Even though the Jacksonville Jaguars are in a position to make noise in Liam Coen's first year at the helm, the AFC South still runs through the Houston Texans. Understandably so, as they've won the division in each of the past two years.
Having said that, Houston is vulnerable, and a recent list just shed light on a glaring flaw the Jags must take advantage of.
The Texans didn't do much to help CJ Stroud
Brad Gagnon of Bleacher Report drew up a list of every NFL team's biggest weakness ahead of the 2025 season and argued that the Texans didn't do enough to help quarterback C.J. Stroud, noting that Houston didn't make enough upgrades to the third-year quarterback's supporting cast.
"We understand the desire to be proactive and fresh the offensive line following last year's issues, but it's not easy to argue that unit is better off without veteran stalwart Laremy Tunsil at left tackle," Gagnon wrote. "They've lost experience and talent, as well as continuity, and it doesn't help that veteran wideout remains sidelined by a hamstring injury in Houston's receiving corps."
Gagnon goes on to say that Stroud may not have enough talent around him to prove that his sophomore slump in 2024 was an outlier rather than a sign of things to come.
As Gagnon noted, former Jaguars receiver Christian Kirk won't be available for the opener, as he continues to deal with a hamstring injury. That means that Stroud will be throwing to Nico Collins, Tank Dell, and Jayden Higgins.
At left tackle, the Texans signed Cam Robinson in the offseason, but rookie Aireontae Ersery will get the start in the season opener. He'll be tasked with slowing down pass rusher Jared Verse, so C.J. Stroud could feel the heat throughout the whole game.
Related: 3 bold predictions for the Jags that will set the tone right out of Week 1
The Jaguars have the pieces to dethrone the Texans in 2025
Although Brad Gagnon mostly focused on the left tackle spot, the rest of the Texans' offensive line leaves much to be desired. They signed Laken Tomlinson in free agency and traded for Ed Ingram, but neither inspires confidence. And if Houston fails to give C.J. Stroud good protection, it won't matter that they brought in Nick Caley; they'll struggle to get to the end zone. Of course, this is music to the Jaguars' ears.
Unlike their division foes, the Jags did as much as they could to help their quarterback, upgrading Trevor Lawrence's arsenal of weapons and beefing up the offensive line. Couple that with the arrival of offensive genius Liam Coen, and No. 16 could once again play at a top-10 level.
On defense, Travon Walker and Josh Hines-Allen will be looking to wreak havoc across the Texans' offensive line. The duo is back at their playing weight after being asked to bulk up last year and will make it hard for opposing quarterbacks to find any kind of rhythm.
The Jacksonville secondary also matches up favorably against the Texans' wide receiver corps. There's no doubt that Nico Collins is a threat, but the Jags have deep cornerback room that should do a good job of containing him.
When you add it all up, the Texans may be as vulnerable as they've been in a while. On the other hand, the Jaguars have the pieces to challenge them for the AFC South. By the end of the season, don't be surprised if they end up making the playoffs while Houston has to watch from home.