Jaguars vs. Texans: 5 Matchups to Watch
The Jacksonville Jaguars know they have an important test this Sunday, hosting the Houston Texans in an AFC South battle just a week after losing on the road in Philadelphia.
The easiest way to put any loss behind a team is to simply rebound and win the next week. Life in the NFL is a marathon that is both long and grueling but also a whirlwind, with no game being able to be lingered on for long. But for the Jaguars to win on Sunday, they will need to prove themselves in several key matchups.
The simple rule for every NFL game of course is to win individual matchups. The 2021 Jaguars failed in those isolated situations far too often, leading to their 3-14 record and bottom-ranked offense and defense.
But how do the Jaguars stand in terms of these matchups this year, specifically in Week 5 vs. the Texans? Which matchups are going to make or break the Jaguars and their hopes to start 3-2? We examine below.
James Robinson vs. Christian Kirksey
It is obvious now why the Jaguars didn't get James Robinson and the running game more involved last week. The turnovers from Trevor Lawrence made it impossible for the Jaguars to have enough series and plays to properly make an aggressive ground attack a priority. The hope is Lawrence displays better ball-security in Week 5 and allows the Jaguars to get Robinson and Travis Etienne going.
One way for the Jaguars to find success with Robinson? Forcing Texans inside linebacker Christian Kirksey to make plays. Kirksey and the Texans' defense has struggled to stop the run and big plays in recent weeks, with Kirksey recording a defensive stop on just 3.8% of his defensive snaps according to PFF, the worst among Houston's starting linebackers. Robinson hasn't popped off many consistent runs the last two weeks but this could be a get-right game.
DaVon Hamilton vs. Scott Quessenberry
The Jaguars will have a tough test on defense this Sunday, at least on the ground. The Jaguars will be without top run-stuffer Foley Fatukasi up front, while the Texans have a top-10 running game in terms of efficiency, largely because of Dameon Pierce. To impact the trenches and ensure Fatukasi's absence doesn't make as much of an impact as it potentially could, the Jaguars will need a big performance from DaVon Hamilton vs. Texans center Scott Quessenberry.
“Just what we expected. He’s improving every week," Jaguars head coach Doug Pederson said on Friday. "He’s a tough guy in there, and there’s flashes of him pushing the pocket in pass game, and he does a nice job in the run game. He is just continuing to show that he can kind of anchor the center of that defense, particularly in base, and he’s done a nice job.”
Hamilton has five pressures this year according to Pro Football Focus, but more importantly has also recorded six run stops and has created plays to be made for others on the defense. Meanwhile, Quessenberry has allowed three sacks and seven pressures, showing the potential for the Jaguars to have a mismatch.
Jerry Hughes vs. Cam Robinson
Houston doesn't have a top game-changer on the defensive line anymore. Gone are the days of J.J. Watt and Jadeveon Clowney. Heck, gone are the days of Whitney Mercilus. The Texans now rely on a mix of veterans and developing draft picks to provide their pass-rush, with former Bills pass-rusher Jerry Hughes as their top option.
Hughes leads Houston in pressures with 12, but his 7.8 pass-rush productivity rate ranks just 48th among all edge defenders in 2022. Cam Robinson has had biggest tests in 2022, and he just had the best game of his season a week ago vs. the Eagles. This is the kind of game Robinson should find success in, especially if he is the left tackle the Jaguars think and hope he is. Hughes is a savvy veteran and could cause issues for Lawrence if Robinson isn't at his best.
Devin Lloyd vs. Dameon Pierce
Through four games, the Jaguars defense has gone as Devin Lloyd has gone. It isn't that black and white to suggest Lloyd is the entire key to success for the Jaguars' defense, but the unit is quite simply a completely different defense when he is on his game compared to when he struggles. And on Sunday against Dameon Pierce, the Jaguars can't afford for Lloyd to struggle.
Through four games, Pierce has rushed for 313 yards (5.2 yards per attempt) for two touchdowns, including a 75-yard touchdown in a 131-yard effort against the Chargers in Week 4. He is 10th among all running backs in first downs, fifth in yards after contact per attempt and fifth in broken tackles and carries per broken tackle according to Pro Football Reference.
Lloyd is coming off a game vs. the Eagles where the opposing offense was able to flex its muscles. This wasn't all of Lloyd's fault, clearly, as the Jaguars' defensive line also failed to anchor in their gaps and Foyesade Oluokun missed a handful of tackles. But whether Lloyd is at his best against Pierce will determine just how one-dimensional the Jaguars can make Houston's offense.
Josh Allen vs. Laremy Tunsil
A test of blue-chip vs. blue-chip is always pivotal to any football game. Josh Allen is Jacksonville's best defender and arguably best player overall, while Texans left tackle Laremy Tunsil is Houston's best offensive player and arguably best player overall. Tunsil will have his fair share of snaps against Travon Walker, but it will be the matchup with Allen that will help decide if the Jaguars can force Davis Mills into mistakes.
Tunsil has allowed just four pressures (one sack, one hit allowed) according to Pro Football Focus, giving him the sixth-best pass-blocking efficiency ranking among all offensive tackles with at least 50 pass-blocking snaps. Meanwhile, Allen is third in the league among edge defenders in pressures (20) and second in quarterback hits (seven). One side has to give on Sunday.
