The Texans vs Jaguars London game kicks off Sunday at Wembley Stadium, and the headline storyline has nothing to do with the standings. Houston wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. is set to make his debut for the Texans just days after arriving via trade from the Arizona Cardinals, according to ESPN. Houston enters at 1-4 while Jacksonville arrives having won four of five, a gap that frames everything else about this matchup.
Kickoff is set for 9:30 a.m. ET, an early start tied to the league’s international game slate. The Jaguars are fresh off a dramatic finish in their own London trip, and the Texans are hoping a new face at receiver can jump-start an offense that has struggled to finish drives.
Texans Vs Jaguars London Game Information
- Date: Sunday, Oct. 18
- Time: 9:30 a.m. ET
- Venue: Wembley Stadium, London, England
- TV: NFL Network
- Stage: NFL London Games
Houston Texans Outlook
Houston comes into London off a 26-3 win over the Tennessee Titans, the Texans’ only victory of the season, detailed in a recap of the Titans win. Quarterback C.J. Stroud has thrown six touchdowns against zero interceptions this season, posting a QBR of 97.6 on 119-of-186 passing for 1,402 yards. The Texans average 280.4 passing yards per game, tops in this matchup, but their rushing attack sits at just 79.0 yards per game with a 3.4 yards-per-carry average.
The biggest development isn’t on the stat sheet. Houston acquired Harrison from Arizona, sending two 2027 draft picks, including a second-rounder and a seventh-rounder, plus a 2027 sixth-round selection. Harrison arrived in Houston on Monday, passed his physical that day and practiced with the Texans for the first time Wednesday, according to Sporting News.
Texans coach DeMeco Ryans said Harrison’s preparation stood out immediately. “It isn’t hard when the player is attentive and he’s locked in on getting the details down,” Ryans said. “Marvin’s first night here, he was with our assistant wide receiver coach Tiquan [Underwood] and they were grinding.
They were working late at night. They were in the playbook grinding, and that allowed him to get a day ahead.”
Harrison is expected to play against Jacksonville, per Ryans, though his exact role remains a projection given the short runway. On defense, pass rusher Will Anderson Jr. recorded three sacks in the win over Tennessee and leads a unit that has produced 18 sacks on the season, the higher total between these two teams.
Jacksonville Jaguars Outlook
Jacksonville arrives at 4-1 and winners of three straight, topped by a last-second field goal from kicker Cam Little that beat the Philadelphia Eagles in London, as described by Sky Sports. Quarterback Trevor Lawrence has thrown 10 touchdowns against three interceptions, completing 67.1% of his passes for a 106.8 rating, well above Stroud’s output in raw touchdown production.
Wide receiver Parker Washington, a sixth-round pick, caught six passes for 124 yards and two touchdowns against the Eagles and leads the Jaguars with 352 receiving yards and four touchdowns on the season. Running back Bhayshul Tuten has carried 82 times for 349 yards and two scores, helping Jacksonville average 114.2 rushing yards per game, well ahead of Houston’s rushing output. The Jaguars also hold the edge in takeaways, posting a plus-5 turnover differential compared to Houston’s plus-3.
Key Matchup
Harrison’s debut against a Jacksonville defense that has allowed 234.8 passing yards per game sets up the most-watched individual storyline of the week. Harrison caught 108 passes for 1,578 yards and 13 touchdowns across 33 games with Arizona, though his 2026 production before the trade was limited to five catches on 13 targets for 85 yards and one touchdown. He reconnects with Stroud, his Ohio State teammate in 2021 and 2022, when both were All-Americans.
“I think the team as a whole it’s a great situation for me,” Harrison said. “Being with a quarterback that you have rapport with and had success with in the past is always great too.”
On the other side, Houston’s pass rush, led by Anderson’s three-sack performance against Tennessee, will test a Jaguars offensive line already dealing with questionable designations at both guard and tackle.
Players To Watch
Marvin Harrison Jr., WR, Texans
Making his Houston debut after Monday’s trade, Harrison brings 13 career touchdowns from his time in Arizona and an existing rapport with Stroud from their Ohio State days.
Parker Washington, WR, Jaguars
Washington is coming off a two-touchdown, 124-yard performance against Philadelphia and leads Jacksonville in receiving yards and touchdowns for the season.
Will Anderson Jr., DE, Texans
Anderson recorded three sacks in the win over Tennessee and anchors a Texans defense that has out-sacked Jacksonville’s offensive line by a wide margin this season.
What To Watch
Jacksonville’s four-game standings lead in the AFC South gives this matchup playoff-race weight even in mid-October, with the Jaguars sitting at .800 compared to Houston’s .200 mark. For the Texans, every snap doubles as an evaluation of how quickly Harrison can integrate into an offense that has otherwise leaned on Stroud’s accuracy and Nico Collins, who has 249 yards and three touchdowns this season. Both injury reports list several players as questionable, including Jacksonville cornerbacks Montaric Brown and Jourdan Lewis and Houston’s Jadeveon Clowney and Trent Brown, designations that remain projections until game day. The Texans’ next matchup and Jacksonville’s next test will follow this London trip as both teams continue their AFC South schedules.
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