The Jacksonville Jaguars boast one of the toughest defensive front lines in the NFL, and Houston Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson is excited for the challenge of facing it in London at Wembley Stadium.
Watson met with reporters Wednesday and expressed his interest in going against the Jaguars defense, which has produced the third-most sacks in the NFL with 29.
“They have a great pass rush, good defense, a lot of athletes, guys that play hard and it’s always a four-quarter battle when we play them,” Watson said. “So, it’s a test. We’re up for the challenge. We’re excited for the challenge.”
The Texans will be playing in London for the first time in club history. For the Jaguars, it will be their seventh NFL International Series game in London and their second such encounter with an AFC South opponent, giving them a distinct home-field advantage as they are more used to overseas travels than their opponents.
“We know they are too in an environment that they’re used to,” said Watson. “We’ve got to make sure that we’re ready to play and preparation is good, and I think everyone is going to be locked in.”
The Jaguars rank second in the NFL with 56 quarterback hits. They are also third in the league with 27 quarterback knock-downs. Opposing quarterbacks have had a difficult time going against the Jaguars with a cumulative 85.7 passer rating, the seventh-highest in the NFL.
In their Week 2 encounter with the Jaguars at NRG Stadium, the Texans allowed Watson to be sacked four times, tied for the third-most sacks he’s taken in 2019. The Pro Bowl signal caller did not have one of his better outings as he produced a paltry 70.9 passer rating, the worst for 2019, as he completed 16-of-29 for 159 yards while rushing four times for five yards and a touchdown.
