JACKSONVILLE – This has a big-game feel, maybe really big.
It also has a really important feel for a mid-September game – with the Jaguars' matchup against the Houston Texans at EverBank Stadium Sunday having significant early-season division implications.
This one will have energy. Buckle up.
The Jaguars (1-1), after a one-sided home victory over the Carolina Panthers in Week 1, lost to the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 2 this past Sunday in a road game in which they didn't trail until :18 remained.
They therefore enter Sunday's game against the Texans – the two-time defending AFC South champions – a game behind the Indianapolis Colts (0-2) in the division. The Texans enter Sunday with equal – and perhaps even more – incentive after losing winnable back-to-back games to the Los Angeles Rams and Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
The Texans are 0-2 and 0-2 NFL teams are desperate teams. Oh and two NFL teams that are good teams – and the Texans are a good team – are very dangerous teams and difficult to beat.
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The Jaguars can score a huge division victory Sunday. Here are 10 things they must do to do that:
- Run. Keep circling this, because it's becoming a foundation piece of this offense and this team. The Jaguars lead the NFL with 169.5 yards rushing per game and 5.7 yards rushing per play. This is what they do and they must keep doing it Sunday.
- Keep Tuten involved. Jaguars running back Travis Etienne Jr. is playing at the highest level of his five-year career and has proven a perfect fit for Coen's offense. But rookie Bhayshul Tuten has special speed and balance – and is rapidly turning into a playmaker. The Jaguars need explosive plays Sunday, and Tuten may be their most explosive offensive player. He needs carries and targets.
- Push back. The Texans are a physical team that believes they can out-tough opponents. The Jaguars are a physical team that believes they can out-tough opponents. The Texans, as evidenced last December when linebacker Azeez Al-Shaai knocked Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence from the game and essentially ended his season with an illegal hit, will push. The Jaguars must push back.
- Force turnovers. The Jaguars have 6 takeaways this season, including 5 interceptions, after registering 8 takeaways last season. They have no interceptions in four all-time games against Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud and have won just one of those meetings. You won't beat any team consistently if you never intercept their quarterback.
- Catch. The. Ball. The Jaguars' drop issues against the Bengals last week are well-documented and cost them multiple chances to clinch victory to move to 2-0 for the first time since 2018. This offense has shown in two weeks it will get receivers open – and open in the red zone. The receivers must catch the ball in big moments for the Jaguars to win in any week.
- Get Washington involved. Third-year veteran Parker Washington is listed as the Jaguars' "fourth receiver." Wherever he ranks, he's playing as well as any receiver on the roster. He made the biggest plays of any receiver on the roster last week. He must be on the field and he must be involved offensively.
- Cut out the oh nos. Quarterback Trevor Lawrence is progressing in his first season in Coen's offense. That's good. He also has had a few head-scratching plays in each of the first two games. That's not as good. If the Jaguars are to win consistently, he has to be more consistent with fewer avoidable mistakes.
- Reduce the pre-snap penalties. This has been an issue for the Jaguars throughout preseason and through the first two games of the regular season. Coen has preached to his team often that it can't win consistently when making avoidable mistakes that beat themselves. Reducing those is the next step for a clearly improving team.
- Protect Lawrence. The Jaguars' offensive line for the most part has pass blocked as well as it has run blocked – and it has run blocked as well as any team in the NFL this season. The Texans are a good pass rushing team that believes it can pressure Lawrence into mistakes. He must have time Sunday and must be aware of the pass rush. Texans edge defenders Will Anderson and Danielle Hunter are a formidable challenge. The Jaguars must focus there, and be aware of their ability to disrupt.
- Make the moment plays. The Jaguars played very well in Cincinnati. They lost because they couldn't make a play when they had multiple opportunities to clinch the victory late. This game figures come down to the final minutes Sunday. The team that makes the clutch plays at critical time will win.
