Will Houston Texans Maintain Run Game Success vs. Jacksonville Jaguars?
HOUSTON — The Houston Texans will welcome the Jacksonville Jaguars to NRG Stadium for a Week 12 contest Sunday afternoon. The game will mark Houston's most important meeting of the season, given that the Texans will take the helm of the No. 1 spot in the AFC South with a victory.
The Texans are in a solid position to claim the top spot due to their dominance over the Jaguars since the team's conception in 2002. They won their 29th game in franchise history in Jacksonville in a 37-17 win at EverBank Stadium on Sept. 24.
Coach DeMeco Ryans is aware of the Texans' dominance over the Jaguars but understands that each game is "its own matchup."
"I think both teams are different now — we played them Week 3 of the season," Ryans said. "I feel like we’ve gotten better as a team and feel like they’ve gotten better as well. We have a different offensive line and a lot of different guys, who will be out there. It’s just a completely different game for us."
Singletary rushes for yards against Jacksonville Jaguars safety Andre Cisco during the fourth quarter at EverBank Stadium in Jacksonville.
Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK
It has been nine weeks since the Texans defeated the Jaguars for their first win of the 2023 season. And since their victory, Houston has made significant enhancements en route to a 6-4 record. One of the most impressive improvements has been the Texans' rushing attack.
With Devin Singletary as lead back due to the absence of Dameon Pierce, the Texans have rushed for an average of 149.5 yards over the last two games. Singletary has accounted for an average of 131 yards on the ground with 52 carries and a pair of touchdowns.
An improved run game from the Texans will increase their chances of coming away victorious. The Jaguars are the fourth-best team at stopping the run, allowing 87.0 yards. Houston rushed for 86 yards amid its first meeting against the Jaguars.
Establishing the run against the Jaguars will be crucial for the Texans' success. But the return of Pierce could give Houston an extra boost against one of the league's best defensive teams.
"The growth we’ve had in the run scheme, and what we’ve been doing up front and the holes that we’ve created – I think the offense is seeing how powerful that is," Offensive Coordinator Bobby Slowik said. "Motor [Devin Singletary] obviously, the last couple of games, has carried the bulk of the load there at running back.
"I’ve said this before, whenever D.P. comes back, we believe wholeheartedly in sharing that load. Motor has been able to keep playing, and that’s shown, and we’ll stay on the same track with D.P., and we’ll make sure both guys are full gas and healthy and ready to go, and we’ll hopefully keep growing.”
