Jaguars at Texans -- Week 11

Where: Reliant Stadium, Houston (grass, retractable roof)

When: Sunday, 1 p.m. ET (CBS)

Spread: Texans by 15.5

Forecast: Temperatures starting in the low 70s; mostly sunny; light breeze. 

Records: Jaguars (Overall: 1-8, AFC South: 1-2); Texans (Overall: 8-1, AFC South: 2-0) 

Past results: Two most recent meetings -- Sept. 16, 2012: Texans 27, Jaguars 7; Nov. 27, 2011: Texans 20, Jaguars 13. Series record: Texans hold a 12-9 edge.

What matters: A winning season, the playoffs and hopes of a surprising year for the Jaguars are all gone. It’s about playing for pride and perhaps for a spot on next year’s team for the Jaguars. Sunday will be an especially difficult task. Jacksonville is coming off of six consecutive losses and it will have to take on one of the NFL’s best team in the Texans, a squad that physically dominated the Jaguars in a 27-7 win in Week 2. If there is good news for the Jags, it’s that they’ve had a long week to prepare for the Texans after playing last Thursday night against the Colts.  

Who matters: QB Blaine Gabbert is still the starter despite battling through inconsistencies and an injured nonthrowing shoulder. He’s been difficult to figure out this season. He’ll make a play that makes it look like he’s progressing, but then he’ll make a head-scratching decision on the next down. He must continue to prove he’s the franchise QB throughout the rest of the season. The Jaguars are heading for a high draft pick in 2013, so they will have options should Gabbert not improve.   

Key matchup: Texans DE J.J. Watt lines up all over the field, so the entire O-line, TEs and RBs will have to be aware of him. Watt had five tackles, 1.5 sacks and two passes batted down when he played the Jaguars in Week 2. The Jaguars aren’t the only team that has struggled to block Watt, though. The potential NFL defensive player of the year has 41 tackles and 10.5 sacks on the season.

Injuries of note: RB Maurice Jones-Drew (foot) is expected to miss his fourth straight game. Rashad Jennings will start in his place. The secondary is getting healthier, but S Dwight Lowery (ankle) and CB Rashean Mathis (groin) remain questionable.

Inside stuff: The Jaguars' 27-7 loss to the Texans in Week 2 was more a case of bleeding to death rather than giving up huge chunks of yards. Texans QB Matt Schaub only averaged 5.6 yards per completion and RB Arian Foster averaged just 3.9 yards per carry, but the Texans played good defense, moved the chains and outmuscled the Jaguars.

Connections: Former Jaguars WRs coach Larry Kirksey now coaches for the Texans. Texans QBs coach Karl Dorrell also coached Jones-Drew, TE Marcedes Lewis and LB Kyle Bosworth at UCLA.

Stat you should know: The Jaguars play better on the road than at home. They are 1-3 on the road and 0-5 at home. They’ve lost by an average of five points per game on the road. It hasn’t been as good at home, where the Jags have lost by an average of 21.8 points per game.

Looking ahead: It gets easier from here. The Jaguars face the Titans (4-6), the Bills (3-6) and the Jets (3-6) in the next three weeks. 

Prediction: Texans 31, Jaguars 13

For more Jaguars news and analysis follow Daniel Lewis @CBSJags.