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Dec 1, 2024; Jacksonville, Florida, USA; Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence (16) hands off to running back Travis Etienne Jr. (1) against the Houston Texans in the first quarter at EverBank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

Jaguars Must Justify AFC South Optimism Week 3 vs. Texans

Originally posted on Jacksonville Jaguars on SI
By Andy Quach | Last updated Sep 18, 2025 10:00 AM ET

Through two games, the AFC South division appears wide open for the taking. The Indianapolis Colts currently sit atop the standings after two unexpected wins over the Miami Dolphins and Denver Broncos, behind back-to-back career games from quarterback Daniel Jones so far.

The Colts have started the season hot, but there's still a high chance the floor will open up and Jones will turn back into a pumpkin sometime soon. However, Indianapolis has a strong overall roster outside of QB and was able to win eight games last season with Anthony Richardson and Joe Flacco under center, so they can't be counted out.

Meanwhile, the Houston Texans are lagging behind severely, dropping to 0-2 on the year after two narrow losses against the Los Angeles Rams and Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Jacksonville Jaguars have a great chance to bury their supposed top competitor in the division by coming away with a win in Week 3 and kicking the Texans down to 0-3.

Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Jaguars favored at home versus Texans

The Houston Texans aren't the only team coming off a loss in this Week 3 clash. The Jacksonville Jaguars just lost a highly polarizing game against the Cincinnati Bengals. While they almost came away with a road upset over a prospective playoff contender and showed plenty of promise on both sides of the ball along the way, they ultimately failed to beat backup quarterback Jake Browning for the second time in three years, giving this one away with some critical mistakes and self-inflicted wounds.

In the past, that loss would have been a perfect summation of "Jaguars football." Head Coach Liam Coen and his squad are hoping to be a different team, though. If they can bounce back with a huge divisional win at home, it'll go a long way toward exorcising this franchise's demons and showing that they can take defeats on the chin, learn from their errors, and improve upon them.

FanDuel is giving Jacksonville the slight edge in this one, favored by 2.5 points and listed at -142 on the moneyline. Houston's offensive line has proven to be extremely suspect, which could open up opportunities for Travon Walker, Josh Hines-Allen, and the rest of the Jaguars' pass rush to feast on C.J. Stroud in the backfield.

On the other side of the ball, Trevor Lawrence and the Jacksonville attack face their stiffest test so far this season. The Texans have a nasty defense, including linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair, who landed the hit on T-Law last year that concussed the quarterback and ended his 2024 season. The over/under for this bout has been set at 44.5 points.

Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

If you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, call 1-800-GAMBLER.

This article first appeared on Jacksonville Jaguars on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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