Game Overview ::
By >> Mike johnson
- This game has massive playoff implications for the AFC as it is a matchup between the current #1 and #3 seeds.
- Jacksonville has scored 25 or more points in every game since their Week 8 bye and is averaging 33 points per game during that stretch.
- Travis Etienne Jr. is coming off a career game and rookie Bhayshul Tuten underwent finger surgery, leaving Etienne in a massive workhorse role.
- Denver has won 11 straight games after a shaky 1-2 start, with nine of their last 10 games being decided by one possession.
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How jacksonville Will Try To Win ::
The Jaguars have become one of the league’s hottest teams and are coming off a scorched-earth performance against the Jets in which they scored 48 points and had their highest yardage total of the season. Jacksonville had an embarrassing game in Europe prior to their Week 8 bye against the Rams, but has been unstoppable since then. Jacksonville has at least 25 points in each of their seven games since their bye, averaging 33 points during that stretch. The reality, however, is that their schedule has been relatively soft in recent weeks and this week in Denver they will take a huge step up in competition.
The Jaguars offense under head coach Liam Coen has really come together of late, as evidenced by the aforementioned stats. Coen’s offenses always have a heavy emphasis on the backfield and Travis Etienne Jr. has emerged as the clear lead running back of this offense in recent weeks. He should play a massive role in this game as rookie Bhayshul Tuten is out for multiple weeks with a hand injury. The matchup is tough, but Etienne will be heavily involved in both the running game and passing game. Mid-season acquisition Jakobi Meyers (who just signed a three-year contract extension) has helped this team find their identity. Meyers is an adept route runner with great hands and excels in the intermediate areas of the field and on in-breaking routes. His acquisition has clearly made quarterback Trevor Lawrence more comfortable and opens up a lot of concepts in Coen’s offense. Jacksonville also got explosive second year wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. back a couple of weeks ago and his skill set appears to be a great complement to Meyers. BTJ had a couple of big plays downfield against the Colts in Week 14 while scoring a touchdown last week against the Jets.
This week will be a huge step up for the Jaguars offense as they face an elite Denver defense on their home turf. The Jacksonville opponents in recent weeks have been weak units of the Jets, Titans, and Cardinals along with a showdown with an injury depleted Colts unit. Denver ranks 6th in both pass defense and run defense DVOA, while leading the league in QB pressure rate. Trevor Lawrence is coming off a career game, but still has a lot to prove in terms of being able to get it done in big spots against top teams. The Jaguars have been putting the ball in his hands and rank 5th in pass rate over expectation (PROE) in the last four weeks. This week the focus will be on establishing a semblance of a running game and getting the ball out of his hands quickly. Denver’s elite secondary loves to lock down in man coverage, so we could see the passing game flowing through Etienne and tight end Brenton Strange at a higher rate than normal. Ultimately the scheme of Jacksonville’s offense should provide some opportunity for them to move the ball and make plays, but they will have to win one-on-one matchups both at the line of scrimmage and downfield to do so.
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