Three Keys: How Jaguars Can Depart London 2-0
Starting the NFL season 1-4 is typically an indication that the team is playing poorly and can be taken lightly. When the Texans line up opposite the Jaguars on Sunday, that mindset will disappear.
Houston (1-4) opened its season with three one-possession losses, but trounced Tennessee in Week 5 and has a stout track record against Jacksonville (4-1). The Texans are 13-3 against the Jags since 2018 and have won three of the last four games.
Here are three keys (9:30 a.m. ET on the NFL Network with coverage on 98.1-FM/850-AM WRUF) to how Jacksonville can secure a win in its first AFC South action:
Keep the Pocket Clean Against Houston’s Rush
The Jaguars placed left tackle Anton Harrison on injured reserve on Tuesday, placing greater emphasis on their offensive line depth. With Harrison out for a minimum of four games, Jacksonville will look to Walker Little to step up.
Little is a six-year Jag and has started 39 games for the franchise. He made 14 starts last season and will make his first of 2026 in Week 6.
“I probably can’t overstate how important it is because we really are fortunate to not have to play a backup in a situation when a tackle goes down. I don’t look at Walker as a backup tackle or a backup guard,” offensive coordinator Grant Udinski said. “But having a guy who can go in there and play in the middle of a game or in the middle of a series and go out there and play like a starting tackle is a huge luxury.”
Jacksonville will rely on LIttle to protect quarterback Trevor Lawrence’s blind side against a top Texans pass rush. Houston is headlined by defensive end tandem Will Anderson Jr. and Danielle Hunter. The front has generated the league’s second-most sacks this season with 18.
Hunter is riding a three-game streak with at least 0.5 sacks and has three total. Anderson has been a disruptor up front, adding 7.5 sacks in his fourth NFL season. He took down Cam Ward three times last week and had 2.5 sacks on Joe Burrow in Week 2. Anderson is Pro Football Focus’ No. 1 edge defender with a defensive grade of 92.1.
“They’re so well-rounded that it makes it such a unique challenge to be able to attack both of those guys in protection or in the run game because you can only allocate so many bodies to one guy, and then you’re taking them away from the other guy,” Udinski said.
Lawrence has been sacked at least once in each of Jacksonville’s outings. He was brought down twice against the Eagles and a season-high four times in its win in Cincinnati.
Get Bhayshul Tuten into a Rhythm
Outside of Anderson and Hunter, the rest of Houston’s front seven has stood tall. The Texans boast the league’s third-best run defense, allowing just 78.4 yards per game.
On the other side is Bhayshul Tuten. He is slated as PFF’s No. 2 running back with an offensive grade of 90.4. His run grade of 90 tops the rest of the league.
Tuten is coming off three consecutive 70-plus yard outings and has posted more than 65 yards in all six games this year after surpassing the total just once in 2025.
The Texans have allowed an opposing rusher to top 65 yards once this season after Cincinnati’s Chase Brown ran for 80 in Week 2. Houston has allowed 73.6 ground yards per game since the loss.
Jacksonville is riding a three-game win streak and has been playing complementary football in that stretch. Tuten has been productive while not bearing a massive load and Lawrence has had to bolster less pressure.
Flip the Secondary Script
The Jaguars’ victory against the Eagles marked the first time this season the defense failed to log a takeaway. While they eked out a win, their secondary has been keen on forcing turnovers at a rapid rate.
Jacksonville’s six interceptions are tied for No. 2 in the league. Its 16 interceptions since Week 11 of 2025 are tied for first across the NFL in that span.
The Jags have allowed the league’s third-most passing yards per game this season with 266.2, just behind Buffalo and Detroit. Jacksonville let Burrow toss 428 yards in Week 4, his most since Nov. 7, 2024. Despite the total, the Jaguars topped the Bengals 22-17 on a last-minute red zone stop.
The takeaways have bailed out the Jaguars at times.
“I think the guys are improving, and they’re constantly coaching each other on the same stuff, talking about the same stuff,” defensive coordinator Anthony Campanile said. “And when those things are applied in the practice, it’s starting to show up in the game, and their technique has been helping them.”
The Jags are without cornerbacks Montaric Brown and Jaylon Jones on Sunday. Brown did not practice throughout the week due to a lingering hamstring injury and Jones was a limited participant, but will not suit up. He has yet to make his Jacksonville debut after it signed him Oct. 6.
The Jaguars are 5-1 under coach Liam Coen against AFC South opponents. They average 28.5 points per game and carry a plus-79 point differential.
Category: Feature Sports News, Jacksonville Jaguars, NFL
