THE Jacksonville Jaguars move across London from Tottenham to Wembley for the second part of their annual UK double-header, having clipped the Philadelphia Eagles’ wings in dramatic fashion last week. The Houston Texans cross the Atlantic having beaten the Tennessee Titans, but they’re still only 1-4.
The Jags were eight seconds from defeat when Eagles’ kicker Jake Elliott converted a 48-yard field goal. Incredibly, the Philly special teams unit then allowed Ameer Abdullah to return the following kickoff far enough to set up Cam Little for a 57-yard game winner – with one second on the clock. That moved Liam Coen’s team to 4-1, following impressive wins over the Cincinnati Bengals and New England Patriots prior to their long-haul flight.
The Texans, meanwhile, who finished runners-up to the Jags in the AFC South last season, have given themselves a mountain to climb. Houston improbably recovered from 0-3 in 2025 to earn a playoff berth, and started 0-4 this time around – finally getting in the win column over the lowly Titans last week. They still have a very talented roster, especially on defence, which can give anyone in the NFL a tough game – it needs to start now.
It’s a huge week in the division, what with the Indianapolis Colts and Tennessee Titans also squaring off back in the States – another Jags win, combined with a Titans road upset would see the Florida franchise streak clear with a three-game lead.
💡 Our Jacksonville Jaguars vs Houston Texans bet builder selections
This game was selected for the bigger of the two London stadiums for a reason – it’s expected to be a closely-fought encounter between two playoff teams from last season. Here are four selections we like, which combine for odds of 14/1 with Midnite.
- C.J. Stroud to pass for over 250 yards – 8/11 with Midnite
- Marvin Harrison Jr to register 30+ receiving yards – 7/5 with Midnite
- Bhayshul Tuten to rush for 70+ yards – 6/5 with Midnite
- Brenton Strange to record 50+ receiving yards – 13/8 with Midnite
Our ambitious 22/1 bet builder for last week’s game would’ve landed for all those who backed it!
🎯 C.J. Stroud to pass for over 250 yards (8/11)
WHY: The spotlight has been on C.J. Stroud this season after his poor performances in the playoffs undermined the defence’s dominant displays. While it’s too early to say that 2026 Stroud is matching rookie-year Stroud, this version of the former Ohio State quarterback is certainly a lot closer. His average passing attempts per game and average passing yards per game are on track to be his highest totals – and that’s hardly surprising when the team is 1-4, chasing games.
Losing running back David Montgomery this past week to a groin injury will be key to all of this too. Woody Marks is a capable back, but by no means a ‘bell cow’. This will put even more emphasis on Stroud’s arm to move the ball for Houston.
KEY STATS: Stroud completed 76.5% of his passes (26 of 34) last week against the Titans – by far his most efficient performance of the season. It was also the fourth time in five games where he has eclipsed 250 yards throwing the ball. Needless to say, the Texans have a much greater chance of winning if he can reach (at least) this number again and avoid turnovers. He is one of just three QBs yet to be intercepted so far this season.
🤠 Marvin Harrison Jr to record 30+ receiving yards (7/5)
WHY: Marvin Harrison Jr has, so far, failed to live up to the billing of the number 4 overall pick in the 2024 Draft. So far this season, he has caught just five passes from 12 targets for 85 yards and one touchdown. The Cardinals dealt the former Ohio State Buckeye to the Texans following last week’s games – a move which reunites the receiver with Stroud, his former college quarterback.
The trade had reportedly been brewing for some time, so clearly DeMeco Ryans has a plan as to how to utilise him in his offense. The Texans have needed more dynamism and playmaking ability for some time, and having Harrison Jr pair up with Nico Collins is an exciting prospect.
KEY STATS: 30 receiving yards seems a modest target for someone so talented, but having just joined the team, and immediately having to jump on a transatlantic flight, our expectations for his Texans debut are low – and so too are the bookies’.
They’re offering better than even money on a number which he has surpassed even in two of the opening four games of the season as an under-utilised Cardinal – he had 33 from one catch against the Los Angeles Chargers, and 40 from three against the San Francisco 49ers. We’ll take that.
🏃 Bhayshul Tuten to rush for over 70 yards (6/5)
WHY: You’ll struggle to find a running back across the entire NFL with more consistent rushing numbers – in terms of yards per game. The fourth-round pick from the 2025 Draft is beginning to thrive in the lead back role and has recorded 66, 65, 73, 73 and 72 yards.
The 4-1 Jags have had the luxury of playing with a lead quite often in their first five games, which is certainly helping the Virginia Tech graduate gain a consistent number of carries each week.
KEY STATS: This looks, on paper, the toughest assignment for the Jags’ ground game so far this season. The Texans have given up the fourth-fewest rushing yards, and just 3.3 yards per carry – an average bettered only by the Jags themselves!
While the Jags are by no means explosive in the running game, they do lean on it to gain first downs in short yardage scenarios. They are joint seventh in rushes resulting in first downs, and also rank tenth in total rushing plays (with 140). Tuten will get touches, and – for our sake – will hopefully wear down the Texans’ front enough to eke out another 70 yards.
🐆 Brenton Strange to record 50+ receiving yards (13/8)
WHY: Tight end Brenton Strange is the second-most productive pass catcher in the Jacksonville offense, behind only Parker Washington. Strange has caught 21 passes – just one fewer than the WR1 – been targeted 26 times (more than anyone bar Washington) and recorded 235 yards.
He’s a hot hand too, with the majority of those numbers increasing in the last two weeks. Against both Cincinnati and Philadelphia, he caught seven passes from eight targets, having only caught seven balls in total through the first three games.
KEY STATS: Strange ranks tenth for receiving yards amongst tight ends in the NFL and is averaging 47 per game. So setting the mark at 50 here seems reasonable.
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🗞️ Stats & news that matter for your Jaguars vs Texans bet builder
Stat 1: The trade for Marvin Harrison Jr should only improve C.J. Stroud’s quarterback play, giving him a dynamic receiving duo and, possibly, more open looks with opposition defences having to deal with both Harrison Jr and Nico Collins.
Stat 2: Harrison Jr desperately needed a new environment, with the Arizona Cardinals failing to unlock his potential. The Texans have been a playoff team each year since Stroud entered the league, and since DeMeco Ryans took the head coaching job. He should be able to thrive here.
Stat 3: As well as all of the above stats, the Texans are – unsurprisingly – second in the NFL for sacks, with 18. Jacksonville may therefore favour the run, to alleviate the hits and pressures on Trevor Lawrence. Good news for those backing Bhayshul Tuten in rushing markets.
Stat 4: The one starter on the Texans’ defence who is listed as ‘questionable’ for this game is mike linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair. One of his responsibilities would be to cover the opposing tight end – in this case, Brenton Strange.
The Texans have also, despite their sack numbers, given up the seventh-most passing yards (1281) – there will be opportunities for the Jags’ passing game to attack.
📺 Jacksonville Jaguars vs Houston Texans game details
- Date: Sunday 18th October 2026
- Time: 2:30pm BST
- Stadium: Wembley Stadium, London
- TV/Streaming: Sky Sports NFL
About the author
Craig Mahood
Craig Mahood is an expert in sports betting and online casinos and has worked with the company since 2020. He joined the Betting & Gaming team at The Sun in June 2022 and works closely with the leading bookmakers and online gaming companies to provide content on all areas of sports betting and gaming. He previously worked as a Digital Sports Reporter at the Scottish Sun, covering Scottish football with particular focus on Celtic and Rangers, As well as football, he has covered horse racing, boxing, darts, the Olympics and tennis for the Sun.
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