HOUSTON, Tex. – Senior writer John Oehser, senior correspondent Brian Sexton and team reporter Kainani Stevens offer quick thoughts on the Jaguars’ 36-29 loss to the Houston Texans in a 2025 Week 10 game at NRG Stadium in Houston, Tex., Sunday.
John Oehser, Jaguars Senior Writer…
- A gut punch up there with the all-time gut punches. Call this an opportunity lost in historic fashion. Or a meltdown. Or a gut punch. Whatever you call it, make no mistake: This Jaguars loss in a game they led by 19 points entering the fourth quarter is the sort of loss that can define – and ruin – a season in the NFL. It wasn't just that they lost a 19-point lead, they also lost a chance to move to 6-3 and solidify their mid-November playoff positioning. And while the Jaguars still hold the AFC's No. 7 and final "playoff" position, it's fair to wonder what effect such a historic loss will have on this team moving forward. Head Coach Liam Coen called the post-game locker-room mood, "Disbelief" – understandable considering no Jaguars team in 31 seasons had held a lead so large only to lose. The most important question of the season now faces the Jaguars, and that's how this team will respond. "That's the whole message in the locker room just now," Coen said. "This one's going to sting, and it should, but we have to move on. We'll definitely have to challenge each other this week to get back on track." The defining traits of this first Jaguars season with Coen as head coach have been the team's connection, belief and ability to respond to adversity. Those traits will get their toughest test yet in the coming days.
- This one goes to 11. There have been multiple feel-good stories around this Jaguars season. But it's hard to find a 2025 Jaguars story better than that of wide receiver Parker Washington, who turned in yet another memorable performance on Sunday. Washington, a sixth-round selection in the 2023 NFL Draft, entered training camp as the No. 4 receiver – and after a slew of injuries and various struggles at the position, entered Sunday as the Jaguars' No. 1 receiving option. Washington responded with not only a spectacular reception on the game's first touchdown, he also weaved his way through the Texans' coverage for a 73-yard punt return for a touchdown that gave the Jaguars a 17-0 lead early in the second quarter. "He just keeps doing it," Coen said. "We were trying to get him the rock multiple other ways. He just keeps doing his thing. He's helping us win every week, and I appreciate him for that." Washington caught three passes for 33 yards and a touchdown Sunday – and he continues to be one of the Jaguars' best stories of the season.
Brian Sexton, Senior Correspondent…
- An epic melt-down. The Jaguars were 51-0 in franchise history when leading by 19 or more points at any time in a game. Leading 29-10 to start the fourth quarter against a backup quarterback and a depleted offensive line, the Jaguars could do nothing to stop the Texans. Texans quarterback Davis Mills engineered three consecutive touchdown drives in the fourth quarter, including a 14-play, 93-yard drive to take the lead with :31 remaining. Losing Sunday not only cost the Jaguars a game against the Colts in the AFC South standings, but kept the Texans in the race. It was a double disaster as things went from looking good to looking shaky in 15 minutes.
Kainani Stevens, Jaguars Team Reporter/Producer ...
- Parker's big play day. The Jaguars' wide receiver corps was about as injured as it has been all season entering Sunday's game, but Washington used the opportunity to put on one of the more impressive performances of the year. Washington was the MVP of the day with two touchdowns, and he drew multiple pass interference calls against the Texans' defense. One of his touchdowns was an impressive toe-tap catch in the back of the end zone and the other was a 73-yard punt return for a touchdown. Washington had a tremendous training camp in August but was buried on a depth chart behind wide receivers Brian Thomas Jr, Dyami Brown and rookie Travis Hunter. However, Washington more than held his own when his number was called on Sunday in Houston.
- The Jaguars ran out of gas late at NRG Stadium. A comfortable 29-10 Jaguars' lead heading into the fourth quarter turned out not to be enough to secure the win. Houston rallied, scoring 26 unanswered points to get the win. The Jaguars had multiple opportunities to stop the bleeding, but the defense looked tired and slow in the second half. Offensively, the Jags couldn't get out of their own way. Jacksonville's final offensive drive featured a sack, a penalty that negated a first down and a sack fumble that ended the game. A frustrating finish for what started out as a promising day for the Jaguars.
