{"id":247577,"date":"2025-09-21T10:16:40","date_gmt":"2025-09-21T14:16:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/?p=247577"},"modified":"2025-09-25T10:25:34","modified_gmt":"2025-09-25T14:25:34","slug":"jacksonville-jaguars-vs-houston-texans-trevor-lawrence","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/2025\/09\/21\/jacksonville-jaguars-vs-houston-texans-trevor-lawrence\/","title":{"rendered":"Jacksonville Jaguars vs Houston Texans: Can Quarterback Trevor Lawrence Help Duval Bounce Back?"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>As the 2025 NFL season rolls into Week 3, the Jacksonville Jaguars vs the Houston Texans in a critical AFC South matchup in Duval. Both teams are at a crossroads: Trevor Lawrence and the Jaguars are seeking redemption after a<a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/2025\/09\/14\/jaguars-loss-bengals-trevor-lawrence-not-the-guy\/\" target=\"_self\"> heartbreaking loss in Cincinnati<\/a>, while C.J. Stroud and the Texans are still chasing their first win of the year. Adding to the drama, both quarterbacks enter under heavy scrutiny, each looking to silence their doubters.<a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/2025\/09\/12\/jacksonville-jaguars-plan-expanded-defensive-role-for-rookie-travis-hunter-against-bengals\/\" target=\"_self\"> Rookie two-way superstar, <\/a>Travis Hunter, will be on the prowl for his first touchdown or interception of the season.<\/p>\n<h2>Jacksonville Jaguars vs Houston Texans: Can Quarterback Trevor Lawrence Help Duval Bounce Back?<\/h2>\n<h3><strong>Head-to-Head History: Houston\u2019s Grip on Jacksonville<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>The Texans have owned this rivalry for years. Houston leads the all-time series 31\u201315 and has consistently frustrated Jacksonville. Even more staggering, the Texans have won six straight games at EverBank Stadium, turning Jacksonville\u2019s home field into something of a second home.<\/p>\n<p>For the Jaguars, snapping this streak is more than just another win \u2014 it\u2019s about shifting the balance of the rivalry and proving this roster is capable of overcoming past demons. Perhaps, with bringing back the fan-favorite throwback &#8220;Prowler&#8221; jerseys this week, it will bring some much-needed luck to Duval.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Classic \ud83e\udd0c<a  href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/HOUvsJAX?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">#HOUvsJAX<\/a> <a  href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/ohAH992M1P\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">pic.twitter.com\/ohAH992M1P<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Jacksonville Jaguars (@Jaguars) <a  href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/Jaguars\/status\/1969477645193687134?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">September 20, 2025<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<h3><strong>Trevor Lawrence Must Steady the Ship<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>Lawrence\u2019s Week 2 performance against Cincinnati was the perfect microcosm of his career so far: flashes of talent combined with costly mistakes. While he did throw three touchdown passes, context matters \u2014 two of them were dump-offs to running backs, Tuten and Etienne, who did all the work after the catch. While those plays padded his stat line, they didn\u2019t showcase the kind of precision or command Jacksonville needs from him.<\/p>\n<p>On the flip side, his two interceptions \u2014 including another costly red-zone mistake \u2014 again raised questions about his decision-making in critical moments. Lawrence will also look to get on the same page with his top two targets, Brian Thomas Jr. and Travis Hunter. Many criticized Thomas for what initially appeared to be a lack of effort. However, it has now become clear that Lawrence was delivering what would have been &#8220;hospital&#8221; balls to him on many throws. Week 3 is about proving he can rise above inconsistency and finally deliver against a rival that has consistently had Jacksonville\u2019s number. The Jaguars vs Texans is a critical game for Lawrence.<\/p>\n<h3><strong>Stroud Searching for Answers in Year Two<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>While Lawrence faces pressure to meet expectations, Stroud is battling concerns of regression. After a standout rookie season, Stroud has looked unsettled through the first two weeks of 2025. His accuracy has dipped, his reads have slowed, and Houston\u2019s offense has sputtered.<\/p>\n<p>The Texans need Stroud to rediscover his poise. The Jacksonville Jaguars vs Houston Texans rivalry has been one that Stroud can lay his claim of dominance to. If he can avoid turnovers, hit rhythm throws, and take advantage of Jacksonville\u2019s secondary, Houston\u2019s season could turn around quickly.<\/p>\n<h3><strong>Jags X-Factor: The Emergence of Bhayshul Tuten<\/strong><\/h3>\n<figure id=\"attachment_247603\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-247603\" style=\"width: 640px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-large wp-image-247603\" src=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2025\/09\/USATSI_26868499_168400545_lowres-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"426\" srcset=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2025\/09\/USATSI_26868499_168400545_lowres-1024x682.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2025\/09\/USATSI_26868499_168400545_lowres-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2025\/09\/USATSI_26868499_168400545_lowres-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2025\/09\/USATSI_26868499_168400545_lowres-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2025\/09\/USATSI_26868499_168400545_lowres-1200x800.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2025\/09\/USATSI_26868499_168400545_lowres.jpg 1531w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-247603\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Aug 17, 2025; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; Jacksonville Jaguars running back Bhayshul Tuten (33) celebrates a touchdown with Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Nick Mullens (14) during the first half against the New Orleans Saints at Caesars Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Hinton-Imagn Images<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>One reason for optimism in Jacksonville is the <a  href=\"https:\/\/www.si.com\/nfl\/jaguars\/bhayshul-tuten-liam-coen-jacksonville-cincinnati-bengals-trevor-lawrence\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">rise of rookie running back Bhayshul Tuten<\/a>.\u00a0Though used sparingly in Week 2, Tuten made every touch count, piling up 74 yards from scrimmage on just 10 touches, including a receiving touchdown. His quickness and versatility gave the Jaguars\u2019 offense a spark, hinting he may be more than just a change-of-pace option behind Travis Etienne.<\/p>\n<p>If Jacksonville leans more on Tuten alongside Etienne, they can reduce pressure on Lawrence and open up play-action opportunities. A stronger running game could also wear down Houston\u2019s defensive front and help tilt the matchup in Jacksonville\u2019s favor.<\/p>\n<h3><strong>Keys to Victory<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>For Jacksonville:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Trevor Lawrence must limit turnovers.<\/li>\n<li>Establish the run with Etienne and Tuten.<\/li>\n<li>Use the home crowd to break Houston\u2019s streak.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>For Houston:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Get Stroud comfortable with quick passes.<\/li>\n<li>Contain Jacksonville&#8217;s explosive playmakers.<\/li>\n<li>Force Lawrence into mistakes and keep pressure on him.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><strong>Prediction &amp; Outlook<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>This game carries weight for both franchises. For Jacksonville, a win means snapping Houston\u2019s stranglehold, getting back above .500, and quieting doubts about Lawrence. For Houston, victory would mean their first win of 2025 and renewed belief that Stroud remains the quarterback to build around.<\/p>\n<p>The Jaguars appear to have slightly more momentum, especially with Tuten\u2019s emergence, giving them a fresh weapon. If Lawrence protects the football and the defense rattles Stroud, Jacksonville should finally rewrite the narrative at home.<\/p>\n<p>Still, history suggests Houston cannot be counted out. The Texans have thrived in Jacksonville, and until the Jaguars prove otherwise, the shadow of that dominance looms large.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Jacksonville Jaguars vs Houston Texans in Week 3. Trevor Lawrence looks to rebound as both teams fight to change early struggles.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5630,"featured_media":227146,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"no","_lmt_disable":"","sfio_featured_image":false,"sfio_embed_code":"","_ef_editorial_meta_date_first-draft-date":"","_ef_editorial_meta_paragraph_assignment":"","_ef_editorial_meta_checkbox_needs-photo":"","_ef_editorial_meta_number_word-count":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[36,13,6431],"tags":[33250,9708,8678,32476,6249],"class_list":["post-247577","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-nfl-news","category-jaguars","category-nfl-teams","tag-bhayshul-tuten","tag-c-j-stroud","tag-jacksonville-jaguars-featured","tag-travis-hunter","tag-trevor-lawrence"],"modified_by":"Michael Kovacs, ADMIN","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/247577","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5630"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=247577"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/247577\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":247604,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/247577\/revisions\/247604"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/227146"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=247577"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=247577"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=247577"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}