WATFORD, United Kingdom – This is division time, and all that that means.
The Jaguars on Sunday will play a second consecutive game in London – but most importantly, they will play their first AFC South game this season. And they will do so against a team with which they hardly could be more familiar.
Being division time means it's rivalry time, too.
"These players know what's at stake, and what's coming into town this week," Jaguars Head Coach Liam Coen said, adding, "This is going to be a test of physical strain, fight, and that's what it's going to be."
Coen spoke Wednesday before the Jaguars' practice at The Grove, where the AFC South-leading Jaguars (4-1) are staying and working during their back-to-back London games. They beat the Philadelphia Eagles at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London this past Sunday and will play host to the Houston Texans (1-4) at Wembley Stadium in London Sunday.
"There are a lot of challenges," Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence said of the Texans. "It's a really good defense. There's no secret about it. We just have to execute. I'm sure they're saying the same stuff."
The Jaguars won the AFC South last season by winning their last eight regular-season games and finished a game ahead of the Texans, who won their last nine regular-season games. The teams have split the season series three of the last four seasons, and their last five games have been decided by a score or less.
The teams also have split the last four AFC South titles. The Jaguars won the South in 2022 and last season, with the Texans winning in 2023 and 2024.
The Jaguars beat the Texans, 17-10, in Jacksonville last season. The Texans rallied from a 19-point fourth-quarter deficit to beat the Jaguars, 36-29, in Houston – their last loss before their season-ending winning streak.
"We had two really tight games against them," Coen said. "We obviously have a tough feeling in our stomachs from the last time we played against these guys. We know every time you line up against this team it's going to be a fight. It's going to be a brawl.
"That's what's great about football. That's what's great about rivalries. You have a level of respect for each other. You know any given Sunday anything can happen, especially in rivalry-type games."
While Jaguars players and coaches spoke last last season about the loss to the Texans being a turning point, Lawrence said that game "isn't something we really talk about at all" this season. The Jaguars went 5-1 in the division last season, with the lone loss to the Texans in Houston.
"We're past that now," Lawrence said Wednesday. "This is a new year, new teams on both sides. We're trying to put together a good plan to try to beat these guys this year."
The Jaguars, after a 1-1 start, have won three consecutive games – including games decided in the last two minutes the last two weeks against the Cincinnati Bengals (22-17) and Eagles (19-7). The Texans, after a 0-4 start, beat the Tennessee Titans, 26-3, last Sunday.
Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud has thrown six touchdown passes with no interceptions this season, with a Texans defense that features ends Danielle Hunter and Will Anderson considered one of the league's best – and one of the league's best pass rushes.
"They've got a group of guys that have confidence," Coen said. "Records don't mean anything. We know that in this league. We understand what this team is, what they're about, how they're going to come in and play us. This is going to be a test of physical strain, fight, and that's what it's going to be." …
The Jaguars released the first of their three injury reports for the week Wednesday, with long snapper Ross Matiscik (shoulder) and cornerback Montaric Brown (hamstring) listed as not practicing. Matiscik did not finish the Eagles game, with the Jaguars signing long snapper Jacob Bobenmoyer Tuesday.
Seven Jaguars players were listed as practicing limited Wednesday: Tight end Nate Boerkircher (back), right tackle Cole Van Lanen (knee), rookie guard Emmanuel Pregnon (toe), cornerback Jarrian Jones (elbow), cornerback Jourdan Lewis (hamstring), cornerback Jaylon Jones (hamstring) and safety Eric Murray (concussion). Murray missed the Eagles game with the injury.
