While new head coach Liam Coen is a fired-up and animated leader, Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence is a low-key guy. Or, as Black and Teal's Anthony Robertson puts it, "Liam Coen is the Ying to No. 16's Yang."
Still, even the even-keeled, long-haired, always-smiling Lawrence had to be thinking about facing the Houston Texans after his season-ending injury at the hands of a late hit by Texans' Azeez Al-Shaair last year.
And while the media did their best to fan the flames, No. 16 downplayed the rivalry coming into the week. He remained unfazed and focused on football—as he should be. But now, after the 17-10 defensive slugfest fell in Jacksonville's favor, he's not afraid to speak a little more openly about his feelings toward the Texans.
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Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence—unsurprisingly—isn't fond of the Texans
Division games always carry a lot of weight. As a fan, I hated the Indianapolis Colts during every season of quarterback Peyton Manning's reign. We also hate the Titans, but it doesn't really matter if they're good or not—we just hate them. And the Texans? I remember J.J. Watt terrorizing our backfield for years, and now C.J. Stroud and company are here to make life difficult again.
Before this week, the Texans had come into Jacksonville's EverBank Stadium and won seven times in a row. Seven. That's a Tom Brady over the New York Jets level of dominance. Stroud hadn't thrown a single pick during any of his games at the Bank. Yesterday? He threw two, and the Jags snapped an in-house losing skid. And Lawrence, as calm and even as he is, finally vented.
"[It] means a lot," Lawrence said in the post-game presser (16:40 mark). "I don't think it's a secret that we don't like each other, so there's a fun game for us and find a way to do it. Like I said, we're going to see him again. So, that's all I really have to say right now, but it felt good, as you guys can tell."
Despite "that's all I really have to say," he went on to elaborate (17:50 mark) when asked about how much of the Jaguars' "chipiness" was "carryover from last year" as the questioner referenced a sideline scuffle that occurred during the game.
"I think it's some of it, obviously, it's a division game. Like I just said, we just don't like each other, we don't like any of our division opponents, so it's not necessarily uncommon in that respect. But, yeah, we're not going to get bullied. You know, it's a team that wants to [bully], and not saying that's wrong, but that's their mindset, and it's not going to happen to this team," Lawrence said."
"So it was fun to be able to punch back and stand up in those moments where it's like, all right, you want to throw that punch? We're here."
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Final thoughts
It's easier to speak clearly after a win, when someone as calm as Lawrence can say—with a smile on his face—that he doesn't like the Texans. The Jacksonville Jaguars showed grit and physicality in their win, and that determination came, at least a little bit, in the form of payback.