Jaguars-Texans preview: Josh Cameron making every chance count

Josh Cameron didn't have the football when the Jacksonville Jaguars (4-1) needed one play to beat the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday.

But the rookie wide receiver still played a pivotal role in the team's improbable 19-17 victory.

With eight seconds left, Jaguars running back Ameer Abdullah returned a kickoff 53 yards to set up Cam Little's game-winning 57-yard field goal. As Abdullah headed toward Philly's defenders, Cameron planted a key block on Eagles defensive back Keelee Ringo, helping spring the veteran RB past the Jacksonville 35-yard line.

The block may have gone unnoticed in the chaos of Jacksonville's stunning 19-17 victory, but Jaguars head coach Liam Coen made sure to recognize it.

"You look at the last play of the game; he makes a great

block that helps spring Ameer [Abdullah] on the last kickoff there," Coen said. "He's able to help us in really every phase."

#Jaguars rookie WR Josh Cameron makes plays in multiple phases. His special-teams ability means he'll never be inactive. His block helped spring Abdullah last week. pic.twitter.com/mST7AaqOqe

— Demetrius Harvey (@Demetrius82) October 16, 2026

It's the kind of physicality that has quickly become a defining part of Cameron's game, and one Jacksonville will need as it prepares to face the Houston Texans (1-4) on Sunday at Wembley Stadium.

For Cameron, the physicality is nothing new. But it's a side of the rookie that quarterback Trevor Lawrence says might surprise anyone who has only interacted with him off the field.

"His personality's not like that off the field," Lawrence said this month when asked about Cameron. "It's cool to see guys' competitive side come out when you're in games and even practice and you're competing; you see a different side of guys because he's pretty soft-spoken, chill, relaxed guy. But he gets fired up out there and I'm glad he's on our team."

Part of that physical mentality traces back to Cameron's childhood, when he played running back before transitioning to wide receiver in high school.

"My goal is to never let the first person tackle you," Cameron said in the locker room last week. "That's always a goal of mine."

Cameron's growing role faces a tough test against Houston

While Cameron hasn't received a heavy workload in Jacksonville's offense, the rookie has made the most of his opportunities.

Through five games, Cameron has caught eight passes for 117 yards and two touchdowns, with six of those eight receptions resulting in either a first down or a score. His involvement has also increased recently, with five catches for 85 yards over the team's last two games.

Fellow wideout Parker Washington says he's seen that development firsthand, particularly in how Cameron approaches practice and communicates.

"I feel like the most important thing is that he's taking advantage of each opportunity and he's attacking each day, each practice, and each week is growth," Washington said in the locker room last week. "You can see that confidence growing, and that's what it's about."

For Jaguars offensive coordinator Grant Udinski, Cameron's understanding of the offense has been even more impressive than his size, strength and speed.

"He's learned all the receiver positions, which opens up the opportunity to play him in different spots and do more things," Udinski said.

Beyond learning several roles in Jacksonville's offense, Cameron has shown he can recognize coverages and adjust accordingly, something Udinski said separates him from many other young players.

"His ability to pick that up and go out there and execute with very limited reps is wildly impressive, to say the least," Udinski said.

That understanding can be particularly important against a Houston defense that has historically challenged Jacksonville's receivers with more man coverage.

Coen said the Texans have used that approach to limit free access for Jacksonville's receivers and challenge them on the perimeter.

Jaguars must stay ahead of the chains against Texans

Jacksonville's offense will face another challenge Sunday against a Houston defensive front featuring Will Anderson Jr. and Danielle Hunter.

That challenge becomes even greater with starting offensive tackle Anton Harrison sidelined, leaving the team to rely on former second-round pick Walker Little.

Udinski noted that Anderson and Hunter are particularly dangerous because they can disrupt both the running and passing games, making it hard to devote extra blockers to either player.

"You can only allocate so many bodies to one guy, and then you're taking them away from the other guy," Udinski said.

For Coen, avoiding obvious passing situations will be crucial against Houston's defense, especially after Jacksonville struggled with penalties and other self-inflicted mistakes against Philadelphia.

"You just look at teams that have had success against Houston, specifically, have been at least on schedule and second-and-seven we can live with," Coen said. "Second-and-10, too often, not a lot of fun."

Jaguars face challenge containing C.J. Stroud, Texans offense

On the other side of the ball, Jacksonville will have its hands full with Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud, whose quick decision-making has impressed Jaguars defensive coordinator Anthony Campanile.

"He's really decisive back there, and he's doing a great job getting the ball out quickly," Campanile said this week.

Houston's receiving corps, featuring Nico Collins and newly acquired Marvin Harrison Jr., complicates things.

Campanile praised Collins' versatility, particularly Houston's ability to move him across the formation to create better matchups. Harrison's arrival adds another challenge, though how much he'll be involved in the offense remains a question mark.

For Jacksonville, disrupting Stroud without sacrificing discipline on the back end will be essential.

"We can't let C.J. sit back there and hang out and be able to pick us apart," Coen said.

Coen also emphasized that Jacksonville cannot become overly aggressive, hunting interceptions at the expense of their assignments.

Beyond individual matchups, Sunday's game will renew an AFC South rivalry that has produced plenty of excitement through several tightly contested meetings in recent seasons.

For Coen, who still remembers the Jaguars' crushing loss to Houston last season, the rivalry's physical nature is nothing new.

"Know that every time that you line up against this team, it's going to be a fight. It's going to be a brawl," Coen said. "That's what's great about football, that's what's great about rivalries, is that you have a level of respect for each other."

Demetrius Harvey is the Jacksonville Jaguars reporter for the Florida Times-Union. You can follow him on X (formerly Twitter) at @Demetrius82 or on BlueskyatDemetrius.

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This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Jaguars-Texans preview: Josh Cameron making every chance count