Sunday was a day that the Jacksonville Jaguars will want back, and maybe forget about after blowing a 29-10 lead on the road, losing to the Houston Texans, 36-29, in a defeat that could be considered one of the worst in recent franchise history.
There are not a lot of positives to take from Sunday’s win, but one is the emergence of Jaguars wide receiver Parker Washington as one of the team’s best and most reliable pass-catchers in recent weeks, including a standout performance in Houston. His play has received blunt yet raving reviews from his head coach and quarterback after the game.
Washington didn’t light up the receiving box score with only three catches on seven targets for 33 yards. Yet, it scored a touchdown on an incredible catch and throw from quarterback Trevor Lawrence with excellent concentration and sideline awareness, and took a punt back 73 yards for a touchdown in the first half, establishing himself as a top punt returner in the game.
Head coach Liam Coen sang his praises of Washington, displaying an expression of impressiveness toward his third-year wide receiver. Coen has been searching for consistency at a position that is anything but this season, but Washington could be the guy who helps build momentum in the room.
Nov 9, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Parker Washington (11) catches a touchdown against the Houston Texans during the first half at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Thomas Shea-Imagn Images / Thomas Shea-Imagn Images
“Yeah, he just keeps doing it. We were trying to get him the rock multiple other ways,” Coen said. “There was a critical third down earlier in the second half where we had it settle for three points and he’s wide open again. Ball gets batted down. He’s wide open. Cooked the dude on a slant. He just keeps doing his thing. He’s helping us win every week and I appreciate him for that.”
Lawrence, whose inconsistencies continued against the Texans, said Washington did great things despite missing out on opportunities throughout the game, and that they must keep him featured in the offense moving forward.
Nov 9, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence (16) reacts after a play during the fourth quarter against the Houston Texans at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images / Troy Taormina-Imagn Images
“Parker played great. He did a lot of really good things. Like I said earlier, kind of alluded to some more opportunities that we could have taken advantage of,” Lawrence said. He’s continuing to play well and has a lot of confidence. You see the plays he’s making for our team. He’s been huge. We have to keep him going. That was obviously a bright spot of a rough day. He did some great things and he’s continuing to play well.”
If anything positive should be taken away from the Jaguars’ defeat in Houston, it should be that Washington is now a key fixture in the offense and could remain as such while being an outstanding standout as a return man on special teams.
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