JACKSONVILLE – Senior writer John Oehser examines five key plays from the Jaguars' 17-10 victory over the Houston Texans in a 2025 Week 3 game at EverBank Stadium in Jacksonville Sunday.
1. Big moment, big play. Count this among the biggest clutch plays of Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence's career – and count it, too, as a huge moment for wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. This came with 2:00 remaining in the fourth quarter Sunday with the score tied 10-10. Lawrence on first-and-10 from the Jaguars 44 checked out of a run play because the Texans' defense was showing blitz with no safety help in the middle of the field, then stood in the pocket and hit Thomas crossing over the middle. Thomas, after struggling with drops earlier in the game, caught the pass on the run and turned the play into a 46-yard gain to the Texans 10.
"That was a huge play and a big-time moment," Head Coach Liam Coen said.
Running back Travis Etienne Jr. rushed for the game-winning touchdown on the ensuing play.
"Brian just did a great job of winning and making the play," Lawrence said. "That's what I told him on the sideline. 'Hey, stay in it, you're going to end up making the play to set this one up for us to go win it.' And it happened."
2. Takeaway time. The Jaguars' defense on Sunday forced 3 turnovers. All came in the fourth quarter, with the biggest coming on the Texans' final defensive play after they drove from their 26 to the Jaguars 28 with :27 remaining. On third-and-1 from there, Jaguars defensive end Josh Hines-Allen hit Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud as he threw. Safety Antonio Johnson intercepted the deflected pass at the Jaguars 4-yard line with :20 remaining.
"Being in that situation was just like, 'We got to take it, we got to get it,''' Hines-Allen said.
"No matter the situation, they weren't going to score. That was our mentality: 'They're not scoring. They can drive the field, whatever they want to do, they're not scoring.' We just made a play and Antonio was in the right spot, being where he's supposed to be and took advantage of the opportunity."
Said Coen, "I was probably a little frustrated [during the drive] and Campy (defensive coordinator Anthony Campanile) is like, 'Dude, we got it. Relax.' It was great. It gave me confidence. There's no flinch out of that group.''
This was one of three huge late Jaguars takeaways Sunday, with cornerback Jourdan Lewis intercepting Stroud at the Jaguars 19 on the first drive of the fourth quarter to secure a seven-point lead and linebacker Devin Lloyd recovering a fumble by wide receiver Nico Collins at the Jaguars 15 with the score tied 10-10 later in the period. Cornerback Tyson Campbell forced the Collins fumble.
3. Oh no. The Jaguars controlled Sunday's game for 50 minutes. They gave up that control in a matter of seconds early in the fourth quarter. Lawrence threw into coverage to wide receiver Parker Washington on third-and-10 from the Jaguars 33 with 9:25 remaining in the fourth quarter, with safety Jalen Pitre intercepting at the 50.
"I got greedy, just a dumb play by me," Lawrence said. "I got to just check it down and we either punt or maybe we run for the first down on the underneath so that was just a really bad play by me."
Stroud on the ensuing play found Collins wide open down the left sideline for a 50-yard touchdown that tied it 10-10 with 9:25 remaining.
4. Conversion, plus … The Jaguars held momentum and a touchdown lead early Sunday. Then came a key sequence that helped keep the Texans close. The Texans faced third-and-14 at their 33-yard line. Stroud faced pressure on the play, but moved up in the pocket and found Collins for an 18-yard gain. An unsportsmanlike conduct penalty on safety Eric Murray for a first down at the Jaguars. That was one key play on this drive: Just as big was the Jaguars holding the Texans to kicker Ka'imi Fairbairn's 27-yard field goal that cut the lead to 7-3 with 6:54 remaining in the first half.
5. Big early hit. This one's about Jaguars linebacker Devin Lloyd – and about a big defensive series that helped set an early tone. The Texans on their second series took possession at their 48 after a Jaguars punt, then drove to the Jaguars 27 – where they faced second-and-6. Stroud on that play threw short to Collins, with Lloyd tackling him backward for a one-yard loss that set up a third-and-7 that became an incomplete pass by Stroud. When Fairbairn missed a 52-yard field goal, the Jaguars had kept the game scoreless and had the starting field position that led to a 1-yard run by running back Bhayshul Tuten and a 7-0 lead with 2:09 remaining. Credit the Jaguars' defense for flipping field possession and setting the tone for the first quarter.
5a. A glimpse – a really impressive glimpse. Rookie Travis Hunter provided a glimpse of why he was selected No. 2 overall in the 2025 NFL Draft. It was an impressive moment – and a quietly important one early in Sunday's second half. The Jaguars led 7-3 and faced first-and-20 at their 23 after a holding penalty on left tackle Walker Little. But while penalties had helped end Jaguars first-half drives, Lawrence on this play threw to his right to Hunter, who evaded a tackler and turned a short gain into a 21-yard gain and a first-and-10 at the Jaguars 44. The drive ended with a 39-yard field goal by Cam Little that pushed the lead to 7-3 with 6:23 remaining in the third quarter, with the key play a play that showed the dynamic playmaking and miss-ability that Hunter can provide.
