Jaguars versus Texans: Pressuring QB Davis Mills other keys to victory

The Jacksonville Jaguars are currently in the midst of a hot streak and are closing in on a potential playoff berth. Meanwhile, the Houston Texans don’t seem to have a plan in place and are on pace to finish with a losing record for the third straight season.

This doesn’t mean the Jags should underlook their division foes in Week 17 though. Even though they’ve only mustered two wins this season, Houston has been competitive in recent weeks, something head coach Doug Pederson noted during an exchange with the media on the days preceding the game.

The Texans are coming off a win against the flailing Tennesse Titans in Week 16 and went toe-to-toe with the Dallas Cowboys and the Kansas City Chiefs. Despite the fact that the Jaguars don’t have to beat Houston to qualify for the playoffs, they will go into NRG Stadium expecting to come out with a win. With that in mind, here are three keys to beating the Texans in Week 17.

3. The Jaguars must stack up the box, stop the run vs. the Texans

Running back Dameon Pierce was an early candidate to win the Offensive Rookie of the Year Award this season but he’s currently out with an ankle injury.

Before getting hurt, Pierce had racked up 220 carries for 934 yards with four touchdowns. Royce Freeman, who got the starting nod in Week 16, will most likely get a heavy workload against the Jaguars.

Freeman isn’t the kind of player that keep coaches awake the day before the game but the Texans will probably lean on him and try to keep a balance. The Jaguars need to load up the box and stymie Houston’s running game early in the constest, so they become one-dimensional.