The Jacksonville Jaguars had a meltdown against the Houston Texans. Leading in the fourth quarter, they allowed what was arguably the worst comeback in franchise history. Up 29-10, they ended up losing 30-29.
The offense couldn't move the ball, and the defense couldn't stop Houston's offensive surge. To make matters worse, penalties continue to be an issue. In fact, Trevor Lawrence completed a pass to Parker Washington that would've put Cam Little in a position to kick the game-winning field if an illegal use of hands hadn't wiped out the play. But as discouraging as the loss was, not everything was doom and gloom.
Several players, including Washington himself, showed out and did enough to give the Jags a fighting chance. One of them was cornerback Jarrian Jones, who struggled early in the season but showed that he can be a game-changer. Not surprisingly, he earned recognition after his jaw-dropping performance against the Texans.
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Jaguars CB Jarrian Jones is expected to break out in the second half of 2025
Kristopher Knox of Bleacher Report put together a list of breakout candidates for each NFL team in the second half of the season. He picked Jarrian Jones for Jacksonville, noting that he came through in light of injuries to Jourdan Lewis and Travis Hunter.
"Jarrian Jones, a 2024 third-round pick out of Florida State, showed some flashes as a rookie nickelback, but he was benched earlier this season after struggling on the perimeter," Knox wrote. "With both Jourdan Lewis and Travis Hunter out for Week 10, Jones played extensively and fared well, finishing with two passes defended and an interception. He's allowed a passer rating of only 77.1 in coverage this season and should see an expanded role moving forward."
As Knox noted, Jones showed promise in the slot as a rookie. He ranked seventh among qualifying cornerbacks with a 62.2 rate in man coverage last year. However, the Florida State Seminole was switched to the boundaries, and he struggled. After two games, he was benched in favor of Montaric Brown, who missed the start of the season with a leg injury.
After getting benched, Jones hardly got any playing time and was even the subject of trade chatter. However, injuries forced him back into the lineup against Houston, and he made the most of his chances, posting a team-best 86.8 Pro Football Focus overall grade after picking off Davis Mills.
Such a sick play by jarrian Jones. Reads the qb and fast enough to get there pic.twitter.com/aRTGzlQIQv
— whirlybird (@HashTaguars) November 11, 2025
The Jaguars will continue to lean on Jarrian Jones
Jarrian Jones most definitely deserves praise for bouncing back after his struggles early in the season. And with Jourdan Lewis still nursing a neck injury, there's a strong chance he'll continue to get extended playing time. This will allow the Magee, Mississippi native to continue to build his stock.
Once Lewis comes back, though, the Jaguars will need to decide what to do with Jones. Then again, that will be a good problem to have, and Jacksonville will cross that bridge at due time.
For the time being, the Jaguars will need to continue to lean on Jarrian Jones, and all he can do is take advantage of his opportunity.