Jaguars vs. Texans: 5 Players to Watch in Week 12
The Jaguars are back on track, following a 37-17 blowout against the Titans last weekend. The Texans, however, might be the biggest story of 2023, with hopes to go from holding the first overall pick to the playoffs in a single year. This game’s result will determine the future of the AFC South as the winner will hold the division lead.
Here are the five Jaguars to watch if the Jaguars wish to maintain their tight grip on the AFC South.
Calvin Ridley
Yes, that’s right! I’m listing Calvin Ridley for the third straight week and rightfully so. Ridley caught fire last week against the Titans and my hope is that fire stays hot for the rest of the season. When Ridley shines, the Jaguars win. It is as simple as that.
Ridley now has 42 receptions on the year, good for 574 yards and four scores. He’s also drawn 10 defensive pass interferences, likely due to his deep threat ability. In 2023, Ridley has snagged nine deep (20+ Yards) balls for 245 yards and two scores. Those numbers are good for an NFL rating of 140.6 when targeted. The Jaguars will likely need more of that if they are to outscore the newly empowered Texans’ offense.
Anton Harrison
This is another big test for the rookie Anton Harrison. In week three against the Texans, Harrison performed admirably, allowing just one pressure on 27 pass-block opportunities. Trevor Lawrence and the rest of the Jacksonville offense could certainly benefit from another dominant performance.
The Texans’ defensive line boasts one of the league’s best pass-rushing duos, Will Anderson Jr. and Jonathan Greenard. The duo has combined for 71 pressures and 11 sacks, terrifying offenses week in and week out. Cam Robinson and Harrison will need to be on their A-game this weekend in order to give Trevor Lawrence time to run the offense.
Travon Walker
The Jaguars have to be happy with the recent success of 2nd-year pass-rusher Travon Walker. Through just 10 games, Walker has racked up 30 pressures and is projected to finish with 51 on the season. Last season, Walker finished with just 36 pressures. He’s already passed last season’s sack total of 3.5 with 4 on the season thus far.
Sunday will be a big day for the Jaguars’ defense. The Texans’ offense has quickly developed into one of the premier passing attacks in the league with rookie C.J. Stroud behind center. If the Jaguars can get to Stroud and get him out of rhythm, they have hope to slow Houston down.
The Jaguars will look to Walker and star Josh Allen to create havoc behind the Texans’ line.
Devin Lloyd
Devin Lloyd likely gets the unofficial award for Most Improved Player on the Jaguars’ roster. The young linebacker had a shaky start to his career, getting benched for Chad Muma last season. This season, however, has been a completely different story.
Lloyd, despite missing games due to a hand injury, leads all linebackers with seven pass breakups and has evolved into one of the best young backers in football. Last weekend, against the Titans, Lloyd set a personal best with a 91.0 PFF grade, 2nd best among linebackers last week. It would behoove the Jaguars if his ascent were to continue in order to beat the red-hot Texans.
Andre Cisco
Much like Lloyd, Cisco has quickly developed into one of the better safeties in the NFL. His range, acceleration and nose for the football have done wonders for his rapid growth. Cisco has three interceptions on the season, in addition to his 82.9 NFL rating allowed rank among the best in the league.
With Stroud’s downfield excellence at quarterback, Cisco and fellow safety Rayshawn Jenkins will need to be vigilant, keeping receiver Tank Dell and others in front of them. No quarterback has more passing yards deep than Stroud, who’s completed 23 of 39 passes for 759 yards and seven touchdowns. Look for the ballhawk Cisco to help slow down Stroud and the rest of the Texans’ offense.
