Jaguars vs. Bills: 5 keys to victory in NFL Week 3

The Buffalo Bills look to keep rolling when they host the 0-2 Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 3. We have five keys to a win for the home team.

Greg Vorse | 1 Hour Ago

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The Buffalo Bills are unblemished on the 2024 season after a 31-10 drubbing of the Miami Dolphins last Thursday. The Bills now turn their attention to Monday when they welcome the 0-2 Jacksonville Jaguars to Western New York. Here are five keys to victory when Monday Night Football returns to Orchard Park.

Bend, Don't Break

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This could very well be a topic each week, but it is clearly a key point against the Jaguars. It's a small sample size, but through two weeks, Jacksonville is scoring just 1.5 touchdowns per game, ahead of just three teams. Simply put: they're not scoring touchdowns. Keep that up! The numbers go further; the Jaguars are 27th in points per game at 15. We can dig even deeper; they're 29th in second-half points per game at just five. Hold the Jags to field goals, then go play hide and seek.

One Dimensional

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Wins aren't a QB stat, but the fact that Trevor Lawrence has lost his last seven starts is rough. It hurts even more when you learn that Jacksonville won a game in the middle of that stretch that was started by C.J. Beathard. So, making the Jags have to pass the ball could be huge. In two games, Lawrence is 23rd in passer rating at 82.3. That number is far scarier when you see that the Jacksonville pass/run ratio was 41/19 in their Week 2 loss to Cleveland.

Win Up Front

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This one is simple. The Jags have been terrible on the offensive line. According to ESPN, they are 24th in pass block win rate at 52%. Jacksonville is 22nd in run block win rate at 71%. Flip to the Bills defensive line, and ESPN loves their game. Von Miller is seventh in pass rush win rate, while Ed Oliver is 16th in pass rush win rate for defensive tackles.

Limit Explosives

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If the Jaguars are going to score early or play from behind, it may take some explosive plays, ones of 20+ yards. That'll be easier said than done, as Buffalo allowed just one such play against Miami, a 21-yard reception from Jaylen Waddle. The Bills' defense has allowed just two explosive plays over the last six quarters.

Everyone Eats

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It may have been a cliche coming out of camp, but it's proving to be a thing for the Bills. Josh Allen was the hero in Week 1, rushing for a pair of scores and throwing for an additional two. In game two, it was James Cook rushing for a pair and catching a touchdown. In Week 1, it could be Dalton Kincaid, Keon Coleman, Khalil Shakir, etc. who is the offensive hero. The opponent not being able to key on one player has proven to be beneficial for Buffalo so far.

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