Jaguars-Lions: 3 Things to Watch

What will be the top storylines for Week 11's battle between the Jacksonville Jaguars and the Detroit Lions?

Jacksonville Jaguars defensive end Travon Walker (44) is introduced before an NFL football matchup Sunday, Oct. 27, 2024 at EverBank Stadium in Jacksonville, Fla. The Packers edged the Jaguars 30-27 on a last-second field goal. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union] / Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Jacksonville Jaguars are looking for a win in the worst way in Week 11.

Sitting at 2-8 and in the midst of a three-game losing streak, the Jaguars will be going up against the best team on their entire schedule in the 8-1 Detroit Lions.

If the Jaguars are going to overcome the Lions and pull off one of the top upsets in the entire 2024 season, what will have to happen? And what are we going to be watching during the contest? We break it down below.

The Penei Sewell show

There are not many offensive tackles who teams have to game-plan for in the passing game. In fact, Lions' All-World right tackle Penei Sewell is probably the only one. His matchup with Travon Walker will be worth watching for all four quarters, but how the Jaguars plan for him and the rest of the Lions' eligible pass-catchers will be something to track.

“He's a very good player in the run and the pass. He's a very, very good football player. Shoot, they’re hooking lateral to him and putting him out on passes. That tells you everything you need to know," Jaguars defensive coordinator Ryan Nielsen said this week.

How do the Jaguars game-plan for Za'Darius Smith?

The Jaguars will be facing an interesting situation when it comes to the opposing defense this week. After trading for Za'Darius Smith near the trade deadline, the Lions opted to let Smith rest in Week 10. Now, the Jaguars will be facing him in his Lions debut. He is a veteran player with a lot of tape, but the Jaguars have not seen what he looks like in the Lions' defense or what the Lions' defense looks with him on the field. He is a wildcard.

Do the Jaguars get Brian Thomas Jr. involved?

This feels a bit like beating a dead horse at this point, but it is for a reason. The Jaguars simply need to get Brian Thomas Jr. involved in some fashion on Sunday. Regardless of how the Lions play Thomas, what goes right or wrong in times the Jaguars are planning to get Thomas the ball, whatever. The Jaguars need to put the ball in Thomas' hand not just to give the offense a chance to succeede, but to also help his own development.

Right now, Thomas is seeing his production go down as a result of the Jaguars' deep ball being neutered. The Jaguars didn't push the ball downfield often in Trevor Lawrence's last start in Week 9, while Mac Jones isn't the deep passer Lawrence is in terms of aggressiveness or effectiveness. Still, the Jaguars need to do more and more to unlock Thomas and his No. 1 WR potential and skill set, and that isn't happening when they don't get him the ball.

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