Jaguars' Chief Rival is in for a Reality Check

Well, well, well... how the mediocre have fallen. The Houston Texans faithful couldn't wait to take their victory laps on the Jacksonville Jaguars and their fans after the team was eliminated from the 2025 NFL playoffs by Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills. It wouldn't take long for Duval to get its revenge.

After scraping by the old, washed-up Pittsburgh Steelers on Wild Card Weekend, the Texans were ousted in the Divisional Round by the New England Patriots, 28-16. It marked Houston's third consecutive loss in the conference semifinals. Now, both the Jaguars and their AFC South rivals are in the same place: preparing for the offseason in hopes of getting their respective rosters over the hump.

C.J. Stroud, NFL, Houston Texans, NFL playoffs, New England Patriots, Divisional Round — Jan 18, 2026; Foxborough, MA, USA; New England Patriots linebacker K'Lavon Chaisson (44) tackles Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud (7) in the second quarter in an AFC Divisional Round game at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-Imagn Images | David Butler II-Imagn Images

Texans are in dire straits

No, the Jacksonville Jaguars didn't win the Super Bowl. However, their fans have to be feeling better than the Houston Texans and their supporters. The Jaguars nearly beat the Buffalo Bills, despite Trevor Lawrence playing one of his worst games in a long time. The Bills would go on to lose to the Denver Broncos 33-30 in overtime, with Josh Allen uncharacteristically turning the ball over four times. Jacksonville can hold its head high, knowing that it can compete with the best of them.

The Texans, on the other hand, have hit a wall. They were eliminated in the Divisional Round for the third straight year, and they don't have many options to improve the roster. On top of that, Houston has to be reconsidering if it actually found its franchise quarterback with C.J. Stroud.

The former second-overall pick has struggled to match his rookie production for two seasons now. He was effectively single-handedly responsible for the Texans' loss to the New England Patriots. Houston's defense held the Pats' offense to just 14 points until the fourth quarter, but they couldn't do anything on the other side of the ball.

A story, in three parts. #HTownMade pic.twitter.com/dNVUoBBp5Q
— Ross Villarreal (@SportsRV) January 20, 2026

Stroud finished with just 212 yards on 43 percent passing, with a lone touchdown to four interceptions, including a pick-six. He had several other turnover-worthy throws, too. Overall, he had 10 turnovers in two postseason games this year. His supporting cast wasn't the greatest, but that's not likely to change anytime soon. Houston has invested heavily in its defense, making it nearly impossible for the team to upgrade on the other side of the ball.

The Texans are projected to be $8 million over the salary cap for 2026. Stroud's rookie deal ends after the 2027 season, if they even pick up his fifth-year option. Danielle Hunter has just one year left, as does Azeez Al-Shaair, while Kamari Lassiter's rookie contract is up after two more seasons. Sheldon Rankins is a free agent this offseason, as is Ed Ingram, one of their better offensive linemen. Simply put, Houston has to nail its draft picks this year. It can't afford not to.

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