Who knew that the Texans versus Jaguars Week 12 matchup would be considered a pivotal showdown as we enter the second half of the season? Probably not too many; the Jaguars will have revenge on their minds after what occurred in the 37-17 beatdown by the Texans in Week 3. The result of the performance paved the way for what we now see with the Houston Texans.
Since defeating the Jaguars in Week 3, the Texans have won five of their last seven games, which has allowed them to position themselves as a wild-card playoff team in the AFC. The Texans are the sixth seed in the conference playoff picture with a 6-4 record and second place in the AFC South. As for the Jaguars, they are currently on pace to repeat as division champions, but they must win Sunday’s rematch with Houston.
Why the Texans Will Win?
With each week, the Houston Texans grow stronger as a football team. The man who is leading the charge behind their growth is rookie QB C.J. Stroud. With the Stroud under center, the Texans’ offense has elevated to heights we have not seen since Deshaun Watson was under center. The Texans are fifth in yards per game, tenth in points per game, and seventh in third down conversion percentage.
Also, the personnel on offense surrounding Stroud are not to be ignored because they have delivered each time their numbers are called. Based on his production with the Texans offense, Rookie Nathaniel Dell is proving that he was a top steal of this year’s draft. The former Houston Cougar is second among all rookies with 42 receptions, 657 receiving yards, and six touchdowns. Third-year receiver Nico Collins leads the team with 696 receiving yards on 42 receptions and four touchdowns.
Defensively, the Texans have done the job against the competition over the last few weeks. Defensive end Johnathan Greenard is emerging as a cornerstone member of DeMeco Ryan’s defense. The former Florida Gator leads the Texans with seven sacks. The entire unit will face a Jaguars offense capable of being a dynamic group when facing an opposing defense.
Why the Jaguars Will Win?
The 37-17 defeat to the Houston Texans was the Jaguars’ wake-up call because they have performed much better since the loss. Afterward, Jacksonville would go on a five-game winning streak that positioned themselves as the top team in the AFC South at the midway point. They have some of the best-skilled position players you can surround a young quarterback with. Former Cardinals wideout Christian Kirk leads the team as the top wideout after coming off a productive first year in 2022. His teammate Travis Etienne is fifth in the NFL with 670 rushing yards. It will be intriguing to see how head coach Doug Pederson will approach Sunday’s contest in Jacksonville compared to what transpired in Week 3.
The Jaguars were utterly caught off guard by how dynamic Houston can be on both sides of the football in the September 24 meeting. Something noticeable with the Jaguars’ defense is that they have yet to have a strong outing when defending against efficient quarterback play. Performances against teams such as the 49ers, Chiefs, and Texans suggest that the Jaguars defense remains a work in progress. However, it only takes one strong performance that can galvanize a group with the personnel to become one of the best units in the AFC. The Jaguars’ pass rush must consistently disrupt Stroud in the pocket to help their secondary, which is near the bottom of the league when defending the pass.
Score Prediction
Over the past few weeks, the Texans have shown that they are going to be a tough out for an opposing team. But for Sunday’s matchup against the Jaguars, they will come back to Earth just for a moment. I expect that head coach Doug Pederson will have a different gameplan on how the deal with Houston compared to the previous matchup. The Jaguars will avenge the Week 3 blowout, but it will be close.
Jaguars 31, Texans 28
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