The Jacksonville Jaguars came away with a gritty, gutsy, physical win against the Houston Texans in Week 3, overcoming some challenges and miscues on offense.
Long-time fans (and even newer ones) know that last year's Jags would not have walked away with the win after making the mistakes they did last week. This is a different team than seasons past, and new head coach Liam Coen is one of the primary reasons for that.
After the win over the Texans, Coen praised the physicality of the defense after the game, highlighting both the coaches and the players. But toughness isn't the only thing he brings to the Jaguars; he brings a clarity of communication and decision-making that has long been absent in Jacksonville. Often, teams only have moments to make a decision during a critical play—even with timeouts—and Coen trusts his process.
Related: Jaguars' tough win vs. Texans leads to surge in Week 3 NFL Power Rankings
Jaguars head coach Liam Coen doesn't shy away from tough decisions
It's a new NFL, and head coaches are constantly going for it on fourth down. During a Week 2 loss at Cincinnati, the Jaguars followed this new mantra, opting not to kick a field goal that would have put them up by six. A dropped pass prevented the conversion, leaving the Jags up by three. It should be noted that it didn't really matter, since the Bengals scored a touchdown on the ensuing drive anyway.
But Coen didn't shy away from his decision. After the game, he was asked by the media if he still thought it was a good decision. He didn't balk, saying, "It's 100% a go. In all data and all analytics, it's 100% a go."
Now, a week later, X user @JakeAndBall is pointing to his response as a strength, writing, "Liam [Coen] made a decision on 4th down that, in hindsight, did not work. And he is still decisive, confident, and sure when describing it to the media. He has a process, he stuck with it, and it did not work. So what? That happens!"
This is my gripe with Callahan.
— Jake (@JakeAndBall) September 23, 2025
Yesterday, Brian Callahan made a decision on 4th down that, in hindsight, did not work.
Hindsight is ALWAYS 20/20 (as Callahan says). That’s fine. You are constantly going to make decisions as a HC that do not work out.
Liam Cohen made a… https://t.co/dJXqeScpVH
To nobody's surprise, Brian Callahan has now delegated playcalling to quarterbacks coach Bo Hardegree, proving that he couldn't handle the responsibilities that come with being a head coach. Meanwhile, Coen has quickly proven that he's up to the task.
Final thoughts
With a close AFC South race looming between the Jaguars and the Daniel Jones-led Indianapolis Colts (yes, you read that right), Coen's tenacity and confidence might make all the difference. He's not afraid to make tough decisions, and he doesn't walk them back when they don't work. Being a head coach isn't about being perfect—it's a percentage game. You make the calls that position your team to win, and then the players execute.
Does it always work? Of course not. Does that make it the wrong decision? No, and Coen isn't afraid to make the tough calls and take the accountability after.