The Jacksonville Jaguars were in trouble in their second game in London. The New England Patriots had a 10-point lead early and it looked like the Jaguars were going to have another disappointing outing. However, in the second quarter, the Jaguars finally fixed their red zone troubles with a short touchdown to Brian Thomas Jr. Then for the rest of the game, the offense leaned on the run game with Tank Bigsby. The defense played well enough so the Jaguars had a comfortable win against the Patriots.
Doug Pederson and the Jaguars were able to split the games in London. His hot seat gets some relief for a week, and the Jaguars playoff dreams still have a flicker of hope. This week they come home against a red-hot Green Bay Packers team that just defeated the Houston Texans.
Jacksonville Jaguars vs. Green Bay Packers Game History
Sunday will be the eighth time the Jaguars and Packers have met. The Packers own the lead with a five-to-two advantage. The last meeting was in 2020 when the Packers won 24-20 at home. Jacksonville has not defeated the Packers since 2008 in a 20 -16 victory in Jacksonville.
Key Players for the Jaguars
The Jaguars put together one of their more complete games of the season last week. It was against one of the worst teams in the NFL but it is what they should do against an inferior team.
Travis Etienne missed the game and Tank Bigsby had his best game as a pro with 26 carries for 118 yards and two touchdowns. D’Ernest Johnson added 70 total yards on 12 touches in relief.
Bigsby showed off his tough running that the Jaguars envisioned when they drafted him. The availability of Etienne is in question this week, so Bigsby will need to have another big week to keep the ball away from the explosive Packers’ offense. The Texans took advantage of the Packers’ rush defense last week for over 140 yards.
The Jaguars did not do much through the air but were efficient. Lawrence completed 15 out of 20 passes for 193 yards and a touchdown. Brian Thomas Jr. was the only receiver with over 40 yards and scored Lawrence’s lone touchdown. Evan Engram caught five passes for only 32 yards, while Christian Kirk only reeled in one catch. The Packers’ secondary was able to limit CJ Stroud to only 86 passing yards last week, so the passing game might struggle in this one.
The Jaguars’ defense struggled early but was able to start clamping down midway through the second quarter. Travon Walker had one of the two sacks on the Patriots. Ventrell Miller and Devin Lloyd lead the defense with double-digit tackles.
However, the defense still struggled against running backs in the receiving game. JaMycal Hasty had five catches for 49 yards and a touchdown. The defense should get Tyson Campbell back this week which should help with the struggling secondary. They get a tall task with all the talented receivers the Packers have.
Key Players for the Patriots
The Packers won a back and forth game against the Texans at home last week. Jordan Love had another multiple interception game but did throw three touchdowns. Tucker Kraft had his first touchdown in his career and could be a big factor with the Jaguars’ struggles defending tight ends. Josh Jacobs had a receiving touchdown but was held under 100 yards against the Texans. Jayden Reed, Dontayvion Wicks, Romeo Doubs and Christian Watson all pose a threat to the Jaguars’ secondary.
The Packers defense may be operating below 100 percent this week. Linebacker Quay Walker and defensive lineman Devone Wyatt are questionable coming into the game. The secondary is the strength of the defense and could pose problems for an inconsistent Jaguars’ passing game.
Jaire Alexander is the top corner and should stop Brian Thomas Jr. The other big players in the secondary are Eric Stokes, Kasean Nixon, and Xavier McKinney. They have not had the sack success so far but the Jaguars will have to watch out for edge rushers Rashan Gary and Preston Smith. If Walker misses the game, rookie Edgerrin Cooper will have to step up against a renewed Jaguars rushing attack.
Jacksonville Jaguars – Keys to Win the Game
The Jaguars got their second win against a bad Patriots team. They need to start off strong at home and get the crowd involved early. The defense is not good enough to hold the Packers down if the offense struggles early.
Brian Thomas Jr. could have a rough day if Alexander is covering him all game. Kirk and Engram will have to pick up the slack and be more involved than last week against the Patriots. Bigsby will need to be productive so that the Jaguars can be balanced and avoid their defense from being on the field too much.
On defense, Jacksonville must get pressure on Jordan Love. He has been turnover prone since coming back from injury. The Jaguars have struggled to get pressure but they cannot afford to let Love sit in the pocket and pick apart the the secondary. The Packers have too many good receivers, so the linebackers will have to cover Kraft and Jacobs out of the backfield.
Can the Jaguars finally win two in a row? Will the Duval crowd help the Jaguars get a big win?
Brandon Haye
Brandon grew up in Jacksonville, Florida and works as a health insurance data analyst. He has no children, but two fur babies - Squirt and Brownie. He and his wife, Katie, spend their time playing poker and enjoying time with their pups. Brandon is a huge Michigan Wolverine and Jacksonville Jaguars fan. He at one time was in 77 fantasy leagues and loves the game of football. Brandon started writing for The Leauge Winners in 2021.