Super Bowl contenders Houston Texans face tough fight vs Jacksonville Jaguars – NFL Preview
The Houston Texans have started the season as Super Bowl contenders from the American Football Conference (AFC) South division, while their rivals Jacksonville Jaguars have embarked upon a new beginning with a new outlook, and this is where both teams stand,
before facing each other in a total AFC North showdown this Sunday.
Both teams have started the season on a different note, with the Texans convincingly defeating the Miami Dolphins and the Jaguars struggling to score victory in a closely fought game versus the Minnesota Vikings.
Both teams were in a similar situation during most part of the last season – both of them starting with a rookie quarterback on the starting line.
The Texans after losing their regular offence leader QB Matt Schaub to a foot injury and then replacement Matt Leinart to a shoulder injury relied on rookie T.J. Yates on the starting line. The Jaguars after ousting of veteran QB David Garrard to an injury
scare relied on then rookie QB Blaine Gabbert.
This was the point at which both sides started falling apart to opposite directions. While Yates helped the Texans to finish atop AFC North and through to playoffs, for the first time in the franchise history, Gabbert proved a total failure for the Jaguars.
At the end, the Jaguars were sold to present owner Shahid Khan, who has boasted great plans for the franchise to become consistent winners on the field.
Thanks to first-year coach Mike Mularkey, he persisted with Gabbert as an offence leader, ignoring his past failures, and the quarterback has shown clear signs of improvement as reflective in his number of the last game. He helped the side closer to a victory
over the Vikings but rest of the team members did not help the cause.
So while the Jaguars are coming into the second game of the season without a win, the Texans won their game against the Dolphins.
From QB Matt Schaub and wide receiver Andre Johnson to running back Arian Foster, it was an impressive team effort from the Texans as they easily toppled the opposition. Schaub was particularly impressive in his first-ever appearance in the season since
the latter part of the 2011 season when he went on the sidelines for a fransic surgery.
Let’s not forget Yates here, he remains upbeat about his form as ever before. After all, he is one of the few rookies in the league who had been lucky to start their pro careers on winning note.
Coach Gary Kubiak is not done yet and sees a lot of room for improvement in the Texans. He is particularly not happy with the effort by the team’s rushers, and has backed them to step up their game.
In view of the above analysis, it sounds the Texans are raring to take on the Jaguars but they must be aware that victory will not come so easily. With clear signs of improvement from Gabbert, Jaguars coach Mike Mularkey is confident of victory chances versus
the Texans.
An important development for the Jaguars this season is rookie receiver Justin Blackmon. He is a capable player and although could not achieve much success in the opener he remains a crucial member of the Jaguars’ offensive line.
Also, running back Maurice Jones-Drew has returned to the starting role and said to be aiming for putting up more rushing yards in the next game.
So altogether both teams have their own boasted positives and negatives, and while the Texans have an upper hand over the Jaguars, they should not fall prey to any complacency. They will have to fight until the end to score a win.
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