After a close loss in New Orleans this past Monday night, nobody appears to be giving the game against Jacksonville on Sunday ton of attention. Maybe it’s because last year the Jaguars were a bit of a disaster, a far cry from their 2018 AFC Title Game appearance. It could potentially be because new quarterback Nick Foles broke his clavicle, forcing sixth-round rookie Gardner Minshew into the starting lineup far earlier than anyone expected. Finally, maybe it’s just because… it’s Jacksonville, who the Texans beat handedly twice last year.
Regardless of your opinion on the Jaguars, many analysts had them as an upset option to win the AFC South, especially after the departure of Andrew Luck from the division. Even without suiting up, Jacksonville remains a dangerous team and there are still a number of players the Texans will need to watch out for if they don’t want their game-plan wrecked.
1. QB Gardner Minshew
The match-up against Jacksonville this week cannot be discussed without first starting with the rookie out of Washington State. Despite an illustrious college career at Washington State, Minshew fell to the sixth rounds due to poor physical traits and a scheme that many consider difficult to transition to the NFL from. With the signing of former Super Bowl MVP Nick Foles, Minshew was considered a distant afterthought for 2019. That was until the injury last week.
In Foles’ absence, Minshew completed 22 of 25 passes for 275 yards and 2 touchdowns, with only one interception. For any NFL quarterback that could be considered a fine game and that came without any practice reps with the starting group.
This week he’ll face a far stingier Texans defense in what will be his first NFL start. The Jaguars ability to compete with Houston will be almost entirely determined by his performance. Hopefully the veteran group can have a field day against the rookie similar to the one’s they had against Josh Allen and Baker Mayfield last year.
2. Wide Receiver DJ Chark
Chark is more than just your fantasy league’s waiver wire darling of the week. After an incredibly disappointing rookie season, the second-rounder out of LSU came out blazing during Week 1. Chark wracked up 4 receptions with catches of 35 and 65 yards for a stat line of 146 yards and a touchdown against the Chiefs.
His ability to stretch the defense cannot be understated and, after an underwhelming performance against the similar speed of Ted Ginn, Chark creates similar concerns for the Texans. Hopefully, after some shakeup in the secondary this week, Romeo Crennel can figure out a way to limit the big-play ability Chark flashed last week.
3. ot Jawaan Taylor
Coming out of the University of Florida, Jawaan Taylor was almost universally considered one of the top tackles in his draft class, certainly higher than Texans’ first round draft pick Tytus Howard. However, for a multitude of reasons, Taylor fell right into Jacksonville’s lap during the second round. Now, the Texans will have to face what could have been a draft-day plunder.
Last week, J.J. Watt was held entirely in check by New Orleans’ right tackle Ryan Ramczyk, failing to register a single statistic for the game. Taylor wasn’t perfect last week against the Chiefs and certainly represents a downgrade from the All-Pro in Ramcyzk. Watt and the pass rush performance against the rookie will be an interesting evaluation not only on the team’s 2019 draft class but on the defensive line’s outlook for the season as a whole.
4. DE Yannick Ngakoue
Ngakoue was late reporter this season for the Jaguars after attempting to holdout while entering the final year of his rookie deal. He accumulated 9.5 sacks in 2018 after gathering 12 the year before. In short, he is a dangerous pass rusher.
The Texans allowed Deshaun Watson to be sacked six times last week against the Saints. Ngakoue represents the kind of pass rusher who could wreak similar havoc if the team fails to execute better than they did in New Orleans. They can expect a motivated, albeit somewhat injured, pass rusher to be doing his best to rip Watson to shreds on Sunday.
5. LB Myles Jack
Myles Jack is one of the best middle linebackers in football. There is no way around it. Whether it’s tackling, blitzing or his coverage ability, Jack is one of the best in game. The Jaguars agreed with this sentiment, signing a four-year, $57 million dollar mega-deal this offseason. Although suspended last game during an outburst against the Chiefs, Jack could bring huge problems to Houston Sunday.
Jack’s rangy field ability means he will often be the one chasing Watson when plays break down, additionally he’ll look to lockdown tight ends Darren Fells and Jordan Atkins all game. The big play potential from the defensive player represents momentum that could turn a game if it’s a close one on Sunday. Keep your eyes on how coach Doug Marrone employs his best defensive chess-piece.
6. cb Jalen Ramsey
Jalen Ramsey is a personality. He has been outspoken on what he thinks of the league, other quarterbacks, and his own status as one of the premier cornerbacks in the NFL. Off the field, he has developed a very cordial relationship with Deandre Hopkins. On Sunday, their match-up will go a long way towards determining the outcome of the game.
Expect to see Ramsey matched in man coverage all game against Deandre Hopkins. Last year, Ramsey shut down Hopkins during their first match-up, holding the All-Pro to three receptions for only 50 yards. The second time around, Hopkins certainly got the better of the two, hauling in 12 receptions for 146 yards on the day. However the pendulum swings, enjoy watching two of the league’s best go at each other on Sunday.
