The Jacksonville Jaguars will face the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 5. One of the biggest storylines surrounding the game is that Philly will be dealing with a myriad of injuries. While there's no doubt that the Jags will have an edge, they cannot uncork the champagne just yet.
It won't matter if the Eagles aren't at full strength if Jacksonville doesn't put an emphasis on fundamentals and technique in the London game. Head coach Liam Coen said as much when he met with reporters ahead of the London game.
The Jaguars need to execute when they play the Eagles
Liam Coen says that the Jaguars can't worry too much about what the Eagles do, noting that his team must focus on itself.
"We've tried to look at it as that we can't worry about that, or if that even creeps into our minds, we're probably worrying about the wrong things because it is about us," Coen told the press corps (1:26 mark). "It's about our execution, our game plan, our fundamentals, technique, communication. Nick Sirianni does a great job. This team, this group, you know, won a Super Bowl a few years ago. They know how to handle adversity. They know how to handle some of these things."
Coen continued, "They've had a ton of guys play and help them win over the course of the last few years. So I know they'll be ready to play. That's for sure. And it's really got to be about us. I mean, that's something that we continue to talk about as a team."
Several Eagles players may not be available for the bout. Running back Saquon Barkley is dealing with a hamstring injury and probably won't suit up. That's an issue because Tank Bigsby landed on the Injured Reserve and needed core surgery, leaving Will Shipley as the top option in the Philadelphia backfield. And that's just the beginning.
Wide receiver DeVonta Smith is also dealing with a hamstring injury and probably won't play. Dontayvion Wicks could also be unavailable. If that wasn't enough, right tackle Lane Johnson announced his retirement days before the game, and center Cam Jurgens was traded to the Baltimore Ravens.
When you add it all up, it's easy to see why the Jags are a 7.5-point favorite fo the game.
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The Jaguars need to take advantage of an injured Eagles team in Week 5
While the Jaguars are 3-1, they're far from perfect. Penalties were an issue in the win over the Cincinnati Bengals. Similarly, Jacksonville couldn't hold onto its lead against the Denver Broncos in Week 2 and ended up losing.
Simply put, it won't matter if the Eagles are injured or if the Jags face a 0-10 team if they don't focus on themselves. The good news is that they appear to be well aware that this is a trap game, so don't expect them to let their guard down. Liam Coen won't allow that to happen.
The Jaguars could afford to take their foot off the gas pedal only if they score so many points that the outcome of the game is already decided by the start of the fourth quarter. Until then, they must treat the London game like any other one against the best teams in the NFL.
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