Jaguars Star Blunt About Week 9 Opponent

The Jacksonville Jaguars just traded away one of their best offensive linemen and now head north to face the Philadelphia Eagles. They will have a difficult challenge on their hands.

Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence (16) calls a play during the fourth quarter of 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 Philadelphia Eagles’ defense has allowed the fourth-fewest yards of any team this season. They have allowed the sixth-fewest first downs, the sixth-fewest rushing yards, and the sixth-fewest of any team this season.

They have done all this while being the least penalized defense in the National Football League this season.

A Jaguars offense that has struggled overall this season will face one of the most well-respected defensive minds in the league this Sunday. Eagles defensive coordinator Vic Fangio has coached for decades and has routinely produced respectable defenses.

Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence knows how difficult it will be to move the ball on Fangio's defense on Sunday.

“Yeah, [Vic Fangio has] been on a few different teams obviously as of recent. Then his coaching tree is pretty big, too,” Lawrence said. “So, I mean you look at Chargers or similar when Staley [San Francisco 49ers Assistant Head Coach/Defense Brandon Staley] was there, that defense with a similar system. Denver, played against him in a similar scheme, and then my rookie year, played against him in Denver, too. So yeah, I mean he's just—well-coached defense. They know what to do. Everything looks the same, really good disguises.

Lawrence noted that the Fangio and Eagles' defenses do a solid job of disguising their defensive schemes, making it difficult to predict what is coming.

While Lawrence has faced Fangio before in his career, he understands the Eagles' personnel makes the unit one of the best Fangio has had since being in the league.

"It all comes out of this shell, and then, at the snap, it changes," Lawrence said. "They do a good job of disguising some pressures. They mix the fronts up. It's not a group that pressures a ton necessarily. They just do it at the right time. They're on the same page. They really stress your protections when they do. They like to get one-on-ones upfront.

"This D-line is a really good group. So, they play to their strengths, and then the guys in the back end, they fly around. These backers are really physical, very physical. Then the back end is smart, and they’ve got good ball skills, and they're all playing together. So, I think you see their defense, every week you watch the season, they've gotten better and better every week.”

The Jaguars have lost multiple games that they should have won this season. Sooner or later, the Jaguars must win a game they are not expected to. Sunday against the Eagles would be the perfect time.

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