The Jacksonville Jaguars ended last season as the sixth overall defense in the NFL, but that unit may be shorthanded when they face the potent offense of the Houston Texans in Week 2 on Sunday, according to Gene Frenette of Jacksonville.com.
Daryl Smith, whom fellow Jaguars linebacker Paul Posluszny called "our best defender," missed last week's 26-23 overtime loss to the Minnesota Vikings with a groin injury. Cornerback Derek Cox also missed the season-opener as he nurses a hamstring ailment, and both could miss Sunday's home-opener against the defending division champion Texans.
These key injuries to the Jacksonville defense could result in another explosive day for Houston's offense, which racked up 337 total yards of offense -- 266 through the air from quarterback Matt Schaub and 83 on the ground -- against the Miami Dolphins en route to a 30-10 win in Week 1.
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