3 key matchups that could determine a Bills win against Jaguars

Here are three key matchups that could decide the Buffalo Bills' Week 3 clash with the Jacksonville Jaguars.

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The Buffalo Bills and Jacksonville Jaguars have played each other 19 times in their history, first meeting in a 1996 Wild Card round playoff clash. Jacksonville won that first game and holds an overall 10-9 edge in the series. Let's focus on the last four, though, because that's when the Sean McDermott era began in Western New York; Buffalo is just 1-3 against Jacksonville since 2017, including dropping the last two.

On paper, the Bills should match up very well against the current Jaguars, and a few key matchups will determine the outcome of this game. Jacksonville, however, is set to come out swinging and will do everything it can to avoid exiting Week 3 with a goose egg in the win column. Buffalo has a big game the following week against the Baltimore Ravens and will need to be mindful of not looking ahead and avoid this potential "trap game." We've got a few matchups here that if the Bills win, should allow them to come away with win number three on the young 2024 season.

Gabe Davis/Brian Thomas Jr. vs. Bills secondary

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Jacksonville wideouts Gabriel Davis and Brian Thomas Jr. have combined for 12 receptions and 246 yards on 18 targets through two games this year. Thomas has the lone touchdown between them, but they are clearly the Jaguars' passing focus. Tight end Evan Engram is a threat; however, he may not play this week due to a hamstring injury that kept him out of their Week 2 game. The Bills' secondary has been on fire through the first two weeks of the season, and cornerback Christian Benford is quickly becoming one of the top corners in the league per both advanced analytics and the eye test.

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Travon Walker vs. Bills' tackles

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In the first two weeks of the season, former first-overall pick Travon Walker has two sacks, eight total tackles, and a tackle-for-loss. He is someone who can wreck an offensive game plan. The good news for Buffalo, though, is that both left tackle Dion Dawkins and right tackle Spencer Brown are playing as well as anyone in the league to start the season. Through two games, neither has allowed a sack, and they've allowed just two pressures between them. Dawkins has earned a PFF pass protection grade of 81.6 and Brown an 81.5.

Related: Bills QB Josh Allen talks playing against the team that's 'gotten the best of us'

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Josh Allen vs. Jaguars' secondary

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The Jaguars are allowing over 245 yards per game through the air, and opposing passers are completing more than 63 percent of pass attempts. Allen has been incredibly efficient through two games and already has three passing touchdowns this season. His primary weapons, Khalil Shakir and Dalton Kincaid, are perfect so far with a combined 13 receptions on 13 targets. The Jags have oddly had his number in the past, but if Aleln can continue to play as efficiently as he has to start the campaign, Buffalo should be on its way to 3-0.

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