Wow. That was an ugly game on both sides of the ball for both teams. The Jacksonville Jaguars and the Houston Texans both looked like they were playing preseason games, but this is Black and Teal, so we don't care about C.J. Stroud and his crew.
The Jags committed nine penalties for 70 yards, they dropped five balls, and quarterback Trevor Lawrence YET AGAIN threw a pick, this one leading to a one-play drive for Houston's only touchdown.
But they walked away with a gutsy 17-10 win, and we're here to nitpick after the fact. And this was tough—everyone won a little and lost a little. Still, we'll give it a go. Here are three winners and three losers from the Jags' Week 3 win against the Texans.
Jaguars winner No. 1: Cornerback Jourdan Lewis
So I know I said everyone won and lost a little, but that doesn't apply to cornerback Jourdan Lewis. He's just the gift that keeps on giving, and general manager James "Intangibly Rich" Gladstone knew what he was doing when he brought him in. With a pair of pass deflections, a tackle for a loss, and an interception, Lewis was all over the field.
Jaguars winner No. 2: Tight end Brenton Strange
The wide receiver room all put grease on their hands before the game, but we'll talk about them later. While Lawrence didn't play his best game, the five dropped passes definitely made it look worse than it was (we won't mention the head-scratching interception). You know who showed up? Brenton Strange.
The third-year tight end caught six passes for 61 yards, didn't drop a single one, and seemed to be the only go-to for No. 16. The Jaguars don't miss Evan Engram, and Strange's play is the reason why.
Jaguars winner No. 3: The defense
Not what I thought would be a strong point entering this season, but the Jags' defense has already eclipsed last year's takeaways. They held the Texans to 271 yards, picked off Stroud twice, and forced a fumble.
The defensive front had constant pressure, linebackers Foyesade Oluokun and Devin Lloyd were all over the place, and—more importantly—they came through when it mattered, securing the game on the Texans' final drive. Defensive end Josh Hines-Allen got a hand on Stroud, and safety Antonio Johnson picked up the errant ball.
Texans last play of the day. The pressure from Josh Allen-Hines causes a tipped pass.
— DJ Bien-Aime (@Djbienaime) September 21, 2025
Very clear what Stroud was trying to do here. A clear throw might have got that ball to Kirk. pic.twitter.com/kC0gb2UZ3u
Related: Dennis Gardeck not letting Jaguars be bullied by Texans
Jaguars loser No. 1: The offense
Lawrence and company got off to a strong start with an error-free and mostly productive first quarter. John Shipley at ESPN paints a pretty picture of the first quarter for the Jaguars' offense.
He writes, "After impressive passes to Brenton Strange and Parker Washington, Trevor Lawrence got the Jaguars in the red zone when a Derek Stingley pass-interference set them up at the one-yard line. One play later, Bhayshul Tuten made it a 7-0 game."
After that? The wheels came off the Jags' offense, and it's tough to single anyone out here. The running back room and the offensive line struggled. Yes, rookie Bhayshul Tuten and fifth-year veteran Travis Etienne Jr. scored the only two touchdowns, but they rushed for a measly 86 yards and averaged only 3.6 per carry. The wide receiver room seemed to get together prior to the game to grease their gloves. Did I mention they dropped five passes?
Jaguars loser No. 2: Wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr...kind of
Second-year veteran Brian Thomas Jr. came into this game under something of a microscope. He seemed to shy away from contact last week and dropped some critical passes that led to their loss. While he dropped two again in the Jags' victory over Houston, he didn't seem afraid of contact and caught a 46-yard deep pass that essentially secured the game. Sure, he didn't quite "go off" like I predicted he would, but he's trending the right way (mostly).
He hasn't quite redeemed himself but took a step in the right direction. I've got faith in No. 7. He and Lawrence will solidify their connection in the next few weeks.
Related: Jaguars' Jourdan Lewis was quietly better than the box score
Final thoughts
The Jaguars have a way to go. Dumb penalties continue to plague them, though they've clearly got the playmakers to overcome them. Once they clean up the mistakes, the receivers quit their dropsies, and Lawrence throws the ball to the right team, the Jags have a promising season ahead of them.