have chipped in as well.
Houston, meanwhile, is the side that looks far less likely to find traction on the ground. The Texans are again carrying one of the league’s weakest rushing attacks, with Woody Marks expected to lead the backfield. That is a bad place to be facing a Jaguars defense that has been even stingier than a year ago.
Jacksonville’s numbers against the run tell the story: the defense has allowed an NFL-low 63.8 rushing yards per game, which is 9.0 fewer than the next-closest team, and it has given up the second-fewest points per game in the league at 14.0.
There is also an edge for the Jaguars on the sideline. Liam Coen has helped drive one of the NFL’s most efficient and productive offenses during most of his time leading the group, even if his offenses have not produced their best games against Houston so far. Still, the Jaguars have the better play-caller in this matchup.
That makes Coen vs. DeMeco Ryans the most intriguing coaching battle in the game.
Both should have moments, but Houston’s offensive coordinator Nick Caley does not carry the same level of confidence. If the Texans need to trade scores and keep up with Coen while also trying to deal with Anthony Campanile’s defense, that is not a comfortable spot for Houston.
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Texans Arrive In London With A Problem Jaguars Can Exploit
Houstons trip to London comes with a few significant holes, and the Jaguars will be paying close attention. The Texans are set to be without wide receiver Tank Dell, running back David Montgomery, and safety Jalen Pitre for the matchup, leaving them shorthanded on both sides of the ball. For Jacksonville, that matters especially on defense, because the Jaguars have leaned into a strong passing game and now get an opponent missing some key pieces in the secondary and at the skill spots.
For a Jaguars team looking to stack another win overseas, the matchup has suddenly tilted a bit in their favor. Missing Dell changes the Texans options in the passing game, and Pitres absence creates another test for a defense already trying to manage Jacksonvilles aerial attack. There is still plenty of football to be played in London, but the Jaguars have a clear opening to press an undermanned Houston roster and make the most of it. [Read more 🡒]
Jaguars Face A Deadline Decision That Could Define Their Defense
With the 2026 NFL trade deadline still ahead, the Jaguars are already being linked to a familiar kind of midseason shopping list: defensive help that could change the feel of the roster in a hurry. The possibilities range across the front seven and the secondary, with names like Moro Ojomo, Khalil Mack and Zach Sieler coming up as potential fits for a team that could use more impact up front and more stability behind it.
Brandon Stephens also enters the discussion as part of the broader search for help on the back end, where the Jaguars would be weighing not just talent but cost, contract status and how much sense each move makes for the roster around it. It is the sort of deadline forecast that says as much about Jacksonvilles priorities as it does about any one player, and the real question is whether the front office will be willing to pay the price to turn that speculation into a defensive upgrade. [Read more 🡒]
Parker Washington's Breakout Just Earned Praise Jaguars Fans Will Love
Parker Washington has become one of the quiet bright spots in Jacksonvilles 4-1 start, and his surge is showing up at just the right time during the Jaguars three-game winning streak. The second-year receiver, a sixth-round pick in 2023, made his biggest splash yet in Week 5 against the Philadelphia Eagles, finishing with six catches for 124 yards and two touchdowns while continuing to pile up production after a steady early-season role.
The performance drew praise from Tom Brady, a nod that carried real weight for a young player still building his name in the league. Washington said he appreciated the recognition, and the numbers suggest this is no fluke, as hes on pace to top his previous seasons output and give Jacksonville another reliable weapon as the wins keep coming. [Read more 🡒]