If the Jaguars are going to beat the Texans in Week 3, here are the three keys to doing so.

The Jacksonville Jaguars are back home in Week 3 to face the Houston Texans for their first divisional matchup of the 2025 season.

The Jaguars are coming off a crushing loss to Cincinnati and are 1-1 on the year. The Texans, meanwhile, had their own disappointing Week 2 loss, but enter this game 0-2 and in an early must-win situation.

Of course, the outcome last week for the Jaguars was not what they were hoping for, but the message this week from Liam Coen is that it’s all about how the team responds this week.

“Our response will definitely have to show up,” Coen said earlier this week, via Jaguars on SI. “Like the way that we respond in meetings, the way that we interact at practice, the way that we go out and practice, the details, the intentionality, the way that we do everything this week and every week.

“Like I told these guys, nothing is going to change about the way that we go about our business. We did not get the result we wanted. We need to improve every single week. That’s the goal.”

If the Jaguars are going to bounce back this week against the Texans, here are the three keys to doing so.

Give Trevor Lawrence time vs. a very good pass rush

The name of the game is keeping the quarterback upright, and the Jaguars’ offensive line has done a very good job of that through two weeks.

According to Pro Football Focus, Lawrence has been pressured on just 17.9% of his dropbacks this season, which is the lowest rate in the NFL.

However, a big test awaits against the Houston pass rush, particularly their defensive ends. The Texans currently rank first in ESPN’s pass rush win rate metric. Will Anderson is second in total pressures generated this season.

Without steady time in the pocket for a quarterback, moving the ball consistently becomes much more difficult.

Limit the miscues

There was a lot of good last week from the Jaguars despite the outcome. The offense generated 400 total yards, and the defense came away with three turnovers.

However, the self-inflicted miscues piled up and not only took points off the board for the Jaguars’ offense, but provided the Bengals with additional scoring opportunities.

The Jaguars’ pass catchers currently have the highest drop rate in football. In addition to that, the 8.5 penalties per contest that Jacksonville is averaging is the eighth highest.

With how well the offense is moving the ball and the rate at which the defense is forcing takeaways, fewer mistakes likely turn into more scoring opportunities for the Jaguars.

Control the line of scrimmage on defense

As was noted by Cole Thompson, the managing editor of Texans Wire, Houston quarterback CJ Stroud is under pressure on over 40% of his dropbacks. That is the seventh-highest mark in the NFL.

The Texans’ running game is averaging a modest 4.3 yards per rush, which is slightly below the league average.

Just as we alluded to above with Lawrence, if a defense can control the line of scrimmage, they can often control the game. Slowing the run puts the offense behind the sticks and in predictable passing situations, while pressure leads to rushed throws and potential turnover opportunities.

Under defensive coordinator Anthony Campanile, this more attack Jaguars’ defensive front ranks fifth in pass rush win rate. Also adding to the challenge for opposing offensive lines is the movement that Campanile showcases, with defenders lining up in multiple gaps and the designed pressures from the second level.