Jaguars vs. Eagles: 5 Questions and Game Predictions
After a week of expectations and the talk of potential revenge games, the Jacksonville Jaguars (2-1) are almost 24 hours away from their bout with the Philadelphia Eagles (3-0), giving them a chance to prove they are one of the true ascending teams in the NFL.
So, how do we at Jaguar Report see Sunday playing out? John Shipley and Brett Hawn weigh in below.
1) Can the Jaguars limit Jalen Hurts' rushing ability?
Shipley: They can if they commit to it, but that is obviously much easier said than done. Jalen Hurts has proven to be dangerous both with his arms and his legs, so even if they plan to play Travon Walker and Josh Allen in contain roles vs. the Eagles, Hurts can still orchestrate a downfield attack. The Eagles have a plethora of weapons on offense, so if they don't get pressure on Hurts and allow him to pick them apart in the pocket, he can do so. With that said, they have the speed and the knowledge of how to stymie the Eagles thanks to Mike Caldwell. One way or another, Hurts is going to produce, but there are ways the Jaguars can slow him down thanks to their defensive personnel and system.
Hawn: When asked about limiting Jonathan Taylor’s rushing ability before Week 2, I swiftly shot down the notion, instead the Jaguars limited Taylor to four first-half rushing yards in a triumphant victory. I refuse to make that same mistake again. Jalen Hurts is no easy man to stop, but this Jaguars defense through three weeks looks vastly improved in both the passing and running games, with the last two weeks against the Colts and Chargers putting any other notion to rest. Expect this young and hungry Jaguars defense to make life difficult for Hurts and the Eagles offense all afternoon.
2) How can the Jaguars create big plays on offense if they are without Zay Jones?
Shipley: It is a tough task. While Christian Kirk has been the Jaguars' big play receiver, Zay Jones has been someone the Jaguars have trusted to convert big third-downs and red-zone opportunities during the first month of the season. Kirk's presence has helped create opportunities for Jones, and the veteran receiver has seen them pay off. If Jones can't play due to his ankle injury, the Eagles could shift much more of their focus toward Kirk in the slot. With Avonte Maddox out, Kirk in the slot should be a big mismatch for the Jaguars, but it is much less of one without Jones in the picture.
With this said, don't count Jones out for Sunday. Jones was limited in Friday's practice and is questionable for the game despite the injury occurring late in the week, suggesting he still has a chance to suit up. If the injury was more serious, one would assume he would have been listed below questionable.
Hawn: A late add to the injury report does cause concerns for Zay Jones and his availability against the Eagles, but there are guys who can step up and fill the void. Fellow wideout Christian Kirk has been the Jaguars best receiver through the early portion of this season and has shown in the past that he is more than capable of stretching the field and making an impact in the short and intermediate passing game. Evan Engram is another guy who has above-average athleticism and speed for the tight end position and can make a difference when given more targets. The final piece to the big play puzzle has to be Travis Etienne. Sure the young running back hasn’t had the greatest start to his NFL career like many expected, but you can’t deny that the explosive playmaker is a fine receiving back and still possesses a quick burst out of the backfield. If the Jaguars want to diversify their looks, I expect Etienne to be ready to make an impact.
3) Who is the most important player on offense and defense?
Shipley: On offense, I am going to go with Travis Etienne. I truly believe that while James Robinson is the Jaguars' lead back, this is a week where Etienne can truly take off and generate big plays. He has been just a few moments away from breaking off big runs or catches in each of the first three games, but the Eagles have a defense that has been suspect against the run through the first weeks of the season. With Jones questionable, Etienne's explosiveness could be key to the offense's success on Sunday.
As for the defense, I will go with Tyson Campbell. I firmly believe whether the Jaguars' defense can play winning football this week depends on their ability to limit A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith. Campbell has had flashes of great play in 2022 and is the team's best chance of slowing down the Eagles' dangerous receiver duo. How Campbell performs in what could turn out to be a benchmark game early in his career will help decide this game.
Hawn: On offense the most important player is far and away Trevor Lawrence. The Eagles will find a way to get their points on the board and Lawrence will be the man tasked with keeping the offense in this football game. It’s a massive task, but Lawrence’s improvement in ball placement, going through his progressions, and using his legs to evade pressure should bode well against a tough Eagles defense.
On defense the most important player this week is linebacker Devin Lloyd. The rookie has been disruptive and has been excellent in both the run and the pass thanks to his fluid movement, and play recognition skills. The Jaguars are going to need more of the same from him to limit the Eagles offense and try to keep Jalen Hurts in the pocket.
4) Biggest storyline entering Sunday?
Shipley: It can't be anything but Doug Pederson returning to the same team that fired him after he won a Super Bowl for them just years earlier. Pederson being strangely fired by the Eagles after the 2020 season has so far turned out to be a lucky break for the Jaguars since it helped them land the former Eagles head coach. Pederson would be able to put his stamp on the league with a second successful team with a win over the Eagles, while also showing Jeff Lurie and Howie Roseman that maybe he was more important than they thought.
Hawn: Can the Jaguars offense keep up?
With this storyline it is important to note that the Jaguars aren’t offensively inept, the Eagles defense has just been that good. Darius Slay, James Bradberry, and the rest of the Eagles secondary have been massive contributors thus far and have done an excellent job of forcing turnovers. The Eagles pass rush is a force to be reckoned with as well, amassing 24 quarterback hits and 11 sacks in the last two weeks. With such dominance, it is no surprise that the Eagles enter week 4 with the top defense in the league. It’ll be up to Trevor Lawrence and the Jaguars offense to try and breakthrough.
5) Score prediction?
Shipley: I have gone back and forth on this a lot. Ultimately, I think the Eagles are due for a slower game, so give me Jaguars 27, Eagles 20.
Hawn: The Eagles represent the toughest test of the season to date for the Jaguars. Despite me gloating about the Eagles defense in the previous question, I can still see the game being a close one down the stretch. With that being said, I expect the Eagles to hand the Jaguars their second loss of the season, winning this game 24-21.
