The Jacksonville Jaguars head into Week 5 with a few matchup edges that could matter a lot in London, and the biggest one might come off the edge. Philadelphia is turning to a new right tackle after Lane Johnson’s retirement earlier this week, and while Fred Johnson and rookie Markel Bell are available, that spot now looks far more attackable for Jacksonville.
That puts Travon Walker in the spotlight. He has not piled up a huge sack total, but he has been the Jaguars’ most consistently disruptive defensive lineman this season and is off to the best pass-rushing start of his career.
Because Walker usually lines up against opposing right tackles, this is the most favorable draw of the Jaguars’ top pass-rushers, while Josh Hines-Allen is more likely to spend much of the game dealing with Jordan Mailata on the other side. If Walker keeps wrecking timing and forcing pressure, he could be the one who pushes Jalen Hurts into mistakes.
Jacksonville may also have a clear path in the middle of the field. Philadelphia’s cornerback duo is strong enough to make life difficult on the outside, but the Eagles have had trouble shutting down passing attacks over the middle. That is the same area the Jaguars targeted successfully against the Cincinnati Bengals last week, and it should be a major focus again here.
A big part of that approach could involve Brenton Strange. Philadelphia linebacker Jihaad Campbell has struggled in coverage this season, ranking as the sixth-worst coverage linebacker in EPA/Play.
The second-worst linebacker is Cincinnati’s Demetrius Knight, and the Jaguars already showed what they could do against him last week. Giving Strange one-on-one chances on money downs looks like another important piece of the plan.
Travis Hunter is also likely to stay busy at cornerback. With injuries in the secondary, the Jaguars are expected to keep him there for most, if not all, of his snaps, even though Montaric Brown is set to return this week. Jacksonville cannot afford to take Hunter off the field if the game starts tilting toward a pass-heavy script, because that could be the setting for another momentum-swinging play.
And with DeVonta Smith out, Dontayvion Wicks becomes the Eagles’ clear WR1. If Philadelphia pushes the ball downfield, Wicks should be the target, which puts even more pressure on Hunter. He has already been making impact plays at cornerback over the last two weeks, and if he can take Wicks out of the game in coverage, that could be the kind of swing that turns him into the Jaguars’ X-factor in Week 5.
In Other News...
Marvin Harrison Jr. Just Got A Telling Place In Trade Chatter
Trade chatter has started to swirl around a familiar cluster of young receivers, and it now includes Marvin Harrison Jr., Brian Thomas Jr. and Jerry Jeudy as the deadline approaches. An assistant general manager even floated the possibility that Thomas and Jeudy could be moved before the NFLs Nov. 10 deadline, which is the kind of speculation that quickly turns into league-wide conversation when teams start looking for help at wide receiver.
For Jaguars fans, the Brian Thomas Jr. angle is the one worth monitoring most closely, because his name is suddenly being discussed in the same breath as some of the more prominent trade possibilities on the board. A number of teams, including the Colts, 49ers, Chiefs, Raiders, Bills and Texans, have been mentioned as possible receiver destinations, and once that many clubs enter the discussion, the noise tends to linger until the deadline itself sorts out which rumors were real and which were just early-season leverage plays. [Read more 🡒]
Jaguars Catch Eagles Amid Sudden QB Uncertainty Before Sunday
The week before a road game can change quickly in the NFL, and Jacksonville suddenly finds itself facing a different-looking Eagles depth chart than the one it expected. Philadelphia released veteran quarterback Andy Dalton ahead of Sundays matchup, leaving Tanner McKee and Cole Payton as the backups behind Jalen Hurts while the Jaguars get ready for a team already dealing with more than one roster shakeup.
For Jacksonville, the timing adds another layer to a matchup that was already drawing attention because of Philadelphias recent moves. The Eagles also sent center Cam Jurgens to the Baltimore Ravens and ruled Saquon Barkley out for Week 5 with an injury, creating more uncertainty around a roster that is still trying to settle in. The Jaguars wont be able to do much about the Eagles personnel decisions, but they now have a clearer sense that Sunday could look different than it did even a few days ago. [Read more 🡒]
Jaguars London Game Just Added A Halftime Spotlight Fans May Not Expect
The Jaguars trip to London already carries plenty of attention, and the halftime stage at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium is adding another layer. Ayra Starr, the Beninese-Nigerian singer and songwriter, is slated to perform when Jacksonville meets the Eagles, giving the game a spotlight that stretches well beyond the field and into the citys music scene.
Starr arrives with a growing profile of her own, including two Grammy nominations and a third studio album, Starrgirl. The NFL has been emphasizing her as a generational talent with ties to both the London market and African music, a fitting fit for one of the leagues international showcases and a reminder that these overseas games are built to reach far past the usual football audience. [Read more 🡒]