Jacksonville’s run defense has allowed 319 yards through five games, and its first AFC South matchup will test whether Houston can find room where other opponents have not. The Jaguars host the Texans at Wembley Stadium on Sunday with a 4-1 record.
The Jaguars lead the NFL at 63.8 rushing yards allowed per game and 2.9 yards per attempt, according to the team’s Tuesday analysis. Their current official statistics list 109 opponent rushing attempts. Philadelphia managed 22 yards on 18 carries last Sunday, one week after Cincinnati finished with 23 yards on 15 attempts.
NBC Sports’ Michael David Smith reported Thursday that Jacksonville is the first team since the 1970 merger not to allow an individual 40-yard rusher in its first five games. His analysis identifies Denver’s Jonah Coleman, with 39 yards, as the largest individual total against the Jaguars this season. The Jaguars’ own report makes the comparison to the 1969 Cowboys, describing a five-game stretch without a running back exceeding 40 yards.
A divisional test in London
The Texans are 1-4 after beating Tennessee, while Jacksonville has won three straight. Houston has 395 rushing yards this season and ranks 31st, NBC reported. Those totals describe the matchup’s starting point; they do not settle how Sunday’s game will unfold.
Liam Coen has emphasized the physical demands of facing Houston. In the Jaguars’ official Wednesday post, the coach described the matchup as a test of strain and fight.
