This week we are joined by Gus Logue of our Jaguars sister site, Big Cat Country, to help us preview this week’s matchup between two AFC teams who are in the thick of contending for a postseason appearance.
The Bolts are 7-3 after beating the Steelers in Week 10 and the Jaguars dropped to 5-4 after collapsing against the Texans.
The vibes are likely quite different on either side coming into this matchup, but don’t mistake that for a lack of motivation for these teams. The Chargers will be spurred on by the idea of winning four consecutive games heading into their bye while the Jaguars are hungry to get back into the win column and to get this sour taste of defeat out of their mouths.
A big thank you to Gus for helping out us! Let’s go ahead and jump right in!
1.) From an outside perspective, the Jaguars have had an up-and-down season. They’re above .500 on the year with a win over the Chiefs on their resume, but they’re coming off one of the toughest regular season losses in recent memory. What’s the overall vibe around the team right now and how would you paint a picture of the team’s potential the rest of the season?
Liam Coen preached about battling through adversity all offseason, and Sunday is as good a test for that as any. A win over a fellow AFC playoff contender would be a huge momentum swing for this team. Vibes would be very high, especially with a soft schedule ahead and key players set to return from injury soon. The postseason is very much in reach. Players and coaches alike are surely eager to bounce back, and they should get a boost from being back at EverBank Stadium for the first time in over a month.
If the team loses on Sunday — which would be its fourth loss in five games — the locker room vibes could come close to matching that of the fanbase. At this time last week, 90% of our readers were confident in the direction of the team. That figure is now a season-low 59%. Another L would lead to a considerable spike in “2026 mock draft” Google searches out of Northeast Florida.
2.) Jacksonville has both a first-year head coach and a general manager. In their short time with the team thus far, what kind of a job does the fan base believe they’ve done with the team? Have they made more good decisions than bad? How would you describe their philosophy in regards to team building?
Like any fanbase, Jaguars faithful have commended team brass during winning streaks and criticized them amid losing streaks. That’s especially true for general manager James Gladstone. Free agent additions C Robert Hainsey, RG Patrick Mekari, TE Hunter Long, SCB Jourdan Lewis, S Eric Murray, and OLB Dennis Gardeck looked like phenomenal investments to start the season, but Mekari’s play has dropped off, and Long, Lewis, and Murray are all out with injuries.
Gladstone found two nice role players in LeQuint Allen Jr. and S Rayuan Lane III during the seventh round, but No. 2 overall pick WR/CB Travis Hunter and No. 88 pick S Caleb Ransaw are on injured reserve. The team could really use those two. It could also stand to add about a dozen new faces along its defensive line rotation, or whatever the maximum is. Jacksonville’s pass rush, which has the fourth-worst sack rate of any team across the past decade, is unsuccessfully relying on former first-round picks Josh Hines-Allen (2 sacks this year), Travon Walker (2), and Arik Armstead (4.5).
Because Hines-Allen and Walker already occupy starting roles, the front office was in a tricky spot to acquire an EDGE via free agency. Then they couldn’t land their guy (Ashton Gillotte) during the draft after trading up for Hunter. Gladstone at least addressed the position’s depth in some capacity by signing UDFAs B.J. Green II and Danny Striggow, plus veterans Dawuane Smoot and Emmanuel Ogbah, after the draft. Trent Baalke would never. And I still like the move to get Hunter because the team needs depth and starpower. Gladstone has to hit both singles and homers going forward to put together a contender-caliber roster. The early returns are generally positive.
3.) If you were Chargers offensive coordinator Greg Roman, how would you go about attacking this Jaguars defense? Where are the weak points? Which matchups would you attempt to exploit?
You basically just want to avoid Hines-Allen and Walker along the edges. They stop pretty much anything that comes their way. That said, the Jaguars have a weak DT room and traded away their best run defending cornerback, Tyson Campbell, so you can find some success running straight up the gut or along the perimeter. Jacksonville’s front seven is above-average at stopping the run, but as I alluded to before, the safety position is a problem.
That means you’re gonna want to pass over the middle of the field. You won’t be scared to throw at cornerbacks Greg Newsome, Montaric Brown (replacing Hunter), and Jarrian Jones (replacing Lewis), but they have flashed impressive ball disruption. You’ll be much more tempted to throw at safeties Andrew Wingard and Antonio Johnson, plus linebacker Foye Oluokun. The first two simply are not starting-caliber players, and the latter has lost a step in coverage this season.
The Jaguars have been tormented by tight ends — Brock Bowers caught 12 of 13 targets for 127 yards and 3 TDs in Week 9 — so I’m expecting a huge game from Oronde Gadsden. It should also be a strong outing for Herbert, who I expect to find answers downfield faster than this Jaguars pass rush can arrive.
4.) If you were Chargers defensive coordinator Jesse Minter, how would you plan to stop this Jaguars offense? What’s the best way to make Trevor Lawrence uncomfortable? Which players would you have circled in red?
Coen will be handicapped a bit because top two tight ends Brenton Strange and Hunter Long are out. That means the Jaguars will be calling up Quintin Morris from the practice squad to play with Johnny Mundt on game day. Jacksonville will also have to start Cole Van Lanen or Chuma Edoga at right tackle in place of the injured Anton Harrison, and the left tackle spot is already a weak link. Walker Little leads the NFL in blown blocks with 33, per Sports Info Solutions.
I’d throw blitzes and stunts at the Jaguars, and not just on passing downs. The rushing attack game you see Sunday will be the most diverse you’re witnessed all season. Don’t let Coen find a hole in your run defense or force you to overcommit to stopping the run. The key to defending Jacksonville is containing Etienne, because the offense can’t win consistently on 3rd-and-longs due to its porous offensive tackles, unreliable receivers, and overaggressive quarterback.
5.) Go ahead and give us a few lines on how you see this game shaking out on Sunday and be sure to top it off with a final score prediction.
The Jaguars will come out with a fire in their belly, especially Hines-Allen. He’s a half sack away from breaking the franchise’s all-time record — doing so at home, against a premier quarterback, in a borderline must-win game would be special. But have I mentioned how worried I am about the Jaguars’ overall defensive line and safety positions? Herbert ought to shred. I don’t think the Jaguars offense (down Hunter, Harrison, Strange, Long, and probably Brian Thomas Jr.) will be able to find the endzone as often. Jaguars 23, Chargers 24.
