Texans vs. Jaguars: 3 Keys to Victory in Week 3

The Houston Texans are one of 10 teams in the NFL that have not claimed a win yet within the 2025 season after dropping both Weeks 1 and 2 to the LA Rams and Tampa Bay Buccaneers, respectively. Now, the Texans will be eyeing a Week 3 contest vs. the Jacksonville Jaguars ahead with what looks to be a near-must-win game to get back on the right track.

But for Houston to claim that first win of the season in Week 3, that relies on a few major parts of the game swinging their way come Sunday.

When sizing these two squads up on paper, the Texans' coaching staff will have to hone in on three considerable aspects that may make or break their chances in a crucial matchup, traveling to Jacksonville for their first AFC South bout of the year. If they fall short, make multiple mistakes, and drop to 0-3, it'll start to get messy in H-Town, so taking advantage of this road battle is extremely important.

Here's three keys to a Texans' Week 3 victory over their division rivals in Duval:

1. More Productivity on the Ground

Sep 15, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA;Houston Texans running back Nick Chubb (21) rushes the ball for a touchdown during the fourth quarter against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Thomas Shea-Imagn Images | Thomas Shea-Imagn Images

Last week was far from an exemplary performance from the Texans' run game. Houston handed the ball off less than what they'd put together in Week 1, had under 90 total rushing yards throughout the night compared to their previous 114 vs. the LA Rams, which ended up being a vital reason as to why this offense still looked a bit underwhelming two weeks in.

That's a trend that can't continue rolling into Week 3.

Nick Chubb has proven to be an effective lead back through two weeks of action and was almost the catalyst that lifted the Texans to 1-1 with his fourth-quarter touchdown run against Tampa Bay. Woody Marks has also seemed to land more confidence from the coaching staff, considering he was the only runner outside of Chubb and C.J. Stroud to log a touch on the ground in Week 2.

The Texans' explosiveness in the offense will be centered around what this air attack is made of, led by Stroud and Nico Collins, but to open that up to the fullest extent, they'll need the backfield to have more opportunities than they had in their latest showing.

2. Offensive Line Consistency

Sep 15, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud (7) is sacked by Tampa Bay Buccaneers linebacker Yaya Diaby (0) during the third quarter at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images | Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

What's been the biggest takeaway of the Texans' first two games will undoubtably bleed into their third matchup of the year in Jacksonville: the offensive line has to be better.

Week 2 against the Bucs did see a few positive strides for Houston upfront. Left tackle Aireontae Ersery had up just one sack for a bounce-back performance from a brutal Week 1, right guard Ed Ingram finished as the Texans' best-graded lineman by far in his debut (83.8), headlined by a standout day as a run blocker, and only one flag of seven total occurred on the o-line, that being on Tytus Howard.

However, the Texans still grade in the bottom five of the NFL for pass-blocking via PFF, and Stroud has been pressured on 41% of his total dropbacks through the first two weeks. Those are numbers that have to improve for this offense to level out against the Jaguars.

The Texans will have multiple names in the Jacksonville defensive front to keep in check, whether it be star pass rusher Joshua Hines-Allen, 2021 number-one pick Travon Walker, or the veteran presence of Arik Armstead. That combination could be a handful, and a defining trait of how this one plays out.

3. Late-Game Execution

Sep 15, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans high fives Houston Texans running back Dare Ogunbowale (33) before the game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Thomas Shea-Imagn Images | Thomas Shea-Imagn Images

In Week 1, the Texans fell short to the Rams after a Dare Ogunbowale fumble stopped a Houston fourth-quarter comeback in its tracks. In Week 2, the Texans collapsed in the final two minutes of the fourth to a Baker Mayfield-led drive to end with a Rashaad White touchdown in the last six seconds to sink the Texans to an 0-2 record.

Keeping the run game and offensive line intact will play a major role in the Texans' success come Sunday, but perhaps the biggest key to victory for the Texans in Week 3 will be the ability to close out and finish the game effectively.

The Texans have lost vs. the Rams and Buccaneers by a total of six points– both of which were winnable games before Houston would fail to capitalize on a few critical opportunities.

A road battle in Jacksonville, on paper, has a similar feel to a winnable game, and could act as the perfect aid to get Houston's season back on the rails. But honing in on that late-game poise and execution will be vital to seeing those winning results come true.

Expect DeMeco Ryans to have a heavy emphasis on playing with full intensity from start to finish, and in turn, get the Texans back to their winning ways.

1. More Productivity on the Ground

2. Offensive Line Consistency

3. Late-Game Execution

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