Jaguars-Bears: 3 Matchups That Will Define the Game

Which matchups between the Jacksonville Jaguars' and Chicago Bears' offense and defense will define the Week 5 result?

Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Christian Kirk (13) is forced out of bounds during the second quarter of an NFL football matchup Sunday, Oct. 6, 2024 at EverBank Stadium in Jacksonville, Fla. The Jaguars edged the Colts on a field goal 37-34. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union] / Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The NFL is all about matchups.

Each week, games are decided by which teams have an advantage on each side of the ball. Who has the better pass-rush? Whose receivers can win one-on-one?

As a result, we will take a look each week at which matchups are the most important for the Jacksonville Jaguars to win. This week, we start it off with the three key matchups between the Jaguars and the Chicago Bears.

Christian Kirk vs. Kyler Gordon

The Jaguars have had one consistent message during their problematic 1-4 start: they need their best players to play like it.

And over the last two weeks, the Jaguars have seemingly seen one of their top players in Christian Kirk embrace the challenge, with Kirk making big plays against the Houston Texans and the Indianapolis Colts to put the Jaguars in positions to win each game.

With that said, the Bears have been one of the NFL's best defenses against slot receivers this year. According to NextGenStats, the Bears rank No. 7 in the NFL in EPA/Pass against slot targets, No. 8 in yards allowed per game to slot targets, and No. 7 in yards allowed per pass to slot targets.

Kyler Gordon has been one of the NFL's top slot cornerbacks and Kirk will have to be at his best to create big plays.

Josh Hines-Allen and Travon Walker vs. Braxton Jones and Darnell Wright

The Jaguars' defense normally goes wherever Josh Hines-Allen and Travon Walker take them, at least when it comes to affecting the quarterback. The duo combined for four sacks last week and have a combined 26 pressures over the last two games.

If they can have a repeat performance in Week 6, they will give a struggling Jaguars' defense the best chance they have to win -- and it will have to come against a talented offensive tackle duo.

Among 77 offensive tackles with at least 100 pass-blocking snaps this year, Braxton Jones ranks No. 26 in pass-blocking grade and Darnell Wright ranks No. 41, according to Pro Football Focus. Not awful rankings by any means, but the duo has seemingly not been as impressive as many projected them to be entering the season.

If the Jaguars are going to force takeaways and mistakes from Caleb Williams, they will need their edge duo to win their one-on-ones against the Bears' offensive tackles.

Andre Cisco vs. D.J. Moore

While the Jaguars' cornerbacks will be the ones tasked with slowing down D.J. Moore on a snap-to-snap basis, it is fair to assume the Jaguars will need their best game yet from Andre Cisco in 2024 to help limit him.

Moore and Caleb Williams began connecting on the deep ball last season, and the Jaguars will need Cisco to play like a true center-fielder to ensure he doesn't break the game right open.

The Jaguars have had offenses hit them time and time again with big plass plays over the top; last week, it nearly cost the Jaguars the game.

To ensure they don't repeat the same pattern and don't give an up-and-down Bears offense any breathing room, the Jaguars will need Cisco to act as an eraser against Moore downfield.

Ensure you follow on X (Twitter) @JaguarsOnSI and @_John_Shipley and never miss another breaking news story again.

Please let us know your thoughts when you like our Facebook page WHEN YOU CLICK RIGHT HERE