The Houston Texans (0-2) and Jacksonville Jaguars (1-1) are set to face off in NFL Week 3 on Sunday, Sept. 21. Kickoff is set for in 1:00 p.m. ET from EverBank Stadium in Jacksonville, Fla. The game will broadcast live on CBS.
The Jaguars are 2-point favorites over the Texans on the spread (Jaguars -2), with the over/under set at 44 total points. Jacksonville is a -120 favorite to win outright, while Houston is +100 to pull off the upset.
The Texans carried a lot of hype into the regular season, but they find themselves winless after two tight losses. Can Houston find its footing in this AFC South game against the rival Jaguars?
Find my Texans vs Jaguars prediction for Sunday afternoon below.
My Texans vs Jaguars Prediction
- Texans vs Jaguars pick: Texans +2 (-110)
My Jaguars vs. Texans best bet is on Houston to cover the spread, with the best price currently available at bet365. But as always, make sure to find the best odds by checking our live NFL odds page.
Texans vs Jaguars Odds
| Texans Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+2 -110 | 44 -110o / -110u | +100 |
| Jaguars Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-2 -110 | 44 -110o / -110u | -120 |
Texans vs Jaguars NFL Week 3 Preview
The Texans have lost two heartbreaking one-possession games to open the season. Let's take a step back and look at the context of those losses instead of only focusing on their record and blown opportunities.
The Texans' first loss came against the Rams — a very good football team (especially on the offensive side of the ball) that is currently tied atop the NFC West. The Texans managed to hold their high-powered offensive attack to just 14 points in that contest; their offense couldn't get them over the hump for the win.
After their first loss, the Texans returned home to host the Buccaneers on Monday Night Football. While many people expected Tampa Bay to take a step back this year, the Bucs have looked pretty good in their first two games of the season. They've really been one of the better squads over the last year-plus.
The Texans, once again, put themselves in a good enough position to win. Nick Chubb scored a touchdown to give Houston a 19-14 lead with 2:10 remaining in the fourth quarter, only for Baker Mayfield and the Bucs to immediately come back down the field with an 80-yard touchdown drive that included Mayfield scrambling for a first down on 4th-and-10.
In the game before that, the Texans also managed to keep things interesting. Trailing by five points late, the Texans drove the ball all the way down to the Rams' 25-yard line with less than two minutes remaining in the game. However, Houston's final drive came to a screeching halt. C.J. Stroud connected on a pass to Dare Ogunbowale inside the 20, only to see the Texans' backup running back fumble away their last chance at stringing together a game-winning drive.
So, we have two flukey losses for the Texans. Admittedly, the margin of error isn't great for Houston, averaging only 14 points per game on offense entering Week 3.
The Texans are winless and they are going to be desperate today get a win on the board. The Jaguars are in the opposite boat when it comes to strength of schedule thus far.
The Jaguars opened the season with a matchup against Carolina and coasted to a 26-10 win. Then they drew the Bengals in Week 2, a game in which Cincinnati lost Joe Burrow in the middle of the game due to injury.
The Jaguars still managed to let the Bengals to sleepwalk to a 31-27 win despite Jake Browning entering the game and throwing three interceptions.
Texans vs Jaguars Prediction, Betting Analysis
This is a big step up in competition for the Jaguars.
It’s a divisional game against a Texans team they've historically struggled with, and the Jaguars still have some kinks to iron out with Liam Coen's new offense.
The early returns from Coen taking over as head coach in Jacksonville seem to be solid. The offense looks better than it has in previous years. However, I still think the Texans have enough juice on the defensive side of the ball to get the job done.
The Jaguars faced a pair of terrible defenses to open the season and they didn't exactly set the world on fire offensively in those games. I expect them to hit plenty of bumps in the road against an elite Houston defense.
Pick: Texans +2 (-110)
Spread
My Jaguars vs. Texans betting prediction is on Houston to cover the spread at +2.
Moneyline
While I will be backing the Texans to cover the spread, I'm not betting the moneyline market.
Over/Under
I'm also staying away from the total in this spot.
