Jaguars vs. Dolphins: 3 Things to Watch in Week 1

What will we have our eyes on when the Jacksonville Jaguars take on the Miami Dolphins in Week 1? From how to stop Tyreek Hill to expectations for Travis Etienne, we break it down below.

Jacksonville Jaguars cornerback Ronald Darby (25) on the sidelines during the fourth day of the NFL football training camp practice session Saturday, July 27, 2024 at EverBank Stadium's Miller Electric Center in Jacksonville, Fla. [Bob Self/Florida Times-Union] / Bob Self/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK

The wait is finally over.

In just one more sleep, the Jacksonville Jaguars will be set to take on the Miami Dolphins to kick off the 2024 season. No more speculation, no more opinions -- just pro football in Florida.

“I think you learn a lot about your leadership going into Week 1 and coming out of Week 1," Jaguars head coach Doug Pederson said this week.

"Plus, we're on the road, first week. I think there's some little detail things that you find out about guys. And again, probably more so the leadership of your football team.”

But what parts of each team will make or break their chances to win in Week 1? We break it down below with our three things to watch.

Will Travis Etienne and the offensive line get off to a fast start?

The Jaguars' rushing attack was a tale of two different halves last year. In the first eight games of the season, when the Jaguars were 6-2, the Jaguars rushed for 100 yards or more in six games. In the final nine games, they hit the figure just twice and failed to reach 80 yards in five games.

The Jaguars know they need to have their run game do a complete 180 to ensure the offense reaches its potential. And there is no better time than Week 1 to start, especially against a Dolphins front that lost Christian Wilkins and will be without Bradley Chubb.

"We're very confident in the work they've put in. That's really all we can go off right now. From April through training camp, through all of it," Jaguars offensive coordinator Press Taylor said on Thursday.

"Whether it's the meetings, spending time together, getting on the same page communication-wise, to the reps we see on the field and the reps we spend time getting in the walkthroughs. We've put a lot of time into that and we're very confident in the way they'll play. But again, that's part of it. Let's go see what happens.”

Jaguars pass-rush vs. Dolphins quick passing: who wins?

If the Jaguars are going to throw the Dolphins' electric offense off course, it will start up front. The Jaguars know they will have to rush with four to give their secondary a chance against Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle.

And while the Jaguars' pass-rush group of Josh Hines-Allen, Travon Walker and Arik Armstead would have the advantage against most offensive lines, the Dolphins have the perfect anecdote in the form of a quick passing game that allows Tua Tagovailoa to evade pressure.

"The guy gets out the ball lightning-quick out of his hands. So, we’ve got to do a really good job in our coverage and disrupting him in the pocket, things like that, things you’ve got to do every week," Jaguars defensive coordinator Ryan Nielsen said this week. "How quickly he gets rid of the ball and how well they do a job of seeing your coverage. He knows where to go with the football. It's very impressive.”

So, what is the Jaguars' response? Nielsen detailed their attack plan on Thursday as well.

"Yeah, hands up. Get your hands up, limit interior throwing lanes, things like that. We can't be high rushing up the field, open up areas where he can see better. But yeah, interior types, hands up, bats, tip some balls, things like that.”

Can the Jaguars keep up with Miami's speed demons?

The top two names at the top of the scouting report when facing the Dolphins are Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle, and for good reason. The two wideouts are among the most explosive and dynamic skill players in the NFL, and whether the Jaguars' rebuilt secondary can hang with them down the field remains to be seen.

The Jaguars have great athletes in the secondary in Tyson Campbell, Andre Cisco, Ronald Darby, and Darnell Savage. Sunday will tell us if that is enough.

"Look, we all know about Tyreek [Hill], Waddle, but the rest of the group, they do a really good job," Nielsen said. "If you take those guys away, he'll get the ball to the other guys. So, you can't just focus on one or two. They’ve got a full offense that we’ve got to prepare for."

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