Jaguars vs. Raiders: Tyson Campbell and Devante Adams Offer Marquee Matchup

There is no denying what the biggest individual matchup is going to be on Sunday when the Jaguars and Raiders take the field.

Every now and then, a young and ascending player gets a chance to face the elite of the elite. Opportunities against the best of the best don't come along often, but when they do, there is no shying away. 

That is the kind of opportunity Jacksonville Jaguars cornerback Tyson Campbell has on his hands this weekend, with the Las Vegas Raiders and wide receiver Devante Adams offering the biggest matchup of his career.

“I think if that’s the case (if he shadows him), you learn a lot," Jaguars head coach Doug Pederson said on Friday. 

"It’s a great opportunity for Tyson if that’s the case. I just think that’s a great opportunity for any player to be in that position to go against one of the best receivers in our league. If that’s the case, again, I know Tyson will be ready and be prepared for that opportunity.”

Campbell has been one of the NFL's top cornerbacks this season, allowing passers to complete just 58.5% of their passes his way with three pass breakups and two interceptions. And with the Jaguars struggling at the other cornerback positions during their five-game losing streak, Campbell is who the Jaguars have turned to when it comes to defending the opposing teams' top weapon.

Last week against Courtland Sutton was the first week Campbell has exclusively shadowed a receiver this season. Part of that is due to the Jaguars' scheme, and part of it is due to the Jaguars not seeing a truly elite receiver until this week. Now with Adams and his accolades and years of production in tow, Campbell should be expected to step up to the plate once again.

“We did a little bit last week. This week, we’ll just see how the game goes. There’s always a chance of doing it, but right now, we’re just trying to figure out how they’re trying to attack us and find out what our best plan to attack them is," Jaguars defensive coordinator Mike Caldwell said on Thursday. 

"We shadowed a little bit, but Tyson, he’s been consistent all year. He’s in position to make plays, and his target rate is pretty high. We like that. We feel comfortable with him guarding different people, and we’ll continue to let him grow.”

For Caldwell, Adams provides the kind of matchup that presents a true benchmark for a young player like Campbell. Every receiver Campbell plays in the NFL is talented, but few are as talented as Adams.

“He’s a go-to guy. He’s a guy that has great quickness off the ball, and he runs the entire route tree, and he’s an athlete playing receiver," Caldwell said. "He’s a guy that—I don’t know him personally but—the way that he moves, you can put him at any position, and he’d be successful. That helps him out being a receiver. He’s able to use his quickness, use his speed, and he can catch anything close to him.”

"Anytime you get a guy who’s talked about as the number one person at a certain position, that should raise a hair on everybody’s neck. It’s not just Tyson, it’s everybody. It’s a team defense, and we understand that we have to pressure the quarterback to make him get rid of the ball so we don’t have to cover as long on the back end. It’s a team effort. We’re excited about it, get a chance to go against a really good one.”