The Jets beat the Jaguars last season, with both teams struggling at the time. However, this season’s Jacksonville team is 9-4 and could be heading for an AFC South title. Can the Jets play spoiler with the undrafted
rookie Brady Cook starting at quarterback?
Let’s break down the Jaguars roster, going position-by-position:
Quarterbacks
When the Jets beat Jacksonville last season, Mac Jones was at the helm as Trevor Lawrence ended the year on injured reserve. Lawrence has returned and has already matched his career-best win total from 2022 when he was a pro bowler.
However, his quarterback rating has dropped for the third year in a row since then. Lawrence has also tied a career-high this season with five rushing touchdowns, though.
The backup is Nick Mullens, who has only thrown one pass all year. He’s experienced enough, with 20 career starts, although he has only won five, including none since 2020.
Offensive Line
Jacksonville overhauled their interior line this year with Robert Hainsey at center and Patrick Mekari at right guard joining returning starter Ezra Cleveland at left guard. They’ve been solid but Mekari has a team-high eight offensive penalties.
Walker Little returns at left tackle with 2023 first round pick Anton Harrison on the right. Little has given up a team high nine sacks and missed his first game last week with a concussion. He is listed as questionable.
While none of their starters have started all 13 games, the Jaguars have been healthy on the whole as Harrison is the only starter to miss two games.
It’s helpful that reserve Cole Van Lanen is so versatile. He has started six games at four different positions.
Also on the bench are ex-Jet Chuma Edoga, who has two starts this year, albeit both as an extra tight end, and two rookies. Third rounder Wyatt Milum hasn’t started a game yet but has played 43 snaps at guard off the bench, while sixth rounder Jonah Monheim did start one game at center.
Running Backs
After seeing his role reduced last year, Travis Etienne has returned to a lead back role after the Jaguars traded Tank Bigsby in September. Etienne needs just 83 more yards to post his third thousand-yard season and has nine total touchdowns. He doesn’t have a 100-yard game since September, though.
Two rookies – fourth rounder Bhayshul Tuten and seventh rounder LeQuint Allen – are in reserve. Of the two, Tuten has seen more action and posted modest numbers, but he does have five total touchdowns.
Pass catchers
The Jaguars drafted Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter with the second overall pick to play a dual wide receiver and cornerback role, which had mixed results, but he is now on injured reserve.
Partly in response to that injury, the Jaguars traded for veteran Jakobi Meyers and that’s starting to pay off as he has a touchdown in each of the past three games.
Brian Thomas Jr., a pro bowler last season, has had a disappointing season with just one touchdown and no 100-yard games. He had 10 touchdowns and four 100-yard games last season. Even so, he leads the team with 535 receiving yards and an improved yards per catch average of 15.3.
It’s Parker Washington who actually leads the Jags with 36 receptions, while Dyami Brown and Tim Patrick add depth off the bench. Patrick only has 13 receptions but three of them were touchdowns. Washington is listed as questionable for Sunday, though.
Jacksonville’s most productive tight end is Brenton Strange, who has 31 receptions, with Johnny Mundt also listed as a starter and Hunter Long producing off the bench. Quintin Morris is also on the roster.
Defensive Line
On defense, the Jaguars have Josh Hines-Allen and former first overall pick Travon Walker starting on the edge. Hines-Allen leads the team with seven sacks and also leads them in tackles for loss and quarterback hits. Walker has just 2.5 sacks after back-to-back seasons in double-digits.
Arik Armstead, who has 5.5 sacks, can also play on the edge but he’s listed as a starter inside along with Davon Hamilton. Maason Smith started inside last week, though. Austin Johnson is also in the rotation on the defensive interior but Matt Dickerson hasn’t played much.
Depth on the edge comes from veterans Emmanuel Ogbah and Dawuane Smoot, but undrafted rookies BJ Green and Danny Striggow also see action.
Linebackers
Foyesade Oluokun plays a full-time role at linebacker and has filled out the stat sheet with 103 tackles and 10 pass breakups, but Devin Lloyd has made the most impact plays as he has five interceptions including a pick six.
Dennis Gardeck is also listed as a starter and Ventrell Miller is listed as a co-starter with Lloyd, but he plays fewer snaps than the other three.
Reserves Yasir Abdullah, Brandon Combs and fourth round rookie Jack Kiser have been active just six times and played fewer than 50 snaps between them.
Defensive Backs
The Jaguars’ unofficial depth chart still lists Jourdan Lewis and Montaric Brown as the starters at cornerback, but Greg Newsome II has been starting in place of Lewis since he was acquired from the Browns after week five.
Lewis, who leads the team with nine defensive penalties, now comes off the bench with Jarrian Jones also in the rotation as both have seen plenty of time in the slot.
The starting safeties are Eric Murray and Andrew Wingard, who has had a productive year with 72 tackles and eight pass breakups but was inactive last week. Antonio Johnson started in Wingard’s place.
Cornerback Christian Braswell and sixth round rookie safety Rayuan Lane III each saw action last week, but the Jaguars’ depth is compromised by Hunter being on injured reserve along with third round rookie Caleb Ransaw.
Special Teams
Pro bowl punter Logan Cooke is actually posting his worst numbers since his rookie year but he’s only allowed 20 return yards or more in one game this season. Long snapper Ross Matiscik is also a pro bowler.
Kicker Cam Little made headlines with an NFL record 68-yard field goal earlier this year, having also hit a 70-yarder in preseason. He’s missed five kicks this season, but had a game winner against Arizona.
Washington has made an impact on special teams with two punt return touchdowns. However, despite being listed as the team’s only kickoff returner, he hasn’t done much of that. These duties have been handled by Allen and Tuten. Of the two, Tuten has been the more effective with a season-long return of 54 yards.
If Washington can’t go, the Jaguars might elevate Austin Trammell from the practice squad to return punts.
Lane and Johnson are the primary gunners with Lane leading the team in special teams tackles. Combs, Gardeck, Morris and Miller also contribute well in kick coverage.
