After their big win over the Kansas City Chiefs, the Jacksonville Jaguars get set to welcome the Seattle Seahawks to EverBank Stadium this Sunday. Here are three key battles to keep an eye on:
Greg Newsome vs Jaxon Smith-Njigba
Welcome to Duval County Greg Newsome! The Jaguars surprised a lot of us earlier this week, agreeing to a trade with the Cleveland Browns that saw the team swap starting cornerback Tyson Campbell for Newsome, with an exchange of late round picks. Opinions vary on who ‘won’ the trade, which likely means it was good for both teams – for the Jags, they get to release some much needed cap space (almost $50m next year) whilst replacing Campbell with someone of similar talent who potentially fits Anthony Campanile’s scheme moving forward.
Newsome is in his fifth year in the league having spent all of his pro career in Cleveland. A steady contributor for the Browns, he was named onto the All-Rookie team in 2021 – and according to PFF, has a significant edge in pass coverage (62.1 grade) over Campbell (51.1). This will be important for his debut on Sunday, going up against Jaxon Smith-Njigba. ‘JSN’ had his first 1,000 yard receiving season in 2024, and is already halfway to matching that total again this campaign. He’s undoubtedly become Sam Darnold’s go to target, reeling in eight catches for 132 yards and a touchdown against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers last weekend.
This is a stern test for Newsome, made all the harder with his unfamiliarity with the Jaguars playbook. This is a defense playing lights out right now – if Newsome can avoid any dropoff, Jacksonville will be in a good spot for their fifth win of the year.
Trevor Lawrence vs Josh Jobe
Trevor Lawrence played like a man on a mission on Monday night. A good performance through the air (18/25, 221 yards, TD, INT) – including the best throw of the season so far to Brian Thomas – was complemented with a strong scramble game that kept the chains moving for the Jags all night, and ultimately led to the game-winning touchdown. Lawrence finished as the team’s rushing leader with 54 yards and two scores on the ground, literally getting up off the mat to will the team to victory. Hopefully this is a sign that Liam Coen has the ability to unlock all of T-Law’s potential as the Jaguars look to assert dominance in the AFC South.
The Seahawk’s secondary is decimated by injury. Corner Devon Witherspoon and safety Julian Love have both not participated in training this week, whilst Tariq Woolen and Nick Emmanwori were both limited. This has been a big factor in Seattle’s defense struggling; this unit looks a far cry from the one Mike Macdonald presided over in Baltimore. Defensive Coordinator Aden Durde has been complimentary of Josh Jobe so far through this season, the one piece on the back end you would consider a starter who looks set to play on Sunday. He’ll likely match up against Brian Thomas, who also seems to be finding his form – Jacksonville will be looking to punish this banged up secondary on Sunday.
Hunter Long vs Boye Mafe/Coby Bryant
With the news that Brenton Strange was sent to IR this week, it will be interesting to see who is elevated into a starting role for the Jaguars. Strange, decried by many as a typical Trent Baalke selection, has been a nice surprise so far through this campaign, showing his abilities as both a blocker and a pass catcher. A hip injury is unfortunate, and so you would assume that Hunter Long and Johnny Mundt would pick up the slack in his absence.
Both tight ends caught one pass each against the Chiefs. But it’s Long, who already has two touchdown receptions, who is likely to be most prominent as a weapon for Trevor Lawrence. This is a good matchup across the middle for Jacksonville too; last week against the Bucs, Seattle allowed Cade Otton the freedom of Lumen Field. Otton finished with 81 yards from four catches – if the Jags can get that kind of production from their tight ends this Sunday they’ll be delighted.
Long will be up against linebacker Boye Mafe on short to intermediate routes, potentially safety Coby Bryant if he’s let loose more vertically. Mafe has been largely ineffective in coverage this season, and we’ve already highlighted the alarming health of the Seahawks’ secondary; if I’m a fantasy football fanatic (and I’m definitely not), I’d suggest Hunter Long could be a surprise candidate for some otherwise unexpected production this weekend.
