Powered by Roundtable
NC95@RoundtableIO profile imagefeatured creator badge
Nick
Sep 21, 2025
Updated at Sep 21, 2025, 13:50
featured

Week 3 is officially here, as the Houston Texans are on the road facing off with the Jacksonville Jaguars at 12:00 p.m. CST, airing on CBS. Since the league expanded the schedule to 17 games, no team that started 0-3 has made the playoffs, making this a must-win for the Texans. Furthermore, it’s a divisional contest, which puts additional pressure on Houston, because that hole gets even deeper if they lose to the Jags, who are in direct competition for winning the AFC South.

Let’s break down the three things to watch for.

The Ground Game

Not only are the Jaguars one of the best rushing teams in the NFL through two weeks, but Houston’s run defense has been susceptible to gash plays on the ground. The Texans’ defense, holistically, has been very good to this point in the season, but if there is one weak spot, it’s chunk plays in the run game. The Jaguars have multiple players who can make plays, and that includes Travis Hunter, who plays receiver but is going to be used more as a gadget guy as the season goes on.

Red Zone Scoring

The Texans’ offense, for as much criticism as it’s gotten to this point — and rightfully so in most ways — has moved the ball fairly well. The issue has been the inability to score touchdowns. This team hasn’t had problems crossing midfield, getting into field goal range, or even making it all the way to the red zone. It just hasn’t been able to punch it in for six. In Week 1, Houston didn’t score a single touchdown. In Week 2, the Texans scored one early against the Buccaneers but then didn’t find the end zone again the rest of the game. If this team can’t finish drives by finding the end zone, it’s going to continue being an issue. Watch for both Christian Kirk and Braxton Berrios, who in their careers have been pretty reliable, to get creative at the goal line. Don’t be surprised if they don’t rack up a ton of yards but manage to score in their season debuts.

Winning on the Margins

Looking back at the recent history between these two teams, a lot of their contests have ended up being very close. The last three times these teams played, the scores for both sides were in the 20s each time, and those three games were decided by a total of 10 points. This one could once again come down to the little things. Can you score a touchdown instead of settling for a field goal? Can you limit turnovers and win the differential? Can you convert a third down to extend a drive instead of stalling out near midfield? The little things are going to matter. The Texans have lost two close games this season that were within striking distance. This is another chance to prove they’ve learned their lesson and can finish a close one.

Again, this matchup will kick off at 12:00 p.m. CST on CBS, as the Texans are hosted by the Jaguars at EverBank Stadium.