Jaguars, Texans Re-watch: 10 Observations from Week 3

After dropping a heartbreaker in Cincinnati in week two, the Jacksonville Jaguars protection drew a teal line within the sand in week three, taking victory by the horns through three redzone turnovers from the Houston Texans. After offering the reside takeaways and lingering questions from this week’s recreation, we take a better evaluation of the matchup after evaluating the televised gameplay. As a observe, this evaluation relies on the non-all-22 movie, whereas being revealed earlier than the PFF grades are launched (in an effort to stay actually uninfluenced and unbiased on what we see). Moreover, this model of evaluation knowingly locations some limitations on evaluating secondary play with out confirming the total protection appears. With that stated, let’s get into some takeaways from the Jaguars’ 17-10 victory over the now 0-3 Houston Texans.

*Any opinions famous are these of Travis and never of the complete BCC employees or management. In fact, anybody can disagree when evaluating movie. Any famous EPA, Success Charge, or different information was retrieved from rbsdm.com. Extra information supplied by NFL Professional and NextGenStats.

1. Quarterback Play Analysis

In week three, Lawrence had the NFL’s eighth-fastest time to throw (TTT) of two.57 seconds, simply slower than CJ Stroud’s fifth-fastest 2.53 seconds on Sunday. Trevor’s 56.5 passer ranking is twenty seventh of the 30 quarterbacks to play previous to Monday Evening Soccer, forward of solely Joe Flacco, Michael Penix Jr, and Russell Wilson.

Lawrence accomplished simply 2 of 11 passes over 10 air yards for 62 yards and an interception in Week 3, per NFL Professional.

His lone downfield spotlight was the important thing 46-yard catch and run to Brian Thomas Jr. within the fourth quarter that arrange the game-winning landing. Lawrence was extra environment friendly on shorter throws, finishing 18 of 27 passes below 10 air yards for 160 yards, whereas going 0-for-4 on makes an attempt of 20+ air yards.

Lawrence’s day began off sturdy with a deep out to Brenton Unusual within the first quarter and a well timed and correct curl path to Brian Thomas Jr. Lawrence was decisive and fast within the quick recreation, shifting the offense down the sphere in direction of their preliminary landing. After that collection, and the Brian Thomas Jr sideline drop, Lawrence adopted the play, bouncing again with a dagger to Dyami Brown on an out route. Nonetheless, the struggles within the deep areas of the sphere started to pop up at this level with Lawrence lacking an open Dyami Brown on a submit route, simply underthrowing a Parker Washington again shoulder sideline throw, and overthrowing Washington on one other deep try that seemingly would have scored. With the potential explosives left on the sphere and the third-down fourth quarter interception that was pressured into double protection, whereas up 7 factors, on their aspect of the 50-yard line was a reasonably problematic choice that may’t be made.

Lawrence wasn’t helped a lot on this one from his main targets, however he additionally struggled typically with off-target throws. Extra will likely be anticipated of the Jacksonville QB1 because the season progresses, because it’s laborious to win within the NFL with out the flexibility to throw a cross 10 yards.

The offensive line moderately stored Lawrence upright early on Sunday with the first alternative space being LT Walker Little, who has surrendered 12 QB pressures over the previous two weeks, per Professional Soccer Focus. Per my evaluation of the movie, Little gave up 5 hurries in whole. Jacksonville’s offense gave up 11 whole pressures (per NFL Professional):

Getting into the sport, simply three of Travis Etienne’s 30 rushes got here towards stacked packing containers, per Subsequent Gen Stats. Nonetheless, Houston modified that math considerably on Sunday, displaying one security appears typically on early downs towards Jacksonville and limiting the early down run recreation. 25% (4) of Etienne’s 16 dashing makes an attempt got here towards 8 or extra defenders within the field. Etienne ended the day with only one explosive rush of 10 or extra yards, tied with Lawrence. That rush was the play the place Houston allowed him to attain, in an try and get the ball again with below two minutes to play. With out the gifted remaining rush, Etienne’s common displays 3.07 yards per rush. Houston stacked the field with 8 or extra defenders towards Jacksonville on 29.2% of snaps (sixth highest for the week).

Coach Coen, in his post-game availability, spoke on Houston’s tendency to play 5 down linemen on early downs on Sunday. With Houston enjoying 5 down linemen and including one other defender into the field(a complete of 8), Jacksonville struggled to open lanes early on, and it didn’t appear to be one particular person participant struggling. On many rushes, the additional defender was the participant making the sort out on the working again, who was unable to make the protection or linebacker miss within the gap. On different snaps, the road both missed choosing up a defender of their mixture blocks or the defender merely beat the man blocking him. Whereas this was primarily a problem for the inside offensive line early on, with every IOL blowing a block on the primary two collection, Walker Little additionally missed on an early block, leading to a one-yard achieve in a tough attain block situation.

Jacksonville’s success on the bottom started when the offense line ramped up when the group stopped placing themselves in damaging down and distances through early penalties within the second half. Travis Etienne and Bhayshul Tuten additionally started to interrupt extra tackles within the backfield, turning one-yard positive aspects into 4 to 5 yards whereas working a number of extra mid-zone appears. Talking of Tuten, the ball of momentum merely by no means stops behind the road of scrimmage. I counted 4 rushes (out of six) the place he gained yards on performs that ought to have been a loss or a rush for no achieve.

Parker Washington, together with his dominant play versus Cincinnati, appeared to earn extra alternatives, per the teaching employees. Nonetheless, his team-leading 11 targets on 31 routes towards Houston led to simply 4 receptions and a -24.7% catch charge over anticipated, per NFLPro (82nd of 88 certified receivers in week 3). Washington began off sturdy early with a good window catch whereas taking a success from the Texans security within the second quarter. Nonetheless, a lot of his earlier incompletions have been uncatchable with three passes overthrown or underthrown, one intercepted in double protection, and one tipped on the line of scrimmage. Washington did, nonetheless, have two fourth quarter drops, one a clear drop, and one other a throw barely behind him on a late throw from Lawrence.

In the meantime, teammate Brian Thomas Jr was 86th of 88 receivers at -30.6% catch charge over anticipated on 34 routes, with two catches on 6 targets. Thomas opened the sport with a 9-yard curl then dropped an early sideline try over Derek Stingley. His third goal was stripped away by Jalen Pitre and his fourth goal a clear third down drop – his second of the sport. With the employees eradicating Thomas from the sport on a number of third-down makes an attempt later within the recreation, it was good to see Thomas bounce again with the 46-yard catch and run to arrange the game-winning rating.

We at the moment are three video games in and my core assertion for this Jacksonville Jaguars workplace is that this: Brenton Unusual is just at all times open. He had a 71% success charge on Sunday, with 43% (3) of his seven targets changing for first downs, and a 9.1% completion charge over anticipated for week three (thirteenth of certified NFL tight ends) on his 29 routes. Even on routes the place he wasn’t focused, Unusual was typically working large open (i.e., the primary Travis Hunter incompletion that was neatly intercepted by Bullock, the Will Anderson sack, and so forth). When Lawrence goes to Unusual, good issues appear to occur. Whereas spending a lot of the day chipping the dominant duo of edges for Houston, Unusual nonetheless had a productive day. In one other offense, Unusual might doubtlessly be a high receiving choice, like Sam LaPorta in Detroit. Nonetheless, with so many mouths to feed in Jacksonville, which may be extra of a week-to-week dialog for Unusual.

Travis Hunter performed extra defensive snaps (41) than offensive snaps (35) for the primary time in his profession in Week 3 towards the Texans. On offense, Hunter had simply two targets with the primary one practically being intercepted, as there was little separation on the route forcing a contested catch situation. Nonetheless, on Hunter’s second goal, he confirmed off his yards after catch potential to select up the primary down on the 21-yard achieve.

If you already know nothing about EPA, success charge, or first down charge – know this, purple is unhealthy, and inexperienced is sweet right here. The darker the purple, the more serious the efficiency for the Houston offense on Sunday, indicative of dominant play by the Jacksonville protection. Jacksonville was third within the NFL with 10 factors given up, ninth at 271 whole yards surrendered, seventh at 4.7 yards per play, and eleventh with 14 QB pressures for the week.

Defensive finish Josh Hines-Allen led Jacksonville, forcing an early holding penalty on Houston OT Aieontae Ersery (negated by an Eric Murray pointless roughness penalty). He additionally ended his day with 5 QB pressures (eleventh of certified defenders, previous to Monday Evening Soccer), a shared sack with Arik Armstead, and a induced interception from a tipped ball. DE Travon Walker was twentieth within the NFL with 4 QB pressures additionally, per NFL Professional. Each Allen and Hines-Allen have been listed with six pressures per PFF, notably.

Linebacker Devin Lloyd rushed the quarterback eight instances towards Houston, accumulating 3 QB pressures and a 37.5 strain charge (seventeenth). Within the passing recreation he gave up two receptions on three targets for a complete of 4 yards (70.1 passing ranking allowed), whereas additionally recovering the Tyson Campbell-forced Nico Collins fumble.

The Jacksonville entrance seven allowed Houston a median of 4.6 yards per carry, together with 22-scrambling yards from CJ Stroud. The Houston working backs alone averaged 4.3 yards per keep on Sunday, with an extended of eight yards. On the tape, it didn’t appear to be a very dominant recreation on the bottom for the Jaguars inside defensive position within the run recreation. Houston typically had a lot success on first down rushes all through the matchup, till penalties set them up in longer down and distances. Nonetheless, I didn’t see one participant constantly beat up entrance for the Jacksonville inside. On one play, Dawuane Smoot will get moved out of his hole, on one other it’s Arik Armstead lacking a diving sort out try within the backfield, on one other it’s Austin Johnson getting moved out of his hole whereas doubled. And regardless of being one of many group’s main run stuffers, I believed Davon Hamilton had a extremely good recreation, splitting doubles and never getting moved off the purpose of assault, although principally absent from the stat sheet.

Jacksonville ended Sunday with zero run stuffs (0%) on Houston’s 19 rush makes an attempt. Nonetheless, they solely stacked the field on 5.3% of snaps (twenty sixth/30 for the week previous to MNF).

Houston WR Nico Collins paced the Texans with 104 yards receiving, buoyed by his 50-yard landing catch over CB Tyson Campbell. Nonetheless, exterior of this play and a 17-yard catch and run versus Travis Hunter, Collins’ day was principally made up of chain-moving cease routes, crossers, and screens, bringing in 7 consecutive catches between the center of the second quarter and his late fourth quarter fumble. Regardless of Tyson Campbell giving up the tying landing catch to Collins, I believed he had a strong day in any other case. He bounced again to pressure a fumble on a Collins cease route after rallying from his protection accountability, secured a deep cross breakup in protection on Collins, and was moderately sticky on the day.

Cornerback Jourdan Lewis had his prototypical dominant efficiency, giving up only one reception for 4 yards on six targets, with three passes defended, no touchdowns surrendered, an interception, and a QB strain on his one cross rush (a zero-passing ranking). He practically introduced in a late one-handed interception in protection on Christian Kirk as effectively.

Travis Hunter was focused 5 instances in protection, giving up 5 catches for 54 yards per NFL Professional (111.7 passer ranking), nonetheless, a evaluation of the movie reveals a third-and-five verify right down to Dalton Schultz whereas in zone protection. Hunter got here as much as make the sort out. Nico Collins caught a 6-yard cease on the subsequent cross try. Collins then catches a 17-yard slant, with Hunter in press alignment with a single excessive security look, and on his remaining cross try in his neighborhood, he allowed a 13-yard catch and run to Christian Kirk, lacking the sort out, which allowed an extra 8 yards of YAC. This isn’t to say that Hunter struggled in protection on Sunday, however zero passes defensed on 5 targets, with a missed sort out, are what they’re. The arrow is pointing up for the rookie, and to be clear, he did have nice protection on a number of routes all through the sport that didn’t present up on the stats sheet, like his protection on Stroud’s second quarter, third down incompletion to Dalton Schultz, the place Hunter completely coated Collins within the redzone.

Security Andrew Wingard surrendered two catches on 4 targets for 19 yards (a 63.5 passing ranking) so as to add to his six tackles (4 solo). 5 of his tackles got here when rallying up from deeper protection. A fairly strong day for the protection group as an entire, with Antonio Johnson additionally stepping in for a quickly hobbled Eric Murray late. Notably, Johnson performed effectively, whereas on the sphere for 17 of Stroud’s 38 passing makes an attempt. He wasn’t straight focused within the passing recreation, secured a game-sealing interception, racked up 4 tackles (1 solo), with three of them from Houston receivers after the catch.

Cam Little went 1 for two with an extended of 39 yards and went 2/2 on his further factors. Punter Logan Cooke ended the day with 6 punts, a 48.8 common, two kicks within the 20-yard line, with an extended of 60 yards.

Parker Washington had two punt returns for an 8.5 common and an extended of 13 yards. In the meantime, LeQuint Allen Jr averaged 24.0 yards per kick return with an extended of 26 yards. All through the primary three weeks of the season, Heath Farwell’s unit has struggled up to now within the return recreation, as they’re at present twenty eighth within the NFL for common kick returns (22.6 yards) and twenty fifth on common punt return (8.6 yards) within the first three weeks. Nonetheless, the punt protection unit is third within the NFL with a forty five.7 internet common, and the kickoff protection group is 14th at 25.0 yards per return.

Jacksonville ended the day with 9 accepted penalties (11 general) for 70 yards, with one questionable unlawful shift name.

The 2 false begin and the unlawful shift penalties (i.e., the offensive pre-snap penalties) are the one ones that I actually place significance on, as these are theoretically a few of the extra controllable penalties. As we mentioned within the post-game article, the unlawful shift penalty gave the impression to be extraordinarily nitpicky by the refs at greatest, and a foul name at worst. The pointless roughness penalties have been going to occur towards Houston, with the built-in historical past between the groups, Eric Murray going through his former group, and loads of further speaking on the sphere.

The Jacksonville protection, after a tough few collection towards Cincinnati, performed lights out on Sunday, bending with out breaking and sometimes getting the ball again from the Texans when it mattered most. In what was at all times identified to seemingly be an in depth recreation, the protection was opportunistic and well timed with their three redzone takeaways. They got here away with two sacks within Houston’s 30-yard line and stored CJ Stroud uncomfortable for a lot of the sport, whereas bending with out breaking. The group’s 9 takeaways lead the NFL, matching their total season whole from 2024, simply three video games into 2025. This marks them most takeaways by a Jaguars’ protection via three video games since 2005, when the group completed with a 12-4 document, per NFL Professional.

Offensively, there’s a lot to nonetheless be discovered between the Brian Thomas Jr state of affairs, how a lot Travis Hunter could also be used offensively because the 12 months goes on (and the deep passing recreation struggles proceed), and the way they’ll counter extra groups persevering with to stack the field shifting ahead. Jacksonville retained the win, however these questions will all require fast solutions with San Fransico developing. This was the identical group that, in 2023, made the “Trevor Lawrence solely throws to his first learn” narrative a factor by sitting on all routes below 10 yards, stacking the field, and forcing the group to beat them early within the passing recreation. I anticipate them to observe swimsuit in week 4 and likewise anticipate Coen and Udinski to have higher solutions for the 49ers than Doug Pederson’s offense did. Time will inform!

That’s it from me for week 3! What have been your takeaways from the sport, Duval? Tell us within the feedback!