Bills Central

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

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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

Brian Thomas Jr.
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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

Trevor Lawrence
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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.

Related: Bills land intriguing playmaking CB in early 2025 NFL Mock Draft

Win Up Front

Greg Rousseau
Tina MacIntyre-Yee/Democrat and Chronicle / USA TODAY NETWORK

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

Christian Benford
Mark Konezny-Imagn Images

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

Buffalo Bills, James Cook
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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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Greg Vorse
GREG VORSE

Greg Vorse joined SI to cover the Bills in July of 2024. Greg has spent two decades covering Buffalo football, first as a sports reporter for WJET (ABC) in Erie, Pennsylvania, from 2004 to 2007, then, starting in the summer of 2007, for Time Warner/Spectrum News. He was an award-winning broadcaster during his time on television for stories on the high school, college, and professional ranks. Greg has also covered the Cleveland Browns and Pittsburgh Steelers during his broadcasting and journalism careers. Aside from a love of athletic competition, Greg, his wife, and their two children enjoy vacationing and changing the stereotypes of pit bull terriers.

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