Jacksonville (5-3) at Houston (3-5)
Sunday, 1 p.m. EST, CBS.
BetMGM line: Jaguars by 1.
Against the spread: Jaguars 4-4, Texans 3-5.
Series record: Texans lead 31-16.
Last meeting: Jaguars beat Texans 17-10 on Sept. 21, 2025, in Jacksonville.
Last week: Jaguars beat Raiders 30-29 in OT; Texans lost to Broncos 18-15.
Jaguars offense: overall (14), rush (11), pass (16), scoring (21)
Jaguars defense: overall (22), rush (3), pass (27), scoring (T17)
Texans offense: overall (19), rush (21), pass (18), scoring (T24)
Texans defense: overall (1), rush (6), pass (4), scoring (1)
Turnover differential: Jaguars-plus 8; Texans-plus 6
Jaguars player to watch
DE Josh Hines-Allen needs half a sack to take sole possession of the franchise record. Allen notched No. 55 with an overtime takedown of Raiders quarterback Geno Smith last week, tying the mark set by Tony Brackens in 2003. Hines-Allen dominated his Week 3 matchup against Texans rookie LT Aireontae Ersery.
Texans player to watch
DE Will Anderson is the heart of Houston’s top-ranked defense. The 2023 AP Defensive Rookie of the Year leads the team with six sacks and nine tackles for losses. He has had at least one tackle for loss in seven of eight games this season. Anderson had four tackles, including one for loss, a sack and two quarterback hits in the first meeting with the Jaguars this season.
Key matchup
Houston’s offensive line vs. Jacksonville’s defensive line. The Texans have struggled in protection this season and it could get worse Sunday when they’re likely to be without right tackle Tytus Howard, who is recovering from a concussion. The Jaguars put a lot of pressure on C.J. Stroud in the first meeting when they sacked him twice and hit him six other times. Now Hines-Allen and company will likely face a line without its most veteran presence and with backup Davis Mills filling in for Stroud, who is out with a concussion.
Key injuries
Jaguars: LB Devin Lloyd (calf) is expected to return after missing the past two games. Jacksonville could be without WR Brian Thomas Jr. (ankle), LG Ezra Cleveland (knee, ankle), CB Jourdan Lewis and TE Hunter Long (hip, knee). WR Dyami Brown (concussion) is on track to play.
Texans: Along with Stroud and Howard, S Jalen Pitre is also in the concussion protocol and could miss Sunday’s game. RB Nick Chubb missed practice this week with a foot injury. K Ka’imi Fairbairn will miss the game with an injured quadriceps.
Series notes
The Jaguars haven’t won two in a row in the series since 2017. … Houston won nine straight from 2018-2022. … The Texans had won three of four before the loss this season. … Jacksonville’s longest winning streak in the series came with three straight wins from Sept. 2009-Nov. 2010.
Stats and stuff
Jaguars’ Cam Little kicked an NFL record 68-yard field goal last week at the Raiders. … RB Travis Etienne has 50 or more yards from scrimmage in 11 consecutive games. He is one of five NFL players with such an active streak. … WR Jakobi Meyers will play five days after being traded to Jacksonville from Las Vegas. He has at least four catches in four consecutive games. … LB Foye Oluokun has a pass defense in three consecutive games. … CB Greg Newsome had two pass breakups last week and has one in each of his three career games against Houston. … The Texans punted on their last six possessions in the loss to Denver as Mills struggled to move the offense. … Mills was 17 of 30 for 137 yards in about three quarters last week after Stroud was injured. Mills, who started for the Texans in 21-22, is 2-1 in his career against the Jaguars. … Chubb has 182 yards and a touchdown in two career games against Jacksonville. … RB Woody Marks has at least 110 yards of offense in two of his past three home games. … TE Dalton Schultz led the team with 77 yards receiving last week. … LB Azeez Al-Shaair had nine tackles last week and has had at least five tackles in four of his past five games against the Jaguars. … CB Kamari Lassiter had nine tackles and two passes defensed last week. He has had one pass defensed in five straight games, which is the longest streak in the NFL this season. … CB Derek Stingley had four tackles and two passes defensed last week. He has a pass defensed in seven of eight games this season.
Fantasy tip
Houston’s Nico Collins had 104 yards receiving and a touchdown in the previous game against Jacksonville and has had at least 100 yards receiving in four consecutive games against the Jaguars.
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AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL
The Associated Press
