The Jacksonville Jaguars now sit at 1-1 after suffering a loss in their Week 2 matchup against the Kansas City Chiefs.
While they failed to win their home opener, the Jaguars have a prime opportunity to get back in the win column. On Sunday, Jacksonville hosts the Houston Texans, who lost their first two games of the season.
Buy Jaguars TicketsWhile the Texans have failed to produce a win so far, they’ve shown flashes of talent.
Here are five Texans players who could cause problems for the Jaguars in Week 3:
QB C.J. Stroud
Texans rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud has looked the part of a No. 2 overall pick so far this season. He was one of the last quarterbacks named a starter ahead of the regular season, and he’s proved himself as the Texans’ best option.
Stroud has 626 passing yards and two touchdowns while completing 63.7 percent of his passes. He’s fourth in the league in passing yards, leading one of the most prolific passing attacks through the first two weeks.
He hasn’t faced too much trouble from opposing defenses and hasn’t thrown an interception yet. However, he’s had issues when facing pressure; he’s taken 11 sacks this year — the most among starting quarterbacks.
If the Jaguars can pressure Stroud, he may have some trouble getting the offense moving.
WR Nico Collins
Wide receiver Nico Collins has been due for a breakout, and this year finally seems to be his time.
Collins has 13 catches for 226 yards and a touchdown through Houston’s first two games. He’s tied for the 10th most receptions in the NFL and has the fifth most receiving yards.
Collins is a big receiver, measuring in at 6’4, 215 pounds. The 6’1 Tyson Campbell will need to step up against the bigger receiver, but stopping Collins could take more than just Campbell.
A successful Collins would likely mean the Texans’ offense is moving with relative ease.
WR Tank Dell
While not quite on Collins’ level, rookie receiver Tank Dell has proven to be a weapon for Houston’s young offense. Dell didn’t do much in Week 1 against the Baltimore Ravens, but his three catches for 34 yards showed enough potential.
However, last week he torched the Indianapolis Colts. Stroud threw to Dell 10 times, completing seven passes for 72 yards and a touchdown.
Dell is much smaller than Collins — he measured 5’8, 165 pounds at the NFL combine — but his 4.49 40-yard dash time proves his electric ability as a playmaker.
DE Will Anderson Jr.
Another crucial rookie for the Texans, edge rusher Will Anderson Jr. could develop into one of the best pass rushers in the NFL.
Anderson tallied a sack in Houston’s first game of the season, but he didn’t bring Anthony Richardson or Gardner Minshew down last week. Anderson is quick, physical, and difficult to handle off the edge.
While he hasn’t spent long playing with the pros, he was one of the best players in the nation during his time in college. He finished his Alabama Crimson Tide career with 34.5 sacks through his three years in college.
CB Shaquill Griffin
Cornerback Shaquill Griffin may not be the Texans’ most talented player in the secondary, but he has a unique advantage over the Jaguars. Griffin spent two seasons with Jacksonville, Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence’s first two seasons in the league.
Griffin has had a few solid seasons in the league and could help Houston slow Lawrence. He likely won’t stop Jacksonville’s quarterback on his own, but if he uses what he knows about Lawrence, he could force him into a couple tricky situations.
Griffin will likely start in place of the injured Derek Stingley Jr., so he’ll spend plenty of time on the field.
