The NFL’s latest London stop brings a very different feel than the usual overseas showcase. Jacksonville arrives at 3-1, riding back-to-back wins over New England and Cincinnati and carrying real AFC momentum into Week 5. Philadelphia, meanwhile, shows up wounded, slumping and searching for answers after losing two straight.
That contrast is the heart of Sunday’s matchup. The Jaguars have already become comfortable in London - this is their 15th game there, and they’ll stick around for another one in Week 6 against the Houston Texans.
They’re 7-7 all-time in London, and this version of the team looks built to keep rolling. Trevor Lawrence remains in the MVP conversation, and Jacksonville is one of only two teams to rank in the top seven in both EPA per play and opponent EPA per play.
The Eagles are trending in the opposite direction. They blew a 10-point lead in the closing minutes against the Los Angeles Rams in Week 4, and the injury list keeps getting longer.
Dallas Goedert, Saquon Barkley and DeVonta Smith have all been out for most of the season’s opening stretch, and Lane Johnson decided to retire earlier this week. Jalen Hurts hasn’t looked right either, failing to top 100 passing yards in Week 4 after throwing for just 153 yards in the Week 3 loss to Chicago and 93 in the loss to the Rams.
For bettors, Philadelphia has been a mess. The Eagles are 0-4 against the spread and sit near the bottom of the league in offensive efficiency, ranking 29th in EPA/Play and 30th in success rate. Their offense is also 28th in EPA per play, while the defense sits 25th.
That’s why SI Betting’s Iain MacMillan is backing Jacksonville to cover in his Road to 272 column. He pointed to the Jaguars’ relative health, the Eagles’ problems up front and Philadelphia’s reported plan to wait until Friday to fly out, calling it a mistake teams have made before. MacMillan also noted that Hurts has struggled badly over the last two weeks and that the Eagles now have to sort through offensive line issues in London after Johnson’s absence and Wednesday’s trade of two-time Pro Bowler Cam Jurgens.
Hurts’ passing total is also in focus because of the way this Eagles offense is functioning. He barely got over the number in Week 1 with 203 passing yards, and MacMillan noted his 2024 average of 193.5 passing yards per game and 2025 average of 201.5.
Against a Jacksonville defense that has allowed the second-most passing yards in the league, the expectation is that Hurts still won’t come close to a huge aerial day. MacMillan specifically pointed to Joe Burrow’s 428-yard outburst in Week 4 as the kind of performance he does not expect Hurts to duplicate in London.
There’s also an anytime touchdown angle on the Jaguars side. Parker Washington is the clear No. 1 receiver, but with Quinyon Mitchell questionable, MacMillan sees an opening for the No. 2 target against a backup cornerback.
With Brian Thomas Jr. still not looking like his rookie-year version, Meyers has emerged as the second option and has already posted 13 catches for 165 yards and two touchdowns. MacMillan likes his +270 odds to find the end zone again.
On the Philadelphia side, MacMillan highlighted Jake Elliott in his Player Prop Countdown and ranked him No. 2 on his top 10 props for Week 5. His case is straightforward: the Eagles are banged up on offense, Jacksonville’s defense gives up yards but tightens in the red zone, and the Jaguars are second in the NFL in red zone defense, allowing touchdowns on just 28.57% of opponent trips. That kind of resistance could leave Elliott busy on Sunday morning.
Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.
In Other News...
Nick Saban Sends Strong Message As Pressure Builds On Jalen Hurts
Jalen Hurts heads into a Week 5 road test in Jacksonville with the Eagles short on the kinds of help a quarterback usually leans on. DaVonta Smith and Saquon Barkley are out, and Hurts has also been navigating a battered offensive line, leaving Philadelphia to ask its quarterback to keep the offense moving through another stretch of uncertainty.
Amid the pressure, former coach Nick Saban offered a reminder of why Hurts has long drawn praise for more than just his play. Saban highlighted Hurts character and resilience, framing the quarterback as someone who has already lived through adversity and responded the right way, a message that lands differently with the Eagles facing another game where the margin for error feels thin. [Read more 🡒]
Eagles Head Into London Severely Shorthanded Before Jaguars Kickoff
The Eagles are heading into their London matchup against the Jaguars with a much thinner margin for error than usual, and the Week 5 inactive list made that clear. Philadelphia has already had to shuffle around its offense because of injuries, and now the depth chart is going to be tested again with backups such as Will Shipley at running back and Jake Majors at center expected to shoulder larger roles.
Jonathan Greenard is among the players unavailable, leaving him out because of an ankle injury and sidelined for a third game this season. He is joined on the inactive list by Saquon Barkley, DeVonta Smith and Hollywood Brown, a collection of absences that leaves the Eagles piecing together a game plan with far less firepower than they would normally expect in a matchup that already comes with the added challenge of travel. [Read more 🡒]
Eagles Head Into Jaguars Game With A Lineup Fans Didn't Expect
The Eagles arrived at their matchup with the Jaguars carrying a lineup that looked different from the one fans may have expected, and the changes went beyond the usual game-day shuffle. Jonathan Greenard is officially inactive after dealing with an ankle injury, and the teams offensive line will also look different because of injuries, trades and roster moves that have reshaped the group heading into kickoff.
Philadelphias inactive list also included Saquon Barkley and DeVonta Smith, leaving plenty of notable absences as the Eagles tried to sort through the available pieces. In their place, Jake Majors, Carson Steele, Zach Ertz and John Ojukwu were added to the active roster for the game, underscoring just how much the depth chart has been altered for a matchup that already carried added attention. [Read more 🡒]