LONDON – They already did the "international drama thing."
Next, the Jaguars will do the "big division game thing" – with the second of their back-to-back 2026 London games a key game in the early-season AFC South race.
The Jaguars, 19-17 winners over the Philadelphia Eagles at Tottenham Stadium this past Sunday – one of the most memorable finishes of the 2026 NFL season – on Sunday will play host to their AFC South rivals, the Houston Texans, at Wembley Stadium.
How big is big? Consider:
The Texans and Jaguars have split the last four AFC South titles, with the Jaguars winning in 2022 and last season and the Texans winning in 2023-2024.
They finished a game apart in the division in 2025, with the Jaguars winning the division with an eight-game season-ending winning streak at 13-5 and the Texans finishing second with a nine-game season-ending winning streak at 12-4.
They have split the season series three of the past four seasons, with the Jaguars winning 17-10 in Jacksonville last season and the Texans winning 36-29 in Houston.
The Jaguars enter Sunday 4-1 with a two-game lead in the South and a three-game winning streak. The Texans, after losing their first four games, beat the Tennessee Titans, 23-6, last week and can pull to within two games of the Jaguars with a victory.
The Jaguars, who lead the Indianapolis Colts by two games, can move four games ahead of the Texans with a victory Sunday.
That's not close to a division-clinching scenario for the Jaguars, nor is it an elimination scenario for the Texans, but it would mean a major lead for the Jaguars over last year's division runner-up entering a Week 7 bye week.
A Distinguished Destination
From pandemics to addressing population health, we relentlessly pursue solving the mysteries of both incurable and treatable diseases, knowing that one discovery leads to the next.
So, while the Eagles victory was exciting and memorable, a victory Sunday would be far more important.
Here are 10 things the Jaguars must do to get it:
- Run. This has been, is and will remain No. 1 for the Jaguars under Head Coach Liam Coen. The more they establish the run, the more effective the offense. They have been good and consistent here through five games. That must continue Sunday to counter a dominant Texans pass rush.
- Stop the run. The Jaguars are the NFL's best in this area. They are elite. It's their defensive identity. When the Jaguars stop the run they play good defense and they have played remarkably good against the run in recent games.
- Get physical. When the Jaguars have been the more physical team under Coen, they usually have been the better team and they usually have won. Sunday's game will be a physical test. Tough, scrappy and not backing down is the identity of both teams. There will be hitting. The more physical team likely will be the better team.
- Protect Lawrence. Protecting quarterback Trevor Lawrence is always critical for the Jaguars. Against what might be the NFL's best defense, and best pass rush, it's particularly important.
- Little time. This is an extension of No. 4. The Jaguars placed starting left tackle Anton Harrison on injured reserve with a knee injury Tuesday. His backup, Walker Little, has started 31 NFL games at the position. Little must at least help neutralize Texans ends Will Anderson and Danielle Hunter Sunday. It's not easy. But it's necessary.
- Turn. It. Over. The Jaguars are one of the NFL's best teams at creating takeaways. They beat the Eagles without forcing any and Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud hasn't thrown an interception this season. Those trends must change for the Jaguars to win Sunday.
- Contain Collins. Texans wide receiver Nico Collins has had huge games against the Jaguars. He has had huge games against most teams. He will catch passes for a decent number of yards Sunday. The Jaguars must prevent those numbers from being indecent.
- Feed P-Dub. Jaguars wide receiver Parker Washington is rapidly emerging as an elite, go-to receiver who routinely makes big, game-turning plays at the biggest moments. Sunday's game figures to be decided in the big moments and Washington is the Jaguars' biggest big moment player.
- Be creative. This is about Lawrence. He hasn't run all that much this season and the Jaguars don't design many plays for Lawrence to run. But when he runs "organically," it adds a dynamic to this offense. Sunday may be a day for the dynamic to be really important.
- Find a way. This is a rivalry game. It will be scrappy, chippy and probably feature some "extra stuff" because that's how the Texans play. The Jaguars can play that way, too. They must push back Sunday and win another gritty, gutty game.
