The silver lining of playing on Thursday Night Football is the Jacksonville Jaguars didn’t have much time to think about their bewildering loss to the Arizona Cardinals in Week 4. Instead, they have just a few days to prepare for the Cincinnati Bengals, who are favored to win by eight points in Week 4.
This won’t be an easy game for the Jags. The Bengals currently have a 2-1 record and their defense ranks seventh in points allowed. Moreover, they have a young core of offensive playmakers and have scored an AFC North-high 68 points in three games. How often can you say Cincy is a better team than the Baltimore Ravens or the Pittsburgh Steelers?
It’s still early to crown the Bengals and peg them as a playoff team. However, they will be a tough opponent in Week 4. If the Jags want to pull the upset, they will have to keep these five Bengals in check on Thursday Night Football.
The Jacksonville Jaguars must account for this Bengals wide receiver.
1. Ja’Marr Chase, wide receiver
With Tee Higgins potentially missing the game, quarterback Joe Burrow may lean heavily on rookie wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase.
The LSU product is a prime example of why offseason and preseason performances aren’t a surefire indicator of future success. You may or may have not heard that Chase struggled with drops before the regular season. However, that now looks like a footnote in his rookie card, as he has gone on to haul in 11 receptions for 220 years and four touchdowns.
Jaguars cornerback Shaquill Griffin limited All-Pro wide receiver to three receptions for 21 yards and no touchdowns in Week 4. Will the 2019 Pro Bowl nod have the same kind of performance against Chase?
These two Bengals defenders could give the Jacksonville Jaguars a headache.
1. Jessie Bates, safety
Jessie Bates III is one of the best safeties in the NFL and is still puzzling that the Bengals haven’t given him a contract extension. However, he is off to a slow start in 2021. In three games, he’s logged 22 total tackles and one tackle for a loss and has a Pro Football Focus overall grade of 75.6. On the other hand, he’s allowed nine passes on nine targets and hasn’t registered a pass defensed or an interception.
Bates has been limited in practice this week, so there’s a chance he won’t suit up Thursday. His absence would be a blow to the Bengals’ secondary. Conversely, his presence in the lineup could make it difficult for the Jags to throw the ball, even if he hasn’t been as good as he was last season.
Update: Ben Baby of ESPN reported that Jessie Bates has been ruled out for Week 4.
2. Logan Wilson, linebacker
The Bengals have a stout front seven, and linebacker Logan Wilson has established himself as the leader of the unit in just his second year. The 2020 third-round pick has snagged three interceptions in as many games. Also, he’s logged 30 total tackles and three passes defensed.
Wilson is one of the reasons why Cincy has a top 10 defense. He currently has a Pro Football Focus grade of 74.7 and it’s possible that if he played in a bigger market, he would get the spotlight. If he keeps playing the way he has this season, it won’t take him much to get noticed by the national media.
The Jacksonville Jaguars must neutralize these two Bengals on offense.
4. Joe Burrow, quarterback
It’s hard to tell how good second-year quarterback Joe Burrow is. Last season, he was part of a bad Bengals team that struggled to protect him. Regardless of how talented you are, you need to have decent protection to throw the ball. Burrow didn’t have that in 2020. In fact, an ACL injury cut his rookie season short.
In three games, Burrow has completed 70.7 percent of his passes for 640 yards with seven touchdowns and four interceptions. The other side of the coin is that he’s been sacked ten times. The Jaguars’ defense must pressure him early on and force him into making mistakes.
5. Joe Mixon, running back
The Jags’ defensive front has shown progress against the run in 2021. In three games, they’ve given up 3.4 yards per carry and 115 rushing yards per game. While those numbers are far from great, it’s an improvement over last year’s average of 153 yards per game. However, Jacksonville’s primary goal in Week 4 will be to contain, running back Joe Mixon, who is second in the league in rushing yards.
Last season, Mixon ran wild against the Jaguars, toting the rock 25 times for 151 yards. What makes this frustrating is the fact that it was his only 100-yard game of the 2020 season. If the Jags can slow down the 2017 second-round pick, they will force the Bengals to become one-dimensional, which would then help them defend the pass better. It won’t be easy but if they do it, they could win the game.