Jaguars Take Step Forward with Brian Thomas Jr. Week 3

It probably wasn't visible from the stands or to the viewers at home, but Brian Thomas Jr. cracked a smile after his 46-yard catch-and-run late in the fourth quarter against the Houston Texans. That play put the Jacksonville Jaguars in scoring position after the game was knotted at 10 apiece. Travis Etienne Jr. would take it into the house for a 10-yard touchdown to put the Jags up for good on the very next play.

Not only was BTJ's pickup there a huge moment in that game, but it could turn out to be a turning point in his season. At least, that's what he, Head Coach Liam Coen, and the rest of this Jaguars team are hoping.

Ultimately, Thomas Jr. had another quiet outing in Week 3, finishing with just two catches on six targets for 55 yards. Still, that last touch was a momentous gain for Jacksonville, and it could carry over into a surge from the second-year star wideout.

Jacksonville Jaguars, NFL, Houston Texans, Brian Thomas Jr. — Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. (7) sprints on a catch and run during the fourth quarter of an NFL football matchup at EverBank Stadium, Sunday, Sept. 21, 2025, in Jacksonville, Fla. The Jaguars defeated the Texans 17-10. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union] | Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Brian Thomas Jr. needs to get going

Football is a game of inches, but it's also a game of momentum. The Jacksonville Jaguars got a taste of that firsthand in Week 3 against the Houston Texans. With less than 10 minutes to go and the team leading 10-3, quarterback Trevor Lawrence was hoping to stick a dagger into his opponent.

Instead, he threw a backbreaking interception on 3rd-and-10 to Texans safety Jalen Pitre. Just one play later, Houston would tie it up with a bomb from C.J. Stroud to Nico Collins. That had Jacksonville reeling. Thankfully, they were able to shake off the turning tides and respond with a game-winning touchdown, largely due to Brian Thomas Jr.'s huge play.

Zoomin’@BrianThomas_11 | #JAXvsHOU on CBSpic.twitter.com/AkJScQeBhe
— Jacksonville Jaguars (@Jaguars) September 21, 2025

Head Coach Liam Coen was asked afterwards how that catch could impact his wide receiver moving forward. He alluded to various attempts that he made to try to get BTJ rolling:

"Early on, he goes up on the fade and makes a great effort, and you're like, 'Dang, okay. He didn't come down with it,' but, man, it looks like it's obviously trending, and I thought when we had the third, and I think it was, like, 14 when we had the illegal shift when he had a big-time catch. I think that would have got him going."

"It was like every time he had an opportunity to almost get things rolling, something negative occurred. So, just talked to him in the locker room, and really proud of the way he finished. That was a huge play and a big-time moment. We got to get it cleaned up, but he should absolutely take confidence from that play and be able to continue to go forward."

Had each other's backs in big time moments. 🗣️#DUUUVAL pic.twitter.com/iJE3aNDAOz
— Jacksonville Jaguars (@Jaguars) September 21, 2025

In his postgame speech to the team, Coen made sure to call out BTJ, along with Tyson Campbell, as players who were able to absorb their mistakes earlier in the game, learn from them, and come right back with a positive response. Hopefully, that trend continues for Thomas Jr. and the Jaguars.

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