Texans (0-2) at Jaguars (1-1)
Sunday, 1 p.m. EDT, EverBank Field, Jacksonville, Florida TV: Fox
Spread (BetMGM):
Jaguars by 9.5
Texans’ keys to victory: Houston’s offense has had plenty of encouraging moments early in the season, but it has struggled to keep QB C.J. Stroud clean. Two games into his NFL career, the rookie quarterback has been sacked 11 times. The Texans will need better play out of their offensive line if they hope to get RB Dameon Pierce on track and put together more sustained drives. Stretching the field with speedy WR Nico Collins and shifty rookie WR Tank Dell would go a long way toward opening running lanes. Veteran WR Robert Woods is also a chainmover who could get even more involved in the offense.
Jaguars’ keys to victory: Execution was off in an ugly offensive performance in Week 2. There should be plenty of opportunities for QB Trevor Lawrence against a young Houston defense but he was only 22 of 41 in Week 2. The Texans’ run defense could be susceptible to big plays from RB Travis Etienne Jr., and TE Evan Engram may be the Jaguars’ weapon best suited to eat up a Texans defense that’s still rebuilding in the middle.
Matchup to watch: Texans’ Collins vs. Jaguars CB Tyson Campbell. Collins seems to have taken a significant step forward in his third NFL season. Through two games he already has 226 receiving yards, nearly half of his 2022 receiving total. The Jaguars’ solution will likely be to put their thirdyear cornerback who’s rapidly ascending on the other side. That move could slow down the Texans.
Who wins? The Jaguars are simply too talented to lay an egg against the rebuilding Texans.
Jaguars 30-17