Story by
Jacksonville Jaguars find a way to win ugly, so here's what we learned in home victory
- Story by
- Jacksonville Jaguars find a way to win ugly, so here's what we learned in home victory
Four questions and answers from the Jacksonville Jaguars' 17-10 win over the Houston Texans :
First Down
Question:What happened to the Jaguars ' NFL-best running game?
Answer:On the television broadcast at halftime, coach Liam Coen said Houston presented a few different looks and that he as the play-caller got away from it.
Advertisement
We'll take his word on the first and agree on the second.
The Jaguars entered the game averaging 169.5 rushing yards per game and 5.7 yards per carry. In the first half against Houston, they rushed six times for 11 yards (1.5 yards).
I would have liked to see Coen use rookie Bhayshul Tuten more often because of his ability to simply fall forward for yards.
GETTING FIESTY: Jaguars vs. Texans interrupted by brief fracas on punt return
Jacksonville Jaguars running back Bhayshul Tuten (33) scores a rushing touchdown as he celebrates with wide receiver Tim Patrick (17) during the first quarter of an NFL football matchup at EverBank Stadium, Sunday, Sept. 21, 2025, in Jacksonville, Fla. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union]
To start the second half, the Jaguars rushed for 13 combined yards on carries by Travis Etienne and Tuten.
Second Down
Question:How much did Brian Thomas Jr. need his 46-yard catch and run on the game-winning drive?
Advertisement
Answer:Very much.
Thomas had one catch in Week 1 and merited warranted criticism for his effort against Cincinnati last week.
On Sunday, he dropped a downfield pass in the first half (a tough catch as he fell to the turf but a catch a first-round pick should make) and later a second-half catch and later ran the wrote route on an incompletion. The fans booed him.
But on the game-winning drive, Thomas' 46-yard catch and run operating from the right slot set up Etienne's 10-yard touchdown run (the Texans let him score to save clock time) with 1:48 remaining.
Third Down
Question:The Jaguars opened the second half with a drive to take a 10-3 lead. What was the most underrated play of that possession?
Advertisement
Answer:What a maddening drive for the Jaguars and Texans.
The possession sapped 8:37 of the third-quarter clock (longest drive of the season by the Jaguars) and included multiple penalties and 13 official plays covering 59 yards.
But I will point to a third-and-23 play from the Texans' 46. Tight end Brenton Strange caught Lawrence's pass and bounced off tacklers to gain 13 yards, pushing the Jaguars into field goal range. The Jaguars eventually settled for a 39-yard field goal, a score made possible by Strange's toughness.
Fourth Down
Question:How big was today's win?
Answer:Gigantic. Yes, it's Week 3, but the Jaguars are entering the teeth of their schedule starting next Sunday in San Francisco . Kansas City is after that. The Rams are next month in London. The Jaguars needed to show their fans they can be a team that can grind out a win.
Advertisement
Houston drops to 0-3, already three games behind Indianapolis so stick a fork in the Texans contending for the division. The Jaguars improved to 2-1.
The key thing is, despite all the penalties and drops and bad stuff, the Jaguars found a way. That qualifies this as a quality win.
This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Jacksonville Jaguars win ugly without run game, stay in AFC South race
