Welcome to Big Cat Country’s staff roundtable! Today, we’re previewing Week 1’s matchup between the Jacksonville Jaguars and the Carolina Panthers at EverBank Stadium.
What is the biggest question about the Jaguars you want to have answered after Week 1?
Dillon Appleman: Who is going to separate themselves from the pack in a crowded running back room? There is still a lot of uncertainty about what the usage will look like among the Jaguars’ running backs. It feels like the plan is for Travis Etienne
and Tank Bigsby to split most of the work, but it’s possible we see rookies Bhayshul Tuten or LeQuint Allen Jr. get some touches as well. No matter the splits, Week 1 is an opportunity for somebody to prove they deserve more of a workload going forward.
Travis Holmes: The Jaguars recently named center Robert Hainsey as a team captain for the 2025 season. After wrapping up a preseason where the Jacksonville offense never faced a starting defensive unit, I’m interested in seeing how Hainsey performs this week against nose tackle Bobby Brown III, the dominant run-stopping plug in the middle of Carolina’s defense. Hainsey was signed in Jacksonville after losing his starting role in Tampa Bay, primarily due to struggles in dealing with the more powerful DTs, so this should be a great opening test for the newly designated captain.
Gus Logue: What will Anthony Campanile’s defense look like? According to Daniel Griffis of Action News Jax, the 2024 Jaguars ranked top-three in man coverage rate and press coverage rate, and bottom-three in blitz rate and stunt rate. Ryan Nielsen deployed a predictable, vanilla scheme. Expect Campanile to do a complete 180 and turn up the heat by sending extra rushers and disguising zone coverages.
Henry Zimmer: I think in Week 1 I would just like to see a clean game from Trevor Lawrence. He looked great in the preseason but that was limited. Now it’s time to see it in full action and all signs are pointing to yielding great things. The Panthers aren’t world beaters, but it would be a great sign heading into Cincinnati if Lawrence played a clean game.
If you could ‘steal’ a player from the Panthers and place them on the Jaguars’ roster, who would it be?
Dillon: I’m taking the Panthers’ shiny new free agency addition, Tre’von Moehrig. The veteran safety would instantly provide this defense with a tone-setter on the backend that they do not currently have. Moehrig’s 5 TFLs last year are equal to the entire Jaguars safety depth’s total in 2024, which goes to show how impactful he is when getting downhill. That type of player has been missing for the Jacksonville secondary for a while.
Travis: I think Jacksonville would thrive with a player like Tre’von Moehrig roaming the Jaguars’ secondary. The recently signed Moehrig came over from Las Vegas, where he rarely missed tackles, ranking sixth among safeties in PFF run defense grade (87.5). Despite the Raiders’ pass rush taking a hit and the defense losing half of their starters in the second half of the season, Moehrig’s coverage grades on passes over 3 seconds (62.9) and in the slot (64.2) both remained above average. With Jacksonville’s looming questions at the safety positions currently filled by Eric Murray and Andrew Wingard, Moehrig would provide slightly more stability.
Gus: There are a few tempting options on Carolina’s defensive roster, but I’d address perhaps the Jaguars’ biggest weakness by nabbing right guard Robert Hunt. The five-year NFL veteran finished second in ESPN’s run block win rate among interior linemen last season, and he enters 2025 as Brandon Thorn’s 10th-ranked right guard. He’d be a huge boost for Liam Coen’s run game.
Henry: Derrick Brown would be at the top of my list. As good as DaVon Hamilton or even Arik Armstead can be, having a guy like Brown would level up this defense significantly. Jaycee Horn also couldn’t hurt.
Who will be the biggest X-factor on Sunday?
Dillon: Josh Hines-Allen. With the status of Panthers starting left tackle Ikem Ekwonu in question (appendectomy), the Jags’ star pass rusher could be in for a huge day. Not to mention the added incentive of JHA being just 2.5 sacks away from setting the franchise’s all-time sack record.
Travis: Carolina defensive end Derrick Brown is the player to watch from my perspective. Brown is easily the best player on the Panthers’ roster. The last time he was healthy for the season, he collected over 100 tackles, setting an NFL record for the position. In 2023, he led all interior defenders in defensive stops and solo tackles, and PFF had his run-defense grade at 90.0 in that Pro Bowl season. Sliding him back in next to Bobby Brown III could be a challenge for the Jaguars’ offensive line. I think the fans in Duval could be sleeping on that improvement over the Panthers’ 2024 run defense results.
Gus: Tetairoa McMillan. With Adam Thielen shipped to Minnesota and Jalen Coker placed on injured reserve, the Panthers suddenly have a shallow receiver room behind their eighth overall draft pick. The Jaguars should put all their efforts into slowing McMillan because the Panthers don’t have any other notable threats. I don’t see Carolina walking out of the Bank with a win unless their rookie receiver makes an instant impact.
Henry: The biggest X-Factor could be Bryce Young. Much like Lawrence, all signs are pointing up for Young and he has the receivers to help him out. If he plays well, and the Jags defense reverts to its old ways, it could be a long day for Jacksonville and a big day for the former Heisman winner.
Final score prediction?
Dillon: Jaguars 27, Panthers 21
Travis: Jaguars 27, Panthers 23
Gus: Jaguars 30, Panthers 24
Henry: Jaguars 24, Panthers 17
What are your Week 1 predictions, Jaguars fans? Let us know in the comments!
