The Jaguars are 9-4 and knocking on the door of an AFC South title, a far cry from where they were when they faced the Jets last season-a game both teams would probably like to forget. Now, with undrafted rookie Brady Cook set to start under center for New York, the question is simple: can the Jets play spoiler? Let’s dig into Jacksonville’s roster, position by position, to see what the Jets are up against.
Quarterbacks
Trevor Lawrence is back under center, and while the win column looks good-he’s already matched his career-high in victories from his 2022 Pro Bowl season-his quarterback rating has dipped for the third straight year. That said, Lawrence has added another dimension to his game with five rushing touchdowns, tying his career high.
Behind him is Nick Mullens, a veteran backup with 20 starts under his belt, though he hasn’t won a game since 2020 and has thrown just one pass this season. If Lawrence stays upright, Mullens is unlikely to see the field, but he brings a level of experience that’s good to have in the quarterback room.
Offensive Line
Jacksonville’s interior line underwent a makeover this season. Robert Hainsey took over at center, Patrick Mekari slotted in at right guard, and Ezra Cleveland returned at left guard. The group has held up reasonably well, although Mekari’s eight penalties are a concern, especially in tight games.
On the outside, Walker Little handles the left tackle spot, but he’s allowed a team-high nine sacks and is questionable this week after missing the last game with a concussion. Rookie Anton Harrison, last year’s first-round pick, has been steady on the right side.
Depth has been key. Cole Van Lanen has started games at four different positions-his versatility has been a quiet asset.
Former Jet Chuma Edoga has seen action mostly as an extra blocker, and rookies Wyatt Milum and Jonah Monheim have chipped in off the bench. Monheim even got a start at center earlier in the year.
Running Backs
Travis Etienne is back in the spotlight after the Jaguars moved on from Tank Bigsby in September. Etienne is closing in on his third 1,000-yard season and already has nine total touchdowns. Still, he hasn’t had a 100-yard game since September, a stat that raises eyebrows given his workload.
Behind him are rookies Bhayshul Tuten and LeQuint Allen. Tuten has been the more involved of the two, and while his yardage totals are modest, he’s found the end zone five times-a nice return for a fourth-round pick.
Pass Catchers
The Jaguars made a bold move by drafting Travis Hunter second overall to play both wide receiver and cornerback. That experiment had its moments, but Hunter is now on injured reserve. In response, the team brought in veteran Jakobi Meyers, who’s heating up with a touchdown in each of the last three games.
Brian Thomas Jr., who broke out last year with 10 touchdowns and four 100-yard games, hasn’t replicated that success. He’s only scored once this season, but he still leads the team in receiving yards and is averaging an impressive 15.3 yards per catch.
Parker Washington leads the team in receptions with 36, though he’s questionable for Sunday. Tim Patrick and Dyami Brown provide depth, with Patrick making the most of limited opportunities-three of his 13 catches have gone for touchdowns.
At tight end, Brenton Strange has emerged as the top target with 31 receptions. Johnny Mundt and Hunter Long round out the rotation, while Quintin Morris adds depth.
Defensive Line
Edge rushers Josh Hines-Allen and Travon Walker headline the defensive front. Hines-Allen is having a strong season with seven sacks, leading the team in tackles for loss and quarterback hits. Walker, on the other hand, has taken a step back with just 2.5 sacks after back-to-back double-digit seasons.
Inside, Arik Armstead and Davon Hamilton are the primary starters, although Maason Smith got the nod last week. Austin Johnson rotates in, and while Matt Dickerson is on the roster, he’s barely seen the field.
Veterans Emmanuel Ogbah and Dawuane Smoot provide edge depth, and undrafted rookies BJ Green and Danny Striggow are earning snaps as well.
Linebackers
Foyesade Oluokun is the heartbeat of the linebacker corps, racking up 103 tackles and 10 pass breakups. But it’s Devin Lloyd who’s been the playmaker, snagging five interceptions-including a pick-six.
Dennis Gardeck is listed as a starter, and Ventrell Miller splits time with Lloyd, though he sees fewer snaps. The depth here is light-Yasir Abdullah, Brandon Combs, and rookie Jack Kiser have combined for fewer than 50 snaps across six games.
Defensive Backs
The Jaguars’ secondary has shuffled a bit. Jourdan Lewis and Montaric Brown are still listed as starters, but Greg Newsome II has taken over for Lewis since arriving from Cleveland after Week 5. Lewis now comes off the bench and leads the team with nine defensive penalties.
Jarrian Jones has been active in the slot, rotating in with Lewis. At safety, Eric Murray and Andrew Wingard are the starters-though Wingard missed last week. Antonio Johnson stepped in and handled the role well.
Christian Braswell and rookie Rayuan Lane III both saw action last week, but depth has taken a hit with Travis Hunter and third-round rookie Caleb Ransaw on IR.
Special Teams
Logan Cooke is still a Pro Bowl punter, but he’s not having his best statistical season. That said, he’s only allowed a return of 20+ yards once all year-pretty impressive in today’s return game. Long snapper Ross Matiscik joins him in the Pro Bowl ranks.
Then there’s Cam Little, who made headlines with a record-breaking 68-yard field goal earlier this season-after hitting a 70-yarder in the preseason. He’s missed five kicks, but also delivered a game-winner against Arizona.
Parker Washington has been electric on punt returns, taking two to the house. He’s listed as the primary kickoff returner but hasn’t done much in that role-LeQuint Allen and Bhayshul Tuten have handled most of those duties. Tuten’s 54-yard return is the longest of the season.
If Washington can’t go, look for Austin Trammell to come up from the practice squad to handle punts.
On kick coverage, Rayuan Lane and Antonio Johnson are the gunners, with Lane leading the team in special teams tackles. Combs, Gardeck, Morris and Miller also play key roles in coverage.
Bottom Line
This Jaguars team is deeper, more experienced, and far more dangerous than the one the Jets beat last season. Lawrence may not be lighting up the stat sheet, but he’s guiding a 9-4 squad with a shot at the division crown. Etienne is steady, the defense has playmakers at every level, and special teams can flip the field-or the scoreboard-in an instant.
For the Jets and their rookie quarterback, the challenge is clear: they’re walking into a buzzsaw. But in the NFL, nothing’s guaranteed. If Cook can keep his composure and the Jets’ defense can generate pressure, maybe-just maybe-they can throw a wrench into Jacksonville’s playoff push.