Tag: Travon Walker

Jaguars vs. Texans: Key matchups

Jaguars vs. Texans: Key matchups

The Jacksonville Jaguars are coming off their bye week, ideally refreshed and refocused for their final stretch of the 2024 season as they host Houston this weekend.

This will be a crucial six-game marathon for the Jaguars as the future around the coaching staff and front office hangs in the balance following a lowly 2-9. On a positive note, franchise quarterback Trevor Lawrence appears closer to returning to play this week after missing two games with an injury to his non-throwing shoulder.

While Jacksonville almost certainly won’t make the postseason, it could begin to cause some panic among Houston fans with an upset.

Jaguars Wire takes a closer look at some of the key matchups for this weekend.

Jacksonville WR Brian Thomas Jr. vs. Houston CB Derek Stingley Jr.

This one-on-one battle represents two gifted athletes who will be among the best players at their respective positions for years to come. Stingley has been playing at a high level this season and is one of Houston’s best defenders while Thomas has emerged as one of the better young wide receivers in the league and one of the faces of Jacksonville’s future.

It can’t be emphasized enough how crucial of a matchup this is. Thomas has played well the last several weeks and emerged as the Jaguars’ top playmaker this year. With Lawrence potentially back under center, the team’s first-round selection this year could see his target share increase.

Stingley is one of the best man-cover corners in the game. He uses his size, technique, and pure athleticism to shut down any receiver who lines up against him. Thomas offers the skill set to beat man defenders at will with the incredible fluidity, short-area quickness and ultra-explosiveness that has made him a three-level threat.

If Thomas wins this battle, Jacksonville will be one step closer to pulling off an upset.

Jaguars’ offensive line vs. Texans’ defensive line

For as bad as things have been for the Jaguars this season, their offensive line remains steady, especially in the interior. The team has allowed the sixth-lowest pressure rate in the NFL (28.7%) and will take on a Texans’ defense that ranks third in pressure rate (40.3%).

Winning in the trenches has been an up-and-down battle for Jacksonville all season and Sunday features a chance to win there on both sides of the ball. According to Next Gen Stats, Jaguars guards Exra Cleveland and Brandon Scherff and center Mitch Morse have all allowed pressure on under five percent of their pass-blocking snaps. 

The edges are where it gets tricky as tackles Walker Little and Anton Harrison will be going up against Texans defensive ends Danielle Hunter and Will Anderson Jr., one of the best pass-rushing duos in the league. Jacksonville will need its young tackles to have quality starts to slow down Houston’s pass rushers.

This is not a favorable matchup for the Jaguars. It could be if Harrison and Little can stay consistent in their pass-blocking sets and generate momentum in the run game on the edges, which will be key in taking on the No. 5 defense in yards allowed. 

Houston RB Joe Mixon vs. Jacksonville run defense

One of the stories of the Jaguars this season has been their putrid defensive play in almost all facets, especially against the run where they have allowed the seventh-most rushing yards in the NFL (135.5).

However, interestingly enough, they have defended the run well on outside-designed runs. Jacksonville has allowed the second-fewest rushing yards over expected (-65) and the seventh-lowest success rate (34.0%) on those specific play calls, according to Next Gen Stats.

Defensive ends Josh Hines-Allen and Travon Walker have been big reasons for Jacksonville’s success against outside runs. Walker is third on the team in run stops (35) and Hines-Allen has 23 on the season. Their power at the point of attack and discipline against the run has been very notable this year. 

This week, they’ll take on Mixon, who has run nine of his touchdowns to the outside and has the fifth-most RYOE (+116) in that area in the NFL. Texans offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik tends to use the outside zone to work away from the tackle box and stress defenders on the edges.

Setting the edge will be key for the Jaguars, especially against Mixon. Walker and Hines-Allen must do their job to squeeze their respective gaps and become force defenders to bottle Mixon inside.

If the Jaguars can limit Mixon’s ability to stretch the edge, Jacksonville will have a chance to pull off a nice victory on Thanksgiving weekend. 

Jacksonville Jaguars vs. Minnesota Vikings: Key matchups

Jacksonville Jaguars vs. Minnesota Vikings: Key matchups

The Jacksonville Jaguars enter Week 10 coming off another tough loss on the road to the Philadelphia Eagles and will look to pull off an upset home victory against the 6-2 Minnesota Vikings.

Like last week, the Jaguars will be without some key players, including franchise quarterback Trevor Lawrence, who has been nursing a left shoulder injury this week. Losing Lawrence will be a hard blow for a team that has been relatively competitive largely because of his play in recent weeks. 

However, there is a path to success that Jacksonville can follow. The Vikings do not have many weaknesses, but there are some areas the Jaguars can take advantage of to pave the road to an upset. 

Jaguars Wire breaks down the key matchups that could be vital in ensuring win No. 3 for the Jaguars against the Vikings. 

Jacksonville’s run game vs. Minnesota’s run defense

The Vikings own the NFL’s No. 2 rushing defense this season in yards allowed and have allowed the fewest rushing expected points added (EPA) this season. The Jaguars have found success on the ground this season and with Lawrence out, they will have to lean on their new star tailback Tank Bigsby.

A productive day from Bigbsy might be Jacksonville’s biggest key to victory this weekend. He is a tough runner to bring down, forcing a missed tackle on nearly 38 percent of his rushes, according to Next Gen Stats.

That’s good enough for the third-highest rate in football. Minnesota has struggled to tackle in space this season at the fifth-highest rate.

Bigsby has the skill set to handle a hefty workload on a moment’s notice. His downhill rushing ability and shiftiness in space make him a handful to bring down.

To add pressure for Minnesota, Bigsby can be a home run-hitting running back with his second-level explosiveness and quickness in the open field. It won’t be an easy go-around but this is strength vs. strength in this weekend’s matchup.

Jacksonville DE Josh Hines-Allen vs. Minnesota LT Cam Robinson

This matchup could be personal for both players. It was only a few weeks ago that Robinson was manning Lawrence’s blindside.

But after Vikings star left tackle Christian Darrisaw went down with a season-ending injury, they acquired Robinson and a conditional 2026 seventh-round draft choice in exchange for a conditional 2026 fifth-round pick.

The former Jaguar had an up-and-down career in North Florida. Robinson was playing steady football in pass protection with just a 7.1 percent pressure rate before he was traded. But he struggled against Indianapolis in his Vikings debut and is now tasked with slowing down Josh Hines-Allen for the first time as an opponent. 

Jacksonville’s cornerstone pass rusher is tied with teammate Travon Walker for the most pressures on the team with 34. He’s as good as they come coming off the edge and is likely to spend most of his snaps lining up at right defensive end for his one-on-one matchup with Robinson.

Hines-Allen versus Robinson in the trenches is a key individual matchup that fans should have a keen eye on, one that could be a deciding factor in this weekend’s game.

Jacksonville QB Mac Jones vs. Minnesota pass defense

Losing a talent like Lawrence for just one or any number of games is a blow for the Jaguars. He’s the franchise quarterback and has played sound football for most of the season.  

But now, it’s time for former Pro Bowler and once-surmised New England franchise signal-caller Mac Jones to make his starting debut with his hometown team.

Jones never proved to be the prolific quarterback from the incredible 2020 Alabama national championship roster in the NFL. More of a game-manager, a heavy dose of the run game and play-action should allow Jones to be fairly smooth sailing if things go according to plan.

However, the Jaguars might miss the vertical element that has been a staple of their offense with Jones under-center this weekend. 

Jones will face a defense that is second in the NFL in blitz rate and has used split-safety coverage the most of any team this season. Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores has them playing some sound football and will pose a challenge for Jones this weekend. 

Yet, there is a path where Jones performs well enough to put Jacksonville in a spot to pull off the upset. If he protects the ball and finds answers against pressure while giving receivers like Brian Thomas Jr. and Parker Washington chances for run-after-catch plays, the Jaguars will be one step closer to victory.

Breaking down the issues with the Jacksonville Jaguars’ defense

Breaking down the issues with the Jacksonville Jaguars’ defense

The Jacksonville Jaguars enter their Week 10 home bout against Minnesota with questions surrounding their defensive play which has been, at best, inconsistent since early in the campaign.

Jacksonville’s offense has become a strength as the season has progressed, at least when it has been healthy, with much of its success coming from quarterback Trevor Lawrence’s right arm, the legs of second-year running back Tank Bigsby and the hands of rookie wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr.

However, the Jaguars’ defense continues to give up numerous big plays every week. The unit currently ranks in the bottom five in points allowed per game and expected points added (EPA) per play allowed.

Jaguars Wire takes a closer look at why the defense has struggled and what improvements are needed at the halfway point.

Inconsistent pressure on opposing quarterbacks

On paper, Jacksonville has enough talent to be an aggressive defense, especially when it comes to getting pressure on the quarterback. First-year defensive coordinator Ryan Nielsen relies on his four-man fronts to generate the pressures without the constant need for blitzes.

While the experiment looked promising in Week 1, it has not been successful in the eight games since. The Jaguars have the 11th-fewest pressures in the league, the fourth-lowest quarterback pressure percentage, the sixth-lowest sack rate, and the lowest blitz rate.

Defensive linemen are not winning at the point of attack. Some are not winning their matchups and struggle to generate effective pass-rush moves and combinations to defeat their blocks.

The only exceptions are defensive ends Josh Hines-Allen and Travon Walker, who have been terrors in recent weeks against opposing offensive tackles. Both pass rushers have 34 pressures each while the rest of the defense has 31 in total.

For the Jaguars to improve their efficiency in chasing the quarterback, Nielsen must begin to be more creative in generating pressure. They also must sacrifice some of their man coverage deployment. This leads to the next issue.

Jacksonville must become more diverse with its coverage calls

In theory, man-heavy defenses can be successful. You need stout defensive linemen in the trenches, especially ones that can generate pressure and win one-on-one matchups consistently.

Linebackers must have the athleticism and fluidity to cover running backs and tight ends. Cornerbacks need to be physically at the line of scrimmage while also bestowing steady technique in their footwork and press jams.

Jacksonville doesn’t have enough of those kinds of players. This defense continues to struggle more often than not in this regard. Its contributors’ skill sets are not fit for man-heavy defenses that force little margin for error.

According to Football Insights, the Jaguars have played man coverage at the second-highest rate in the NFL this season behind Detroit while having one of the lowest zone coverage rates in the league. They are a true Cover 1 and Cover 2-man unit.

It’s a defense that could turn itself around quickly with more Cover 3 and quarters coverage while maintaining their base looks out of single or two-high.

If Jacksonville is to turn its season around by some miracle, diversifying the coverage variations would allow a talented unit to play to their strengths instead of being forced out of position through the system.

Better discipline in all phases is required

Earlier in the season, it looked like the Jaguars were set to have a stout defense, especially with their performances against Miami and Cleveland in the first two weeks. Instead, the defense has turned into one of the league’s worst.

While Jacksonville has a talented defense, it remains undisciplined in all phases. While plenty of the blame can be placed on the players themselves, this is a coaching issue and it starts with defensive coordinator Ryan Nielsen.

Defenders have struggled to tackle in space and the statistics can back this up. The Jaguars have allowed the most yards after the catch (1,379), the 11th-most YAC over-expected (plus-147) and the most yards per play in the league (6.0).

Nielsen’s unit has been giving up way too many big plays this season. A couple of notable ones have been against Green Bay and Philadelphia in the last two weeks.

 

On film, players are often out of position relative to their assignments and responsibilities, specifically against the pass. For a defense that was supposed to be a strength this season, its lack of success falls on coaching and a lack of proper fundamentals instilled.

Head coach Doug Pederson replaced most of his defensive staff coaching from last season yet the unit has regressed under new leadership. It is now fair to wonder if Pederson will get another chance to fix the unit’s issues this offseason.

Watch: Jaguars’ Travon Walker bulldozes way into fumble return TD

Watch: Jaguars’ Travon Walker bulldozes way into fumble return TD

The Jaguars will have defensive end (and potential future running back?) Travon Walker to thank in large part if they can pull off a 22-point comeback against the Eagles on Sunday.

After Jacksonville scored its first touchdown of the game, a one-yard sneak by quarterback Trevor Lawrence with 5:26 left in the third quarter, Walker scooped up a fumble by Philadelphia running back Saquon Barkley and ran it back 35 yards to reduce the Eagles lead to one possession.

Referees ruled Barkley was not down by contact after getting tripped up by Jaguars linebacker Ventrell Miller on a 1st and 10 rushing attempt. Barkley lost his grip on the football as he tried to crawl forward for extra yardage.

The 6-foot-5, 272-pound Walker recovered the loose ball, shed four would-be tacklers and followed multiple Jaguars defenders-turned-blockers en route to the massive score, the first touchdown of his NFL career.

A pitch-and-catch between Lawrence and tight end Evan Engram converted Jacksonville’s second-consecutive two-point attempt, making it a 22-16 game.

Jacksonville’s No. 1 overall selection in the 2024 NFL draft out of Georgia, Walker starred at Thomaston (Ga.) Upson-Lee in high school as a two-way player, scoring five offensive touchdowns in addition to his role on the defensive line, per MaxPreps.

Travon Walker returns Saquon Barkley fumble for Jaguars touchdown

The Jaguars got two quick touchdowns against the Eagles

The Jacksonville Jaguars looked like they were going to blown out by the Philadelphia Eagles at the Linc on Sunday.

Then, Trevor Lawrence scored on a quarterback sneak. The two-point conversion made it 22-8.

Twenty-four seconds later, Saquon Barkley fumbled. Travon Walker picked the football up and returned it 35 yards for a touchdown.

Another two-point conversion and Doug Pederson’s Jaguars had drawn within 22-16 of his former team.

Key matchups for Jacksonville Jaguars vs. Green Bay Packers

Key matchups for Jacksonville Jaguars vs. Green Bay Packers

There is no rest for the weary as the Jacksonville Jaguars return home from their trip to London to take on Green Bay. Momentum is on their side following one of their best victories in over a year against the New England Patriots, 32-16. 

Jacksonville looks to build upon last week’s impressive offensive showing. Seven games into the regular season, the Jaguars may have found their identity on both sides of the ball and they will be put to the test against a well-rounded Packers team that has won five games while losing only two by a combined seven points

Jaguars Wire takes a closer look at this week’s key matchups for the Jaguars against the Packers in Jacksonville below.

Jaguars defense vs. Packers QB Jordan Love

The Jaguars’ defense is still an issue, especially in pass coverage and their lack of diversity outside of Cover 1 and Cover 2 defenses. However, it seems the unit found its calling card in getting pressure on the quarterback.

Edge rushers Josh Hines-Allen and Travon Walker have been excellent, with both finding a way to the quarterback consistently. That could pose an issue for the Packers, who rank 26th in time to throw at a 2.68-second average. 

Green Bay quarterback Jordan Love’s passer rating has dipped when pressured at 61.8 compared to his 114.3 passer rating when he isn’t. His EPA total (+38.4) and yard per attempt (9.3) take a nose-dive when blitzed to a -36.4 EPA and just under five yards per attempt, according to Next Gen Stats.

It is paramount that Jacksonville has success attacking the quarterback. The Jaguars’ rush flashed against a horrible Patriots offensive line and could find similar success this week in front of their home crowd.

It helps that Arik Armstead has begun to see more snaps at defensive tackle, which was noticeable a week ago with some of the interior pressure.

Should the Jaguars blitz at their highest rate since their blowout loss on Monday Night Football against Buffalo (31.4%), it will be crucial in a potential victory.

Jaguars QB Trevor Lawrence vs. Packers defense

It’s been hard not to notice Trevor Lawrence’s improved play in the last three weeks. His 17-game average from those three games would have the former No. 1 overall selection shattering his single-season passing yards and touchdowns, according to Pro Football Reference.

A reason for his improved play leads back to an increase in play-action used by offensive coordinator Press Taylor and a new-found rushing attack led by second-year running back Tank Bigsby. Lawrence is finding answers against pressure, playing with better anticipation, and showcasing more composure and poise in the pocket. 

Play-action is one of the Achilles heels for the Packers’ defense. Per Next Gen Stats, their 50 percent success rate against this passing concept is the eighth-worst in the NFL.

This is a positive sign for Jacksonville’s passing game although it may run into an issue throwing against two quality safeties in Xavier McKinney and Evan Williams. Each ranks in the top five in coverage success rate among safeties. McKinney has been a ball-hawk with a league-leading five interceptions on the season. 

It won’t be easy attacking this secondary but the Jaguars have shown they are not afraid to test defenses in the vertical thirds and post. 

Packers rushing attack vs. Jaguars run defense

This might be the game’s best matchup. Jacksonville’s run defense has shown improvement and is currently ranked sixth in football with 102.6 rushing yards allowed per game. Now, the Jaguars face one of their toughest challenges in slowing down Packers running back Josh Jacobs, one of the league leaders in rushing yards and yards after contact.

Walker and Hines-Allen will be key in setting the edge and have been sound in this area; the Jaguars have allowed the fifth-fewest yards outside the tackles and rank sixth in EPA allowed per rushing attempt. Armstead will be a factor against Jacobs, who is one of the best at making first and second-level defenders miss in space. 

Tackling in space will be important in that regard and the Jaguars are fifth in the NFL in rushing yards after contact allowed per attempt. They have defenders who can make stops and bring the ball carrier down at first contact. Yet, this will be their toughest test against one of the league’s best rushers.

If Jacksonville were to slow down Jacobs and tackle in space consistently against him, the path to victory would be much easier to navigate. 

Key matchups ahead of Jacksonville Jaguars vs. New England Patriots

Key matchups ahead of Jacksonville Jaguars vs. New England Patriots

The Jacksonville Jaguars enter their final game in London hoping to end their overseas trip on a high note as they take on the New England Patriots. Both teams sit at 1-5 looking for their second win of the season and some glimmer of hope as the campaign approaches halfway.

The Jaguars have another opportunity to pick up a win against a lowly opponent and can do so with the resurgent Trevor Lawrence under center. The biggest questions Jacksonville faces now are if the coaching staff can develop a steady game plan and if the offense can display better ball security.

Jaguars Wire takes a closer look at a few key matchups in the Jaguars “home” bout against the Patriots as they look to return to the United States encouragement and intrigue.

Jaguars RB Tank Bigsby vs. Patriots run defense

One of the few bright spots from Jacksonville’s 1-5 campaign to this point has to be the emergence of Bigsby. The second-year tailback from Auburn leads the NFL with 7.2 yards per carry (minimum of 20 carries) and his explosiveness has not gone unnoticed with plus-143 yards over expected, the third-most in football, according to Next Gen Stats.

Bigsby is the total package as he is a shifty runner who generates yards after contact thanks to his low center of gravity and contact balance. Furthermore, he’s become another explosive element for the Jaguars offense that is near the top of the league in big plays.

Bigsby enters Sunday with a favorable matchup against the Patriots’ defense, which ranks in the bottom 10 in RYOE allowed and a below-average run defense in most categories. The Jaguars should stay committed to the ground game this week, especially with an offensive line that has improved in run blocking and overall play in recent weeks.

If Bigsby were to receive at least 15 touches Sunday, it wouldn’t come as a surprise to see the young running back have another explosive day and carry Jacksonville to a win.

Jaguars defense vs. Patriots QB Drake Maye

It has become clear that Jacksonville defensive coordinator Ryan Nielsen does not have the personnel capable of consistently operating a man coverage-heavy defense. His unit is next to last in points allowed and in the bottom five in most statistical pass-defense categories, including allowing over 225 yards passing in all but one game this season.

If Jacksonville wants to right the ship, Nielsen must change the way he is calling this defense. There needs to be a more balanced approach in man and zone coverage calls. The Jaguars have the personnel defensively to field a sound zone defense, but the players are not often placed in a position to succeed in coverage. 

That could excite Patriots rookie signal-caller Drake Maye. However, his outlook could be dampened considering the Jaguars have been adequate in terms of applying pressure on opposing quarterbacks.

Jacksonville is one of six teams to have multiple defenders with more than 20 pressures this season, per Next Gen Stats. Pass rushers Josh Hines-Allen and Travon Walker have been terrific this season and have shown why they are core defensive pieces for the foreseeable future.

New England leads the league in pressure rate allowed, meanwhile, which might spell trouble for the young Maye.

The No. 3 overall selection from North Carolina may be an escape artist of sorts, but the NFL is a different beast and attempting to evade the likes of Walker and Hines-Allen is never an easy task.

Jacksonville’s path to success begins with getting consistent pressure on a rookie quarterback behind New England’s subpar offensive line.

Jaguars TE Evan Engram vs. Patriots defensive secondary

Jacksonville was without its No. 1 tight end since Week 2 when he injured his hamstring in pregame warmups before their loss to Cleveland. In his return last Sunday, Engram showed why he’s a crucial piece to the team’s offense, hauling in 10 catches for 102 yards.

Engram is a versatile tight end who has yet to lose an ounce of his athleticism and play-making ability as he has gotten older. Since 2022, he has aligned in the slot at the sixth-highest rate among players at his position with at least 800 snaps, per Next Gen Stats. The Jaguars have also shown they are willing to move him all over the formation as an H-back, fullback, and big slot. 

This will pose an issue for the Patriots, who have allowed the seventh most yards per attempt to tight ends in the slot this season. The days when New England was an above-average defensive unit are over and its secondary has been struggling for most of the season, another reason why this looks to be a favorable game for Jacksonville overall.

Engram will once again be a focal point of the offense as long as he stays healthy. Lawrence’s play has improved in the past two weeks, flashing promise that Jacksonville can continue to be a productive offense so long as the unit can protect the ball and catch it cleanly. 

All-22 review: Jacksonville Jaguars vs. Indianapolis Colts

All-22 review: Jacksonville Jaguars vs. Indianapolis Colts

The Jacksonville Jaguars enter their London road trip with one tick in the win column for the first time since last season, following their 37-34 victory over Indianapolis. 

It was a feel-good victory for a franchise that needed it and saw its offense play its best football of the season. While there were still some inconsistencies with the offensive play-calling and decision-making by the coaching staff, the Jaguars should feel good as they make the trip overseas.

This week, Jaguars Wire takes a closer look at the All-22 to explore some of the standouts from Sunday’s triumph. Let’s take a deeper dive into the game film.

Jaguars QB Trevor Lawrence’s big day

Two games ago, talk began of whether the Jaguars were right to extend Lawrence following a string of games where the former No. 1 draft selection looked lost and broken as a passer. After one game against the lowly Colts defense, that narrative has quieted significantly.

Lawrence was excellent in Sunday’s victory, completing 28-of-34 passes for 371 yards, two touchdowns and an interception. His completion percentage over expected was 10.3 percent along with a 10.8 EPA. The film matches the box score and analytics and it was exciting to watch.

The former Clemson Tiger standout did an excellent job spreading the ball around, including passes to nine different receivers. His offensive line also gave him opportunities to keep himself and the offense on schedule, allowing him to get the ball out with efficiency.

Throughout the game, Lawrence made the correct reads and had great full-field progressions on longer-developing plays. He was accurate and on time with his passes, fitting passes into tight windows and trusting his reads and progressions. Lawrence was able to make the big throws when they were available, including two big completions to wide receivers Brian Thomas Jr. and Christian Kirk.

While Lawrence was excellent, he wasn’t perfect, as seen by his interception. Midway into the third quarter on a second-and-intermediate, the Jaguars came out of empty against the Colts’ Cover 4. Instead of taking the open outlets to Kirk in the middle of the field or tight end Brenton Strange underneath off the left tackle, Lawrence chose to test the field vertically and it cost him with a throw into double coverage.

Overall, though, Lawrence must continue stacking performances close to this each week. It will allow him to gain more confidence as a passer while helping his team rack up more wins. 

Key Jaguars defensive performances

While defensive coordinator Ryan Nielsen gave up 34 points and nearly 450 total yards, there were still plenty of standouts from this defense despite a rough day.

Cornerback Montaric Brown had a solid day, despite some big plays given up, he never seemed out of position overall. He’s a physical tackler in the run game and is generally a solid press-man corner who displays adequate one and two-hand jams at the line of scrimmage.

Brown will play with physicality in the five-yard contact window and use that to his advantage. He also flashes a patient backpedal that will allow him to mirror receivers more consistently.

In the trenches, pass rusher Travon Walker had an exceptional day with three sacks and three tackles for loss. His speed-to-power was freakish and makes a handful for any opposing offensive tackle. His rare get-off and athleticism will overwhelm them and that was the case on numerous pressures and a couple of his sacks. 

The scary thing about Walker is that he has added more rush combinations that make him a better player. If he continues to take over games like he did Sunday, the rest of the league will begin to take notice of an edge rusher who is on his way to being one of the best in the game. 

Second-year linebacker Ventrell Miller was steady against the Colts with seven tackles while displaying a level of competency in coverage drops. He’s also a physical tackler and doesn’t see ball carrier break his tackles often. 

Miller showed straight-line explosiveness to close through the alley and make tackles for short gains, proving Sunday that he could be in store for more playing time as the linebacker room gets healthy.

Young skill players showed out with explosive games

When Jacksonville drafted Brian Thomas Jr. in the first round this offseason, he offered the ceiling to be a top vertical threat in the NFL in a short time while having plenty of room to grow as a playmaker.

Sunday was the day Thomas finally made a significant impact where defenses had to respect his vertical ability. On his 85-yard touchdown reception, the former LSU standout reached a top speed of 22.15 mph, the fastest by a ball carrier this season and by a Jaguars player in the Next Gen Stats era. 

Thomas continued to show progression as a receiver with separation underneath on short in and out-breaking routes. While he did get free vertically on his long touchdown due to blown coverage, his speed was a sight to see as he zoomed away from the Colts secondary.

As it’s been known for some time, Thomas is great with separation on vertical planes, using the threat of speed to create it. He is still learning, yet progressing, finding spots against empty zone areas while making himself a potential outlet for Lawrence in run-after-catch opportunities.

Second-year running back Tank Bigsby had his breakout game against the Colts, displaying a possible idea of him taking over as the bell-cow ball carrier on Jacksonville’s offense. Bigsby showed quick and choppy footwork that allowed him to work the base of the line of scrimmage and find creases outside the tackle box. 

Bigsby is a shifty runner with adequate contact balance and explosive second-level acceleration. What may come as a surprise is that he leads the NFL in yards after contact per attempt at 5.1, according to Next Gen stats. This is an example of the Jaguars having explosive elements on their offense but not being able to put them in places to succeed consistently within the unit. 

The former Auburn running back is still growing more than a quarter of the way through his second season. His ceiling remains high and big reason why he could find his way as the team’s RB1 by next year. 

Key matchups for Jacksonville Jaguars vs. Chicago Bears

Key matchups for Jacksonville Jaguars vs. Chicago Bears

The Jacksonville Jaguars are across the pond on their two-week trip abroad, preparing to face Chicago and New England in London. This week, they will be the designated away team against rookie quarterback Caleb Williams and the Bears. 

Jacksonville is coming off its first win of the season after an 0-4 start. Star signal-caller Trevor Lawrence turned in one of the best performances of his career in Sunday’s 37-34 win over Indianapolis, signaling a possible start of a steady stretch of games for the franchise quarterback.

However, the Bears will not be an easy matchup following a productive victory over the Carolina Panthers as Williams produced career-high numbers. 

Jaguars Wire takes a closer look at some of the key matchups for Sunday’s matchup against the 3-2 Bears.

Jacksonville’s rushing offense vs. Chicago’s run defense

A constant of the Jaguars’ offense in 2024 has been their run game, which has begun to alternate between their one-two punch of Travis Etienne and Tank Bigsby. The latter exploded last Sunday with a 103-yard game, including a long touchdown run that added another explosive element to Jacksonville’s offense.

While the Bears have played sound defense overall, their Achilles heel to this point has been to defend the run. They currently rank 18th in rushing yards allowed and 15th in rushing allowed, and at times have been pushed around in the trenches, failing to maintain gap discipline and fit the run.

Jacksonville must lean more into the run game this week. Their offensive line has generated movement at the line of scrimmage consistently for two straight weeks, helping them to second in rushing yards per play. 

Bigsby’s role is expanding and the advanced statistics show this. He currently ranks fourth in the NFL in rushing yards over expected with +142 despite playing in just four games, according to Next Gen Stats. He could be an impact player this Sunday and a crucial piece to Jacksonville’s path to success. 

Jaguars’ passing offense vs. Bears’ secondary

One of the promising signs last week was the Jaguars’ notable progression and improvement in the passing game. They used frequent play-action to open up the run game.

The passing game thrived, too, as Lawrence completed 28-of-34 passes for over 370 yards and two touchdowns. Jacksonville’s offensive line thrived and gave Lawrence ample time in yet another consistent performance.

However, the front five will face a Chicago defense featuring five defenders with double-digit pressures. The Bears’ defensive front owns a quick pressure rate that ranks seventh in the NFL, according to Next Gen Stats.

The Bears are a heavy-man defense, which could pose problems for the Jaguars. Last week against Carolina, Chicago limited Andy Dalton to just 136 yards passing with very few outlets to work with.

Jacksonville has struggled against heavy man coverage units this season but with the recent usage of Christian Kirk and Brian Thomas Jr., that could change this week.

Thomas has shown to be an explosive and reliable vertical threat while Kirk has been a separator savant in the slot. The good news for the Jaguars is that versatile tight end Evan Engram returns to the field for the first time since Week 1, giving them another quality piece to counter the Bears’ secondary.

Chicago’s top cornerback, Tyrique Stevenson, is not expected to suit up Sunday in London. His absence could allow Jacksonville to exploit some matchups for another explosive day.

Jacksonville’s defensive line vs. Chicago’s offensive line

Ryan Nielsen’s defense has struggled as of late with some significant letdowns throughout the last few weeks. His unit is now ranked near the bottom of the league in most categories. However, a slew of injuries to key players have led to some inconsistencies with the unit overall.

The Jaguars have a talented defensive line that deploys a constant rotation. They did get pushed around by the Colts last week but face a more favorable matchup against the Bears’ average offensive line.

Jacksonville edge rushers Travon Walker and Josh Hines-Allen will be a handful. Next Gen Stats shows that after not having seven pressures in any game during his career, Walker has now had two consecutive games of over seven pressures, including three sacks in the Jaguars’ first win of the season. Hines-Allen has begun to emerge as well with back-to-back games of six-plus pressures.

Williams has not faired well against pressure and has put the ball in harm’s way often in an attempt to play hero ball. With Walker and Hines-Allen starting to heat up as of late, that could pose a problem for the rookie signal-caller.

While the Jaguars have succeeded lately on the offensive side of the trenches, the defensive side must step up again this weekend. If their pass rushers continue to have productive afternoons, the path to success against the Bears’ offense becomes much smoother. 

All-22 review: How the Jaguars can beat the Colts

All-22 review: How the Jaguars can beat the Colts

The Jacksonville Jaguars enter Week 5 as the only winless team in the NFL following their 24-20 defeat at Houston last Sunday. 

But not all hope is lost in Jacksonville as the Jaguars head into a potentially favorable matchup against Indianapolis.

Jacksonville has not played functional, sound football this year, although we saw the Jaguars’ offensive identity begin to emerge in their loss to the Texans.

This offense can balance the run with a dose of play-action and can take advantage of favorable explosive mismatches. If the Jaguars want to avoid sinking to 0-5 this weekend, their offensive game plan from last week gives them the best chance to win.

Sunday presents a Colts team without star running back Jonathan Taylor, likely without starting quarterback Anthony Richardson and with an underperforming defense that could lend the Jaguars their first win of the season.

Jaguars Wire reviewed the All-22 to present a few ways for Jacksonville to secure a victory against Indianapolis. 

Lean on Trevor Lawrence and the rushing attack

The focus of this film review begins with the $275 million man, quarterback Trevor Lawrence, whose play is under scrutiny after a rough start to the season. It seems he is pressing as a passer, staring down targets and playing flat-footed at times. His footwork has certainly become a concern.

Lawrence has also shown to bail from clean pockets and put even more stress on his offense. Despite offering the pre-snap acumen required to operate as an NFL quarterback, he has been inconsistent with his post-snap awareness this season.

Some have called the former No. 1 draft selection “broken,” and while that might be the case right now, his issues are fixable.

Surprisingly enough, it is Lawrence and Jacksonville’s run game that makes the Jaguars go. If he can get into a stretch within games where he can play in rhythm more consistently, this unit will look much improved.

Using play-action more frequently could help with this as the Colts’ defense has allowed opposing quarterbacks to go 21-for-35 with 298 yards, one touchdown and one interception against such calls this year.

Entering Sunday, the Colts rank dead-last in the NFL in yards-per-game allowed, next-to-last in rushing yards and rushes of 10-plus yards allowed, and 25th in passing yards allowed. 

Indianapolis’ defense has underperformed relative to its expectations which has cost the Colts games to this point. Jaguars running backs Travis Etienne Jr. and Tank Bigsby could be in for plenty of touches and big play opportunities, accordingly. 

Jacksonville enters the weekend ranked No. 2 in football in rushing yards per play and No. 9 in team rushes of 10-plus yards. This is an advantageous matchup for the Jaguars’ run game to explode onto the scene.

Jaguars’ improved trench play vs. Colts’ underperforming defensive front

One of the bright spots from Sunday’s loss to Houston was the steady improvement of Jacksonville’s offensive line and the trenches overall. In general, the Jaguars’ front five displayed better consistency in pass protection while opening up rushing lanes for Etienne and Bigsby. 

Offensive tackles Anton Harrison and Cam Robinson were specifically better, especially in their pass sets moving rushers beyond the arc and giving Lawrence clean pockets. The offensive line also did a better job handling games such as twists and stunts, displaying better communication on this front. 

However, when the offense looked to run a play-action with a set-slide protection, the line did not wash defenders out as cleanly as it needed to, allowing pressure on Lawrence almost immediately.

Still, this was the offensive line’s best performance of the season and the unit must build on it, especially against a subpar Colts defense.

Defensively, coordinator Ryan Nielsen knows how to make offenses one-dimensional. That’s what Jacksonville will have to do against Indianapolis’ rushing attack.

With players like linebacker Devin Lloyd and safety Darnell Savage Jr. expected to return from injury, the Jaguars should be able to limit the Colts’ big play opportunities on the ground.

The Jaguars’ consistent defensive line rotation has generated plenty of pressure from the four-man fronts deployed. Rookie interior lineman Maason Smith flashed at times against Houston, including an impressive swim move in the first quarter that got pressure on C.J. Stroud. He could present an intriguing rotational rush threat on passing downs against the Colts. 

Josh Hines-Allen and Travon Walker were fantastic last Sunday with Walker producing a team-high seven pressures on 33 pass rushes and Hines-Allen recording six pressures on 19 rushes. Hines-Allen cleared concussion protocol on Saturday and is set to play.

Target Christian Kirk and Brian Thomas Jr. 

The Colts’ passing defense remains an underwhelming unit in 2024 and that should leave Kirk and Thomas licking their chops at the opportunity for a productive weekend. Indianapolis has allowed the fifth-most yards in downfield passing attempts at 13.3, per Next Gen Stats.

Kirk saw his targets increase from four and three in Weeks 1 and 2 respectively to 10 and 12 against Buffalo and Houston. Kirk is very good at setting up defenders with hesitation moves and fakes along with great short-area quickness.

Furthermore, Kirk is light on his feet and offers smooth acceleration in and out of breaks. He was open on almost every target last week. Pederson and offensive coordinator Press Taylor must utilize him in motions and grant him free releases to create potential mismatches. 

Thomas is already the most talented playmaker on the roster four games into his career, as he flashed vertical separation and the necessary quickness to cut routes short and work back to the football.

Next Gen Stats shows Thomas is leading all rookies in deep directions and receiving yards this season while his average route depth is the third-deepest among first-year receivers. His 16.2 yards per catch rank No. 14 among all qualifying NFL pass-catchers. 

When Jacksonville attacks Indianapolis through the air Sunday, Trevor Lawrence needs to continue looking Kirk and Thomas’ way.