Bottom of the Barrel: Texans or Jaguars Offense Comparison

Two franchises hailing from the same division have graced the lower throngs of the league’s doldrums for much of the past two decades. Each have had their moments and fantastic seasons, but in 2022 neither will be remotely competitive.

Seeing that’s the reality we’ll be living in and Dr. Strange won’t be altering our reality any time soon (not a spoiler don’t worry), we should break down who’s offense is worse heading into the 2022 season.

Quarterback: Davis Mills vs Trevor Lawrence

Pundits lazily arguing if Davis Mills’ season was better than first overall pick Trevor Lawrence drove this comparison to the moon. Mills season was mired by putrid performances early in games and strong fourth quarter garbage time points. Trevor Lawrence is the best thing to happen to Jacksonville since they returned to their standard helmet and jersey combo. Lawrence should have a meteoric rise in the Doug Peterson offense.

Bottom Barrel: Texans

Running Back: Marlon Mack/Dameon Pierce vs James Robinson/Travis Etienne

Etienne’s injury in training camp last season crushed fantasy owners and Jags fans alike, but it resulted in another strong season for James Robinson. Their duo will be among the best in the league and a legitimate 1-2 punch. Although Pierce’s early whispers of Offensive Rookie of the Year candidacy, he still needs to win the job from Mack, who himself will be looking to restart his career in Houston. Texans RB room has quite a few questions while the Jags may be the most underrated in the NFL.

Bottom Barrel: Texans

Wide Receivers: Brandin Cooks/Nico Collins/John Metchie Jr vs Marvin Jones/Laviska Shenault Jr./Christian Kirk

Cooks is by far the most talented and decorated pass catcher in this group. Beyond him, the Texans WR corps is young and promising but woefully ill equipped to scare opposing defenses. The Jags have assembled a dynamic and diverse combination of receivers. Christian Kirk has been under utilized his entire career and all Marvin Jones needs is love and affection from his QB. Laviska Shenault is a do-everything WR and headache for defenses. This group will be fairly even receptions and targets, which will make defenses scramble to put a gameplan together. Their talent and depth far surpass the Texans

Bottom Barrel: Texans

Tight End: Brevin Jordan/Pharaoh Brown vs. Evan Engram/Dan Arnold

A fairly even comparison. Evan Engram was the bane of Giants fans for five years. One Pro Bowl for the first round tight end is all he can hang his hat on. He has yet to crack 700 yards since his rookie season and regularly disappears from games. Texans Brevin Jordan had a promising second half of the season after sitting out the first seven games. He’ll be a great pass catching option, but his lack of run blocking ability will limit his potential. There’s hope for a ton of snaps in Pep Hamilton’s TE heavy scheme, but Evan Engram’s arrival, Dan Arnold’s consistency, and Pharaoh Brown’s mediocrity again title the scales to the Jaguars’ players

Bottom Barrel: Texans

Offensive Tackles: Laremy Tunsil/Tytus Howard vs. Cam Robinson/Jawaan Taylor

Ah, we’ve arrived to a position the Texans are superior. That is if Tunsil will decide to play this season...then it’s the Jags again. Tunsil was convinced by the coaching staff to stay this season and not be traded, which will be a blessing for the offense. Cam Robinson and Japan Taylor have both matured into quality tackles, but between Tunsil and Howard’s pass blocking capabilities they surpass anything the Jags can offer.

Bottom Barrel: Jaguars

Offensive Guards: Kenyon Green/A.J. Cann vs. Brandon Scherff/Ben Bartch

Kenyon Green’s addition to this group will be key to the Texans success. Cann’s ability is a relative mystery to all, so the combination of a rookie and a question mark don’t bode well for the interior. Ben Bartch had a fantastic season last year for the Jags starting 11 games in his third season with the team. The Jags went all in on Scherff as the right guard this offseason to plug the last remaining hole on their offensive line. Scherff’s $49.5MM contract is a heavy price to pay, but if it means keeping Lawrence healthy it’s worth its weight in gold.

Bottom Barrel: Texans

Center: Justin Britt vs. Luke Fortner

After long time vet Brandon Linder retired, the Jags drafted Luke Fortner out of Kentucky in the third round. Well respected and seasoned, Linder should step right in for them. But Britt is among the most experienced and quality centers in the league when healthy. Britt will be in a competition with Jimmy Morrissey, but if he’s ready to go and step into the role it will be a great boost for the offense.

Bottom Barrel: Jaguars

Bottom Barrel Scorecard: 5-2 Texans (AKA we are far worse).

For what it’s worth, at least the Jaguars have a worse owner than the Texans... somehow

The Jaguars offense is young, talented, and deep. If they can put it together, they’ll dominate some teams. Especially with a better Trevor Lawrence this season, Jaguars could be sneaky. The Texans much improved offensive line will be a huge benefit, but the lack of offensive weapons diminish the talent the Texans could have at QB.

We’ll be comparing the defensive side of the ball later this week so stay tuned for the full review.