INSIDE SLANT

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The Jacksonville Jaguars have not won a home game at EverBank Field in over a year, have not won a primetime game in more than two years, have not won three consecutive games in over three years and have never won a game broadcast on the NFL Network.

They can accomplish all four feats Thursday night when they play host to the Houston Texans.

The Jaguars are slight underdogs against the Houston Texans in their Thursday night matchup even though they beat the Texans a week ago Sunday in Houston by a 13-6 margin.

The fact they're underdogs might seem surprising since the Jaguars have the home-field edge, but the challenge for them is proving they can win in primetime on the NFL Network. The Jaguars have lost nine of their last 10 games in primetime and are 0-4 in games on the NFL Network.

The Jaguars' last primetime victory came on Oct. 24, 2011 when they beat Baltimore, 12-7. They had lost their six previous primetime games and have lost their three since then.

They played two more primetime games in 2011 after the victory over Baltimore, losing at home against San Diego, 38-14, and at Atlanta, 41-14. And last year they lost their only primetime game at home against Indianapolis, 27-10. So they lost their last three primetime games by a combined score of 106-38.

The last time they won a home game at EverBank Field was Nov. 25, 2012 when they beat Tennessee, 24-19. The last time they've won three games in a row was in 2010.

Coach Gus Bradley said he has emphasized to the players the importance of winning at home.

"I think I pushed it a little bit more to say it's a great opportunity for us. I want to see when it is national and it is at home and we have all those possible distractions or hype. Are we going to go out there and play? Our players felt like we had the recipe all year but we saw the results (the last two weeks). Let's stick to the recipe and see if we can. Now it's Thursday night football and the crowd is going to be into it. Can we stick to it? That's the challenge," Bradley said.

SERIES HISTORY: 24th meeting. The Texans lead the series, 13-10, and had beaten the Jaguars three games in a row before the Jaguars won the first game this year by a 13-6 margin a week ago Sunday. In that game, Maurice Jones-Drew rushed 86 yards on 14 carries while Chad Henne completed 23 of 32 passes for 239 yards.

NOTES, QUOTES
--Jaguars coach Gus Bradley is showing he believes in second chances.

After keeping Jeremy Mincey sidelined for two games after he lost focus and, among other things, overslept and missed a meeting the day before the first Houston game, Bradley said Tuesday there is a 90 percent chance Mincey will play Thursday night against the Texans.

Bradley, who is noted for having an upbeat personality, brought up Mincey's return Tuesday when he was asked about the team playing in primetime.

"I'm excited about this. We have a home game, which is cool. I am excited for them to see us play. We're going to see Mince... I'm trying to get Jeremy Mincey (active). Let's see how he responds. He's gone through some adversity so now he's going to get an opportunity on Thursday night," Bradley said.

When he was asked if Mincey will definitely play, Bradley qualified it until he talks to Mincey by saying, "I don't make any promises. Ninety percent chance he's going to be active this week."

The Mincey situation has illustrated Bradley's coaching style. He disciplined Mincey when he felt it was needed. But while some coaches might have cut Mincey, Bradley is welcoming him back. He said he had a talk with Mincey after Sunday's game and Mincey seems to have gotten the message.

Mincey said, "I just come to work. I made a mistake. All I can do is focus on the things I can control. That's bettering myself and working hard. All I can do is live with their decision. I can't do nothing else."

On never giving up, he said, "That's been my whole life even before football. I've had no trouble, no nothing. I've never been suspended. I had a problem being late. It's just one of those years. It comes in bunches."

On how he's dealing with the situation, he said, "Anybody would be disappointed, of course. I wanted to play. I can only do what they tell me to do. I'm going out to play the best football I can. That's all I can do."

Mincey got good reviews from defensive coordinator Bob Babich for his work in practice this week even though they were light drills without pads or helmets.

"He practiced very well this week although were just going through walk-throughs. His mindset has been very good. He's been excellent. We're excited to get him back in the fold whenever coach (Bradley) makes that decision. Mincey has been through some tough times, but he's handled them very well," Babich said.

Mincey has had a lot of ups and downs in his career. Originally drafted on the sixth round out of Florida by New England in 2006, he was cut twice, the second time by the Jaguars when he sat out the 2009 season after playing just three games in 2008 when he suffered a wrist injury.

He then came back in 2010 to play in 15 games with eight starts despite playing with a broken hand. And then he had a career year in 2011, starting all 16 games for the first time and having eight sacks, four forced fumbles, 45 quarterback pressures and an interception.

That earned him a four-year $20 million deal in 2012 when he was a free agent and the Chicago Bears showed interest in him.

But last year he had just three sacks and then this season, he lost his starting job and missed three games with a concussion before sidelined after he overslept. He said he lost focus while dealing with a new baby at home and being involved in his record business.

Mincey knows his future is up in the air because his base salary jumps to $6.5 million next year. The Jaguars aren't likely to play a backup that kind of money and will have to decide if they will try to negotiate a pay cut or release him after the season.

Mincey, though, isn't looking that far ahead.
"I am taking it one day at a time," he said.

--The Jaguars' game against the Texans will be the first of three home games in a row after they played only four home games in their 12 games.

"It's nice. I think the flying deal kind of took its toll a little bit in the middle of the season but to have three at home, it's going to be nice to try to finally get that win here," said running back Maurice Jones-Drew. "I think the fans are starting to back us a little bit more and we just want to continue to work that way. It's another challenge that we face. We haven't played very well at home this year."

The Jaguars flew to the West Coast and London in the first half of the year.

--The Jaguars were burned by Cleveland wide receiver Josh Gordon last week as he caught 10 passes for 261 yards and two touchdowns.

But the previous week, they held Andre Johnson of the Texans to two catches for 36 yards. Stopping Johnson again remains a major priority for the Jaguars. He bounced back against New England to catch eight passes for 121 yards.

Defensive coordinator Bob Babich is making no promises that the Jaguars can do it again.

"He did a fantastic job (against New England). He's a great player. We have an awful lot of respect for him," Babich said.

BY THE NUMBERS: 14 - The numbers of season Brad Meester has played, which is a franchise record.

QUOTE TO NOTE: "I think it was one of our better games," offensive coordinator Jedd Fisch on the Jaguars offense playing well in the first Houston game even though they only scored 13 points.

STRATEGY AND PERSONNEL

As the second half of the season winds down, the Jaguars have stopped making wholesale roster moves. The last players they added to the active roster from another team were linebacker Nate Stupar, who was claimed off waivers from San Francisco, and wide receiver Kerry Taylor, who was signed off the Arizona practice squad. Both were added Nov. 4. Since then the only player added to the active roster was Jeremy Ebert, who was signed off their practice squad on Nov. 23.

INJURY IMPACT

--WR Stephen Burton didn't practice Monday and Tuesday because he is in the concussion program and isn't expected to play Thursday night.

--S Josh Evans didn't practice Monday and Tuesday because of a shoulder injury and isn't expected to play Thursday night.

--RB Justin Forsett didn't practice Monday and Tuesday with a foot injury and won't play Thursday night. If the Jaguars need a roster spot, he will go on the injured reserve list.

--DE Andre Branch was limited in practice Monday and Tuesday with a knee injury but will probably play Thursday night.

--WR Mike Brown was limited in practice Monday and Tuesday with a shoulder injury but will probably play Thursday night.

--LB Geno Hayes was limited in practice Monday and Tuesday with a knee injury but will probably play Thursday night.

--DT Roy Miller was limited in practice Monday and didn't practice Tuesday because of a shoulder injury but will probably play Thursday night.

--LB Nate Stupar was limited in practice Monday and Tuesday with a chest injury but will probably play Thursday night.

--WR Cecil Shorts was limited in practice Monday and Tuesday with a groin injury but will probably play Thursday night.

--G Will Rackley was limited in practice Monday and Tuesday with an elbow injury but will probably play Thursday night.

--CB Mike Harris was limited in practice Monday and Tuesday with a hip injury but will probably play Thursday night.

--TE Marcedes Lewis was limited in practice Monday and Tuesday with a knee injury but probably will play Thursday night.

--OT Austin Pasztor was limited in practice Monday with a shoulder injury but will probably play Thursday night.

--RB Maurice Jones-Drew had a veteran's day off Tuesday but will play Thursday night.
PLAYER NOTES

--MLB Paul Posluszny led the team with 11 tackles, seven unassisted, and had half a sack, a quarterback hit and a pass defensed against Cleveland.

--S Jonathan Cyprien had nine tackles, eight unassisted and an interception and a pass defensed against Cleveland.

--LB Russell Allen had five tackles, three unassisted, against Cleveland.

--P Bryan Anger punted seven times for a gross average of 43.7 and a net average of 33.9. He had one touchdown and dropped four inside the 20 against Cleveland.

--CB Dwayne Gratz, a rookie, intercepted his second pass of the season against Cleveland and had two passes defensed and three tackles.

GAME PLAN: Since the teams played just under two weeks ago, look for the Jaguars to use some plays that they had in their game plan but didn't get to use in the first game. They want to give the Texans some new looks but with a short week on a Thursday night game, they don't have time to install many plays.

The Jaguars also like to run a lot of slant plays and then have a receiver try a double move when the cornerback is looking for the slant. That worked for the game-winning touchdown pass to Cecil Shorts in the final minute of Sunday's win over Cleveland when cornerback Joe Haden tried to jump what he thought was going to be a slant and then was fooled by the double move.

MATCHUPS TO WATCH:

--Jaguars OTs Cameron Bradfield and Austin Pasztor vs. Texans defensive end J.J. Watt. Even though the Texans lost the first meeting, Watt had nine tackles, eight solo, including two for losses, a sack and five quarterback hits

--Jaguars CBs Alan Ball and Dwayne Gratz vs. Texans wide receiver Andre Johnson. The Jaguars limited Johnson to two catches in the first game and he may be primed for a big effort in the rematch.

Sports & RecreationAmerican FootballJacksonville JaguarsJeremy MinceyHouston Texans