The (1-5) New England Patriots are set to take on the (1-5) Jacksonville Jaguars in London in Week 7. Both teams are at the bottom of their respective divisions, looking to advance and get their second win of the season.
Patriots fans have a lot to be optimistic about, getting the chance to see Drake Maye play fairly well in his rookie debut last week. Maye finished the game throwing for 243 yards with three touchdowns. However, the good flashes also came some bad.
Maye got taken down a total of four times and threw two interceptions. The highlight of the day, however, was a 40-yard touchdown down the sideline to Kayshon Boutte with 16 seconds before the half.
MAYE ➡️ BOUTTE
BOMB.
— Cayden (@caydenyaps) October 13, 2024
Maye also showed his connection with second year receiver Demario “Pop” Douglas. Douglas was targeted nine times, bringing down six catches for 92 yards and his first receiving touchdown of his career.
The Patriots look to be back with starting running back Rhamondre Stevenson, who missed last week for New England. Stevenson’s absence was noticeable, as back up running back Antonio Gibson was only able to chalk up 19 yards off of 13 carries. The Patriots run game was led by Maye, who rushed for 38 yards off of five attempts.
New England Patriots Injury Report
The Patriots will likely have Stevenson back, who made the trip with the team to London. Stevenson said in an interview Friday morning that, “I’m feeling good right now. I had to take a few days off, but I feel like I should be ready to go on Sunday.”
The Patriots will be experimenting another offensive line combination this week, as they will be without offensive tackle Vederian Lowe. Lowe was added to the team’s injury report on Thursday with an ankle injury.
The Patriots may dodge a bullet this week, as Jaguars running back Travis Etienne is listed as questionable for this week’s matchup in London. Jaguars head coach Doug Pederson said on Friday that the running back will be a game-time decision against the Patriots.
The Jaguars will have some added help in their secondary as defensive back Tyson Campbell is set to come off of injured reserve and play this Sunday against New England.
Key Matchups for the Patriots
Expect Patriots cornerback Christian Gonzalez to travel a bit on Sunday with Jaguars rookie wideout Brian Thomas Jr. Thomas has emerged this season as the Jaguars leading receiver, chalking up a total of 424 yards and three touchdowns off of 25 catches. Thomas isn’t coming off his best game as he only recorded 27 yards off of three catches.
Another key matchup will be Patriots safety Kyle Dugger against Jaguars tight end Evan Engram. Dugger will have his work cut out for him, as Engram is coming off of a very dominant performance against the Bears. Engram finished the game with 102 yards off of 10 catches.
Keys to Victory for New England
Although the Patriots are on a five-game loosing streak, here’s how they can turn things around and get their second win of the season.
Explosive Offense
The Patriots found some success against the Houston Texans when they were more aggressive on offense. Patriots wideout Kayshon Boutte told reports how he believes the offense needs to be “more aggressive”. Boutte has emerged as what looks like the teams No. 1 receiver, and was on the field for 83 percent of offensive snaps.
Stop the Run
The Patriots run game has been a big problem since the injury of starting linebacker Ja’Whaun Bentley. The Patriots will have to find a way too stop the combination of Travis Etienne and Tank Bigsby.
Use the Tight Ends
The Jaguars have struggled all season containing tight ends. The Patriots should center their offensive game plan around tight end Hunter Henry. Henry has shown he is a reliable target as he recorded 41 yards and a touchdown in his first game with Maye.
