The Houston Texans and Jacksonville Jaguars will meet at Wembley Stadium on Sunday in a Jaguars vs Texans matchup that brings one of the NFL’s familiar London pairings back to England’s national stadium. It also gives Houston a new wrinkle on offense, with Marvin Harrison Jr. set to make his Texans debut after being inactive in Week 5.
For the Texans, the timing matters. Houston entered the week at 1-4 after being viewed as a Super Bowl contender before its rough start, and the offense now has a little more star power available with Harrison joining Nico Collins and other receivers. Harrison, the 2024 No. 4 overall pick, was acquired by the Texans a month before the trade deadline, and this game will offer the first real look at how he fits into the offense.
What Harrison brings to Houston
The early production before the trade did not jump off the page. Harrison averaged 1.3 receptions per game and 21.3 receiving yards per game while catching 53.5% of his targets across 11 games. Those numbers suggest there is still more to unlock, but they also show why the Texans wanted another high-profile playmaker in the mix.
How much Harrison is used against Jacksonville will be worth watching. Houston is trying to find more rhythm offensively, and this matchup gives the Texans a chance to add a new piece without asking him to carry everything at once. Even a limited debut would give C.J. Stroud another option in a game that could help stabilize the offense.
A familiar stage for Jacksonville
The Jaguars have more comfort in this setting than most teams. This will be the third time in four years that Jacksonville plays in England’s national stadium, and the team has won both of its previous games after staying an extra week in the U.K. That experience matters, especially in a matchup that comes after a dramatic victory over Philadelphia at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium the previous week.
The Jaguars also know what this trip can demand physically and mentally. Wembley Stadium has already been part of their recent rhythm, while Houston is still adjusting to a season that has not gone as planned. That contrast adds another layer to a game that is important not just for the AFC South picture, but for each team’s momentum moving forward.
Can Houston answer the run-defense challenge?
One of the biggest questions in the game is whether the Texans can run the ball against Jacksonville’s NFL-best run defense. If Houston cannot establish enough balance, the Jaguars can force the Texans into more obvious passing situations and make Harrison’s debut even more difficult to assess.
Houston and Jacksonville previously met at Wembley Stadium in 2019, when the Texans won 26-3. That result is part of the rivalry’s London history, and Sunday gives both teams another chance to leave a mark in a setting that has become familiar, especially for the Jaguars. For Houston, though, the bigger story may be whether Harrison’s arrival can help kick-start an offense that badly needs it.
