Coen Talks Jaguars' Progress The Day After Week 3 Win: "We left so much out there …"

Sep 22, 2025 at 04:38 PM

John Oehser

Jaguars Senior Writer

JACKSONVILLE – Sunday wasn't perfect, which was more than OK.

That's because what the Jaguars' second victory of the 2025 regular season lacked in style and perfection, it more than made up for in grit and clutch play.

And as Liam Coen saw it, grit and clutch had real beauty.

"To not play your best specifically on one side of the ball and still come away with a win, that is important," the Jaguars' head coach said.

Coen spoke Monday, a day after the Jaguars' 17-10 victory over the Houston Texans at EverBank Stadium moved them to 2-1 after three games – a game behind the Indianapolis Colts (3-0) in the AFC South and two games ahead of two-time defending division champion Houston (0-3).

"It shows a lot of progress," tight end Brenton Strange said Monday, "but I think we left so much out there and I think that's something that's exciting. We can fix those mistakes. When you get the win, it's better feeling than having to come in and fix it after a loss."

The Jaguars, after finishing 3-10 in one-score games last season and losing in the final :18 in Week 2 in Cincinnati, scored the game-winning touchdown Sunday on running back Travis Etienne Jr.'s 10-yard run with 1:48 remaining.

Safety Antonio Johnson secured the victory with an interception at the Jaguars 4-yard line with :20 remaining.

"We feel like if there's time on the clock, there's an opportunity for us to win the game," cornerback Tyson Campbell said. "That's how we feel. We're not pointing any fingers. We're playing for one another and we always feel like we're in the game and always have an opportunity to win the game.

"Winning in the National Football League is hard within itself. Winning any game is very important, but especially in the division are games you hone in on. We're glad we got this win, especially on our home turf, and we just want to keep stacking them."

The victory was Jaguars' first at home against the Texans since 2017, with Houston having won three of the team's four meetings in 2023 and 2024.

"Felt really good, especially just how things have been going the last couple of years with them," Strange said. "Felt good to get the win and now it's just time to move on and go forward."

Coen on Monday discussed multiple aspects of a grinding, defensive-oriented victory – and said winning in a team-first fashion trumped all else. The Jaguars managed just 291 yards and 17 first downs offensively, sacking Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud twice and forcing 3 turnovers – all in the fourth quarter and all inside the Jaguars 20.

The Jaguars turned a late defensive takeaway – a fumble recovery by linebacker Devin Lloyd that gave them possession at their 17 – into an 83-yard game-winning drive, with quarterback Trevor Lawrence passing 46 yards to wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. to set up Etienne's game-winning touchdown run.

"These results do matter, as we all know – to see our guys stay connected throughout the end of that game," Coen said. "The defense could have easily been pointing fingers at the offense. There was not a peep. There was just, 'Let's go back to work. Let's get out there and go and execute and we've got to go make a play.'

"To go and win a division game like that – a physical, tough finish comes down to the wire. That is really big for us to be able to move forward and have belief that we can go and win tight games.

"Very pleased with their ability to stay connected and finish a tough game the right way."