What Type of Problems Can the Jaguars Pose for the Saints?

Jaguars beat reporter John Shipley answers several of my questions regarding Jacksonville's outlook for Thursday night's game against the Saints.

We're one day closer to the Jaguars and Saints kicking off Week 7 on Thursday Night Football. Facing a short week is obviously going to present its own set of unique challenges for each team, and it'll certainly come down to who can execute and coach better in this one. 

Jaguars Beat reporter John Shipley, our colleague over at Jaguar Report, got together with Saints News Network to exchange some questions ahead of the matchup to gather a little bit more intel on Trevor Lawrence, Doug Pederson, and much more.

Getting to Know More About the Jaguars

How concerning is the Trevor Lawrence injury for Jacksonville, and what could you tell us about C.J. Beathard if he has to play in this game? 

Trevor Lawrence's knee injury is absolutely a concern for the Jaguars, but it certainly seems like he is trending to play. C.J. Beathard said today that it is likely Lawrence starts on Thursday, even if Beathard got the starter's reps in practice on Tuesday. Lawrence played through a toe injury last year and arguably had the most productive game of his career after a week of limited practice, but his current knee injury is a different animal.

Even if Lawrence does play, it remains to be seen what his game looks like if he is limited in terms of mobility. Lawrence's game revolves around his athleticism and his ability to keep any play alive, so a hobbled Lawrence could be easier to sack and force into mistakes. With that said, the Jaguars have shown the willingness to let Lawrence function as a point guard in a dink-and-dunk offense before, so they could do that to protect him.

As for Beathard, he isn't near the athlete or precision passer that Lawrence is, but the Jaguars do think he has the ability to push the ball downfield. I think if he started, you would see the Jaguars still test the Saints with a vertical passing game. 

The Jaguars' offense is in the top half of the league, actually flirting with the Top 10. How much could that be attributed to Doug Pederson, and how has his impact helped this team? 

I'd attribute a lot of it to Doug Pederson. Part of it is obviously talent because players like Trevor Lawrence, Travis Etienne, Calvin Ridley, Christian Kirk, and Evan Engram are far from scrubs. But the Jaguars needed a coach who could put all of it together in a cohesive system that lets every player eat, and they found that coach in Pederson.

The Jaguars' execution has been up and down in 2023, but Pederson's system has done a good job of putting players in positions to succeed. It isn't a trendy offense that will get featured on social media, but it provides a lot of easy answers and takes advantage of matchups at every level of the field. 

Jacksonville is doing a really nice job of taking the football away, leading the lead with 15 total and only behind the 49ers in their net difference. What is it about their defense that is doing so well? 

The Jaguars' defense has been the unsung hero of their season so far. It is probably one of the most underrated units in the NFL right now, ranking top-10 in both EPA and DVOA. Defensive coordinator Mike Caldwell more or less has all of his starters and key backups from 2022 back in the fold this year, and both his familiarity with his talent and the players' comfort in his scheme has stood out.

The big thing about Caldwell's defense that stands out has been their early-down dominance. The Jaguars sell out to stop the run on first down, hoping to create second- and third-and-longs that allow them to mix up blitz packages. The Jaguars see running downs as their money downs, and so far the stout front 7 has been extremely effective in making teams one-dimensional.

The Jaguars also have one of the most understated secondaries in the NFL. Tyson Campbell won't play this week, but Darious Williams and Andre Cisco have been ball magnets and Rayshawn Jenkins has had his best performances of the season in back-to-back weeks. 

Aside some of the obvious offensive skill players like Travis Etienne, Evan Engram, Christian Kirk, and Calvin Ridley, who are some that could emerge as a big factor in this game for the Jags offense?

Those are absolutely the four players who the offense runs through, but I don't think they are the only players who have a chance to make an impact.

Rookie tight end Brenton Strange had two catches for 27 yards and his first career touchdown last week, showing terrific yards after catch ability. He has been a dominant blocker all season, but the fact the Jaguars are willingly getting him more involved in the passing game shows their trust in his development.

It seems like a long shot that wide receiver Zay Jones will play, too, which means the Jaguars will probably turn to a combination of Jamal Agnew, Tim Jones and Elijah Cooks to replace him. None were targeted last week, but Beathard specifically has shown a strong connection with Jones and Cooks. 

How do you see this game playing out on a short week and who wins?

I think this game is going to be a slopfest, and the team that protects the ball the most will win the game. I'm not expecting much from the Jaguars' offense since they have a banged up quarterback and offensive line. On the flip side, though, I think their defense is capable of giving them short fields and a chance to win a 17-13 game.