You’ve probably heard that misery loves company and if the Jacksonville Jaguars and the Houston Texans were a couple of guys at a bar, they would be talking about how things have been rough lately and how they were given a bad hand. Both teams have a 2-11 record and it doesn’t look like things will change for either one in the remainder of the 2021 season.
On the bright side, at least one of them is ensured to earn at least another win in the next four games, as they will face off against each other in Week 15. The Jags are a 3-point favorite ahead of the game but they already lost to Houston early this year.
Then again, this Texans team will look very different from the one Jacksonville played against in the season opener, as they’ve traded or released linebacker Whitney Mercilus, running back Mark Ingram, running back Phillip Lindsay, defensive end Charles Omenihu, linebacker Zach Cunningham, and cornerback Vernon Hargreaves.
Furthermore, rookie Davis Mills, not veteran Tyrod Taylor will be starting for the Texans. Still, the Jaguars are coming off a five-game losing streak, so it’s not a given that they will win. If they want to avoid their sixth consecutive loss, they must keep an eye on these five Texans.
No. 1 Texans player to watch vs. Jaguars – Rex Burkhead, RB.
Texans running back Rex Burkhead only had one carry in the first six weeks of the season but has seen his usage increase over the last four games and has started two of them, toting the rock 49 times for 137 yards.
Burkhead is averaging less than three yards per carry but the Jaguars have had trouble defending the run since Week 10, allowing more than 100 rushing yards each game. It wouldn’t be shocking to see Houston try to pound the ball early and often since other teams have proven that formula works against Jacksonville.
No. 2 Texans player to watch vs. Jaguars – Tavierre Thomas, CB.
The Texans’ secondary has seen plenty of turnovers this season and nobody would blame you if you lost track of who’s starting and who’s no longer with the team. Back in Week 1, cornerback Vernon Hargreaves started opposite Terrance Mitchell but the former is now with the Cincinnati Bengals, paving the way for Taierre Thomas to have an increased role on defense.
An undrafted free agent out of Ferris State in 2018, Thomas spent his first three NFL seasons with the Cleveland Browns. He signed with Houston earlier this year and has appeared in 13 games with five starts in 2021. His 76.3 Pro Football Focus grade is the third-best among Houston defensive players heading into the game.
No. 3 Texans player to watch vs. Jaguars – Johnathan Greenard, DE.
The Texans are some sort of reverse Los Angeles Rams. Both teams haven’t had a first-round selection in a while but Houston has a bottom tier roster while the Rams are a perennial contender. Having said that, defensive end Johnathan Greenard was a great find in the 2020 NFL Draft.
Greenard appeared in just 30 percent of the Texans’ defensive snaps last season but his playing time has nearly doubled in 2021. The sophomore has made the most of his chances and is leading the team in sacks with eight. You will have to scratch the bottom of the barrel to find talent on Houston’s roster but Greenard has developed into a solid starter, one that could give the Jaguars’ offensive line fits in Week 15.
No. 4 Texans player to watch vs. Jaguars – Brandin Cooks, WR
As bad as the Jaguars roster is, the Texans’ is arguably worse. Then again, Brandin Cooks is better than any receiver Jacksonville has. In their first meeting this season, the 2014 first-round pick cooked the Jags’ secondary for 132 yards on five receptions.
For the year, Cooks has hauled in 73 catches for 843 yards and took three trips to the end zone, which isn’t bad when you take into account the Texans’ offense is in the cellar of the league in points scored.
No. 5 Texans player to watch vs. Jaguars – Davis Mills, QB
Davis Mills is not the reason the Texans are 2-11. By all accounts, the rookie out of Notre Dame has been serviceable, completing 65.8 percent of his pass attempts for 1,737 yards with eight touchdowns and eight interceptions. Moreover, he could be the answer at quarterback if he plays well down the stretch. He’s still looking for his first career win in the NFL and he could get it in Week 15 if the Jaguars’ defense underestimate him. As announcer Chris Berman recently said, “the Jags are like chicken soup, you need them if you’re ill“.
It’s not surprising that head coach David Culley named Mills the starter for the remainder of the season, as the Texans’ brass surely wants to see what they have in him. The problem is that it’s difficult to assess his performance without a better supporting cast. Mills’ numbers would probably be better if he had more weapons at his disposal.