Jaguars head coach Liam Coen said Monday the offense has to become more explosive while cutting down on the negative plays that can stall drives, setting out a clear target for a team that is trying to build on its first season under him. He said the Jaguars want fewer penalties, sacks and negative-yardage runs, and he pointed directly to better third-down and red-zone execution on both sides of the ball.
"I think explosives versus negatives," Coen said, framing the issue as a simple count of plays that gain ground against plays that give it back. He said the Jaguars are always looking at how many negative plays they have per game compared with explosives, and he added that it is difficult to string together 10-play, 11-play or 12-play drives without something going wrong along the way. Coen also said the team is focused on situational football, especially third down and the red zone, where touchdowns can be the difference between control and wasted opportunity.
The message fits a team coming off Coen's first year on the job, a season he said included "a lot of really good things" even as the Jaguars now look for cleaner and more efficient offense. For Jacksonville, the next step is not simply running more plays. It is making the ones that matter count, and doing it without handing the game back through penalties or sacks.
Across the AFC South, Texans coach DeMeco Ryans made a similar point of his own, saying Houston is looking to improve in all areas ahead of the 2026 NFL Draft. The Texans currently hold the No. 28 overall pick in the first round, but Ryans said it is hard to predict exactly where they will land because there is usually so much movement during draft weekend.
Ryans credited the Texans scouting department, general manager Nick Caserio and the road scouts for the work that has already gone into draft preparation. He also drew a hard line on what matters once a player arrives, saying draft status does not decide opportunity in Houston. "It all starts after the draft," Ryans said. "Whether you’re a first-rounder or you’re an undrafted free agent, it’s what do you do when you get here."
That leaves both teams with the same kind of unfinished business, even if they are talking about it from different angles. The Jaguars are chasing cleaner drives and more finishing power, while the Texans are waiting to see how the board moves before they know exactly where their next chance will come.