Nearly eight years after defeating Jacksonville at Wembley Stadium, the Eagles return to London carrying a much different roster and far greater urgency. Philadelphia’s depleted offense must solve one of the NFL’s strongest run defenses Sunday at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium to avoid a third consecutive loss.
It seats 62,850, making it the largest club stadium in London. Many of the cast members have changed since these two proud teams last tussled overseas. Since that 24-18 Eagles victory, Philadelphia swapped then-head coach Doug Pederson out and is now led by Nick Sirianni. The Carson Wentz-and-Blake Bortles QB duel is a distant memory. We'll discuss that later.
A few Eagles are still on the roster that you might recognize. Jake Elliott is still here
and kicking (pun intended). A project tackle (Jordan Mailata) has become a star.Zach Ertz is back. Dallas Goedert is no longer a rookie, but could miss this one because of injury.
The Eagles are turning the page from the Lane Johnson era, who also played in that 2018 game. Now it's Markel Bell's time. Here are a few key matchups that we can expect to take center stage as we shift our focus to Week 5.
The head-coaching duel - Nick Sirianni vs. Liam Coen
The sky is falling in Philadelphia, and discussions have returned to Nick Sirianni's perceived lack of Xs-and-Os mastery. Still, he's 61-28 during the regular season and counting. A lot of coaches would take that.
Liam Coen has done a phenomenal job of changing the culture in Duval County. He's 16-5 since taking the reins in Jacksonville and led the Jaguars to a 13-4 record and the AFC South title in his first season as head coach. Coen is respected for his offensive acumen and calls the plays for his unit. He has led Jacksonville to a 3-1 record so far in 2026.
The quarterback duel - Jalen Hurts vs. Trevor Lawrence
Trevor Lawrence enters this one white-hot. In his most recent game, he and his Jaguars teammates outlasted Joe Burrow and the Cincinnati Bengalsfor a 22-17 win. Jacksonville's other two wins came at the Cleveland Browns' and New England Patriots' expense. Lawrence is 0-2 against the Eagles for his career.
The battle of the coordinators - Sean Mannion vs. Anthony Campanile
Sean Mannion's offense has hit a few bumps early. Next up on his slate is a chess match with Jaguars defensive coordinator Anthony Campanile.
Jacksonville hired the latter as its defensive coordinator under Coen in 2025. In January, after the Arizona Cardinals showed interest in their head coaching position, Campanile agreed to a contract extension to remain with Jacksonville.
Will Shipley vs. the Jaguars rush defense
The Jaguars' rushing defense is becoming one of the best stories that no one is discussing. Through four games, they rank second in the NFL and are allowing 74.3 yards per game.
This week, they face an Eagles attack expected to lean on Will Shipley as its top weapon. Saquon Barkley isn't expected to play because of his hamstring injury, and Tank Bigsby will now sit on the injured reserve with an abdominal issue.
The Eagles don't have the luxury of easing into this one. After consecutive losses and growing concerns about the offense, Philadelphia needs a response. Jacksonville enters with confidence, a strong rushing defense, and a quarterback who appears to be playing some of the best football of his career. The Jaguars have won three of four games and look every bit like a legitimate AFC contender.
For Philadelphia, the challenge extends beyond simply earning a victory. The Eagles need to show signs of progress. Whether that's Jalen Hurts rediscovering his rhythm, Sean Mannion finding answers offensively, or Will Shipley helping stabilize the running game, the storylines surrounding this matchup stretch far beyond the final score. By the time the teams leave Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, we'll have a much clearer picture of which team is headed in the right direction and which one still has significant questions to answer.
This article originally appeared on Eagles Wire: Eagles vs. Jaguars: Four early matchups to watch in Week 5
