After suffering defeat to the Chiefs, the Chargers will look to get back on track this Sunday against the Jaguars.
To get you prepped for the Week 3 bout, here are five key things to know about Los Angeles’ opponent ahead of the matchup.
New sheriff in town
After a short stint with Urban Meyer, Doug Pederson was hired as the Jaguars’ new head coach. Pederson had the same role with the Eagles for five seasons (2016-20), where he went 42-37-1, won a Super Bowl in 2017, and made three playoff appearances. In addition, press Taylor was brought on as the team’s offensive coordinator, and Brian Caldwell was to serve as the defensive coordinator.
The man under center
Trevor Lawrence, the 2021 No. 1 overall pick, enters his second season. Up to this point in his sophomore season, Lawrence has improved on his accuracy, not making careless throws and his pocket movement. Lawrence currently has 510 passing yards and three touchdowns to one interception. In Jacksonville’s victory over the Colts, he set a career-high completion percentage at 83.3 and a career-high passer rating at 111.8.
Kirk doing work
The Jaguars signed former Cardinals wide receiver Christian Kirk to a massive four-year, $72 million contract with $37 million guaranteed, which sparked debates. However, he’s been proving to be worth the money early on. The speedy Kirk has 12 catches for 195 yards and two touchdowns through the first two weeks of the season, with an average of 16.3 yards per catch.
One-two punch
While the duo of Lawrence and Kirk is looking sharp early on, the Jaguars also have a running game they can lean on. Between James Robinson and Travis Etienne, Jacksonville averages 109.5 rushing yards per game and 4.0 yards per carry. Robinson and Etienne have three and two explosive runs (carries over 10 yards), respectively. Robinson has received the bulk of the carries, but Etienne is more of a receiving threat, as he has five receptions for 51 yards.
Decent defense
The Jaguars have done a great job of building their defensive core throughout the past few years. Up to this point, the additions have seemed to be paying off. Jacksonville ranks No. 1 in turnover differential (+5), No. 6 in points allowed per game (14.0) and No. 8 in yards allowed (304.0). They are tied for fourth in sacks with four, led by edge defender Josh Allen, who has two and six pressures. 2022 No. 1 overall pick Travon Walker has a sack and four pressures.