The Jaguars and Patriots both walk into Week 3 at 1-1, and neither side can afford to let the record slip further. Jacksonville has already shown two different faces - a dominant win over Cleveland and a late collapse against Denver - while New England has paired a convincing takedown of Pittsburgh with a rougher outing against Seattle. With both teams trying to stack a second win, the matchup inside the matchup is where this one gets interesting.
The biggest one may start up front, where Jacksonville’s offensive line has to keep Trevor Lawrence clean against a New England front that has already piled up six sacks in two games. Milton Williams and Christian Barmore have been disruptive inside, and Gabe Jacas and Elijah Ponder have added pressure off the edge. Lawrence looked dramatically better when he wasn’t forced off his spot against Denver, which makes protection the key hinge point for the Jaguars.
That battle connects directly to how Jacksonville’s receivers fare against New England’s corners. The Patriots have allowed just 166 passing yards per game, which ranks fifth in the NFL through two weeks, and Christian Gonzalez looms as a major obstacle.
Parker Washington has been on fire, but the rest of the Jaguars’ receiving group has not matched that pace. Gonzalez will likely draw Brian Thomas Jr., who has had a slow start to the season.
On the other side of the ball, Jacksonville’s pass rush needs a bounce-back. The Jaguars came away with multiple sacks against Cleveland, then failed to get to Denver’s quarterback at all, even with Josh Hines-Allen and Travon Walker leading the charge.
That has to change against a Patriots offensive line that has already had issues, and those problems could deepen after Mike Onwenu suffered an ankle injury against Pittsburgh. If Jacksonville can’t get pressure here, it will raise serious questions.
There’s also a middle-of-the-field problem for the Jaguars to solve. Hunter Henry has become one of Drake Maye’s favorite targets, and the Jaguars’ linebackers and safeties were shaky in that area against Denver. Foye Oluokun, Ventrell Miller, and Antonio Johnson will be the ones tasked with keeping Maye from finding Henry.
And then there’s the ground game. Bhayshul Tuten has moved from part of a committee into what looks like Jacksonville’s clear RB1, and the buzz is that the Jaguars may lean on him even more against New England.
That would mirror how they used Travis Etienne. It also makes sense on paper: the Patriots are stronger against the pass than the run.
If Jacksonville can establish Tuten and keep Lawrence out of obvious passing situations, it could take some of the sting out of New England’s biggest strengths.
In Other News...
Trevor Lawrence Hints At A Jaguars Passing Game Shift vs Patriots
Trevor Lawrence is already looking for ways to widen the Jaguars passing attack as Jacksonville heads into its Week 3 matchup with New England. One name at the center of that discussion is Jakobi Meyers, who has been targeted only three times through two games but has made the most of those looks, turning them into 68 yards and a touchdown while giving the offense a reliable target when called upon.
Lawrence praised Meyers route running and his grasp of the offense, a sign the Jaguars want to make him a more consistent part of the game plan. For a passing game still settling into rhythm early in the season, the focus isnt just on getting Meyers the ball more often, but on creating the kind of role that makes him harder for defenses to ignore. [Read more 🡒]
Trevor Lawrence Just Got Extra Motivation For A Huge Jaguars Response
Trevor Lawrence is getting a little external validation at just the right time. Patriots coach Mike Vrabel, who spent years seeing the Jaguars quarterback up close in the AFC South, said Lawrence has looked more decisive, more careful with the ball and more willing to push it downfield while still using his legs to extend plays. For a Jacksonville offense trying to find steadier footing, praise like that from a defensive-minded coach carries some weight, especially when it comes with a reminder of how far Lawrence has come.
Lawrence, meanwhile, made it clear the Jaguars are approaching this week with a lot of film work behind them. He said the coaching staff has studied past games against the Titans to help the offense get ready for New England's defensive scheme, a detail that underscores how much Jacksonville is leaning on familiar AFC South lessons to solve a different problem. The question now is whether that preparation, paired with Lawrence's growth, turns into the kind of response the Jaguars have been looking for. [Read more 🡒]
C.J. Stroud Just Showed How Vital Dalton Schultz Is To Texans
Even with one of their top wide receivers sidelined, the Texans still had enough structure on offense to keep moving, and a big reason was Dalton Schultz. C.J. Stroud made it clear during the game that Schultzs value goes well beyond the box score, pointing to the tight ends steady contributions and leadership as Houston had to lean on other options for production.
For the Jaguars, that matters because it is another reminder of how much divisional games can hinge on the quiet, dependable players who keep an offense on schedule. Jacksonville already has plenty of its own talking points after Liam Coen pushed back on the defensive pass interference call against Travis Hunter, but Schultzs role in Houston is the kind of detail that can shape games long before the fourth quarter becomes the focus. [Read more 🡒]