The Jacksonville Jaguars head to Sin City on Sunday to take on the Las Vegas Raiders. Here are three key battles to keep an eye on:
Anton Harrison vs Maxx Crosby
As far as tests go, it might not get any tougher for Anton Harrison than what he’s going up against on Sunday. The Raiders’ defensive front isn’t one that strikes fear into opponents on paper. And yet despite a less than stellar supporting cast, edge rusher Maxx Crosby continues to be one of the most ferocious edge rushers in the NFL.
There’s a reason why Crosby’s name has been mentioned in trade rumors, particularly with the Dallas Cowboys; it’s because he’s incredibly consistent at pressuring the quarterback. Already with four sacks and an interception this year, it says a lot that Crosby was mentioned as a ‘bounceback candidate’ in 2025 despite registering 7.5 sacks and 45 tackles in just 12 games last year. Most defensive ends would kill for that sort of production, but for Crosby it was his worst output of his pro career.
Harrison has had his best season in a Jaguars uniform since he was drafted in 2023. The Jags’ o-line ranks in the top ten in the NFL, and Harrison is the standout member of the five. He’ll have his work cut out this weekend, but if he manages to keep Crosby quiet then the odds of a Jacksonville victory go up exponentially.
Bhayshul Tuten vs Devin White
The Jaguars’ ground game exploded out of the gate in 2025. Led by Travis Etienne, the running back room helped the team jump out to a 4-1 record, averaging over 137 yards per game themselves and allowing the passing game to flourish at the same time. The confidence in this position group meant that James Gladstone was content to let Tank Bigsby go to the Philadelphia Eagles after Week 1, meaning an immediate promotion to RB2 for rookie ball carrier Bhayshul Tuten.
Tuten has shown a lot of promise spelling the aforementioned Etienne. But the ground game has gone off the boil somewhat the last two contests, falling back to an average of under 77 yards. Hopefully the bye week will have allowed the group to rest up, shake off any aches or injuries, and get back to the levels they showed through the first five weeks. In that regard, I expect to see Tuten earn more of the ball and hopefully continue to grow and produce as he finds his feet at the pro level.
Devin White put the league in notice after being drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2019. The Super Bowl winner was named an All Pro in 2020 and made the Pro Bowl a year later, but subsequently lost his form after requesting to be traded following an impasse in contract talks. He signed a one-year deal with the Eagles in free agency and never played a game for them, being released in October. He then headed to the Houston Texans where he was used sparingly, but has been reborn in Las Vegas. He’s already at 64 tackles on the year, and before the bye recorded an incredible 16 takedowns despite his team being humbled by the Kansas City Chiefs. Tuten, Etienne and anyone else attempting to make gains through the middle must be wary of the Raiders’ star linebacker.
Antonio Johnson vs Brock Bowers
An inconsistent passing game behind the arm of Geno Smith has hampered Brock Bowers’ year 2 progression after the tight end exploded onto the scene as a rookie. Bowers was named an All-Pro and finished second in the Rookie of the Year award behind only Jayden Daniels in 2024, and that talent hasn’t disappeared overnight. With Jack Beck and Tyler Lockett the primary targets on the outside in the absence of Jakobi Meyers, I imagine Bowers will be heavily targeted by his quarterback on Sunday.
The Jaguars, conversely, are suffering a mini injury crisis in the area of the field that Bowers likes to operate. Starting free safety Eric Murray did not practice on Thursday, whilst standout coverage linebacker Devin Lloyd was also limited with a calf issue. Neither look set to play, meaning it could be a big assignment for Antonio Johnson to come in and cover Bowers. The versatile Johnson provides cover at both safety positions and likes to come down into the box to get amongst the action. Despite the absence of key players, his skillset might be best suited to embrace the challenge that Bowers brings.
Despite their turnover prowess, the Jaguars’ secondary allowed 78 yards to tight ends against the Seattle Seahawks in Week 6 and 101 yards against the Los Angeles Rams in Week 7. Johnson will need to buck that trend if the Jags are to head back to Duval County with a win.
