The Jaguars have spent the week staring at the same ugly theme that showed up in their Week 2 loss at Denver: the interior of the offensive line has to hold up, or everything else gets dragged down with it. That’s why Christian Barmore looms so large in Sunday’s game against the Patriots at EverBank Stadium. He can wreck timing from the inside in a hurry, and Jacksonville may need more boots and sprint outs for Trevor Lawrence just to keep the pocket from collapsing the way it did against Zach Allen.
That’s not the only trench battle worth watching. Travis Holmes pointed to Barmore and Milton Williams as the next test for the Jaguars’ guards, with left guard Emmanuel Pregnon and right guard Ezra Cleveland already under the microscope after last week’s struggles.
Cleveland’s matchup with Williams stands out in particular, especially with Williams having posted three sacks in the Patriots’ three playoff games last year. If Jacksonville is going to throw effectively, both guards may have to steady the entire operation.
There’s also a different kind of threat in New England quarterback Drake Maye. Gus Logue noted that while Jacksonville is generally stout against quarterback runs, it can still get burned at the wrong moment.
Maye has already thrown four interceptions, but the Jaguars will have to do more than pressure him - they’ll need to keep him contained when he tries to escape. Henry Zimmer also pointed to the Patriots’ front, naming Christian Elliss as a possible problem on a roster he doesn’t view as especially intimidating right now.
On the Jaguars’ side, Brian Thomas Jr. is the player drawing the harshest spotlight. Dillon Appleman said no skill player in the league may need to stack good performances more than Thomas, who has already brought back the same drop issues that dogged him last season.
He had a couple of routine misses against Denver, and both Dillon and Travis Holmes made clear that the concern is bigger than one bad Sunday. Travis noted that Thomas already has two drops on only 11 2026 targets, which is enough to raise real questions about where this is headed if the trend keeps going.
Dillon went even further, suggesting his role could shrink if the reliable plays don’t start showing up, with a certain former Heisman winner waiting to take on more targets.
Gus took a different route and picked Bhayshul Tuten as the Jaguar who needs to break through. He wants Jacksonville to lean on Tuten as a playmaker so the offense doesn’t become too easy to key on, and the numbers back up why that idea is appealing: Tuten ranks third among all NFL running backs in missed tackles forced with 11, and his PFF grade sits at 85.2.
Henry, meanwhile, wants a big day from Josh Hines-Allen, saying sacks would do a lot for both the team and the fanbase. He also sees favorable matchups for Hines-Allen and Travon Walker against Will Campbell and Morgan Moses.
As for the matchup everyone seems eager to circle, Dillon likes Drake Maye vs. Travis Hunter, especially with Jaguars fans still waiting for a splash play from Hunter on defense.
Maye’s four interceptions give Jacksonville a chance to make him pay, but only if Hunter is put in position to be a real part of the plan. Travis is more interested in how the Jaguars attack New England’s man-heavy looks through the passing game, especially with running backs, tight ends and the middle of the field.
Gus wants to see Jacksonville’s pass rush target right guard Greg Van Roten, who is filling in for Mike Owenu after his ankle fracture and struggled to a 25.9 PFF grade on 40 snaps last week. He also mentioned Arik Armstead and hoped to see Anthony Campanile bring pressure with Travon Walker stunts and Ventrell Miller blitzes.
Henry’s read was blunt: Drake Maye has already taken six sacks and thrown four picks, and the Patriots’ line is “below average at best.” If Hines-Allen wins on the edge, Henry believes this can turn into a relatively straightforward Jaguars win.
The picks were close, but not unanimous in margin: Travis went with Jaguars 24, Patriots 20; Gus picked Jaguars 17, Patriots 13; and Henry chose Jaguars 24, Patriots 17.
In Other News...
Jaguars May Need A Trade To Fix This Defensive Problem
The Jaguars have already started circling a clear defensive need early in the season: more disruption from the interior of the line. With the pass rush sometimes forced to come from the edges, the middle of the defense has become an area worth monitoring, especially as the schedule starts to bring more tests that can expose a front that cannot consistently collapse the pocket from inside.
Bobby Brown, Moro Ojomo and Karl Brooks have all surfaced as possible trade options because each would address that issue in a different way, depending on fit and contract situation. For Jacksonville, the question is whether the right answer is already in the building or whether this is the kind of roster hole that pushes a team toward the trade market before the season gets any deeper. [Read more 🡒]
Jaguars Face A Bigger Week 3 Question Than Just Beating Patriots
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Grant Udinski has already talked about Tutens development, which makes the rookies role one of the more interesting pieces to watch as the Jaguars head into this stretch. The Patriots will be the opponent on the schedule, but Jacksonvilles real question is whether these individual gains start to add up into a more complete week-to-week formula, especially with key contributors like Hamilton and Miller carrying bigger responsibility than they might have expected this early in the season. [Read more 🡒]
Jaguars Face A Travis Hunter Debate They Still Havent Settled
Travis Hunters early second NFL season has already become one of the more interesting workload stories around the Jaguars, and not just because he can line up at both cornerback and receiver. Through the opening stretch, Jacksonville has kept his snaps limited on offense and defense, a cautious approach for a player whose value comes from impact on both sides of the ball. It has also prompted plenty of outside curiosity, including from his former college coach Deion Sanders, who has openly said he is confused by how the Jaguars are using Hunter.
Liam Coen has acknowledged the conversation, saying the team is considering giving Hunter more reps on both sides, but the Jaguars have not yet settled on a clear long-term answer. Hunter has made his preference plain by saying he wants to play both positions full-time, and that is where the tension sits for Jacksonville: the talent is obvious, the role is still not. Until the Jaguars decide whether to lean into that versatility or continue managing it carefully, Hunter remains one of the teams most watchable unresolved stories. [Read more 🡒]