The Jacksonville Jaguars stunned the league by defeating the Denver Broncos in Week 16, but it came at a cost. Multiple starters were injured in the process, including cornerback Jourdan Lewis, offensive lineman Patrick Mekari, and center Robert Hainsey.
Losing Lewis is a huge blow for the defense, but the Jaguars can't ignore what losing Hainsey could mean for the offense, either. Quarterback Trevor Lawrence has been on fire, but a big part of any QB's success is the offensive line.
Unfortunately for Lawrence (and for Jags fans), the offensive line hasn't always been reliable. However, in recent weeks there has been serious improvement. The same could be said for Hainsey, who — according to Pro Football Focus (subscription required) — has been relatively reliable in recent weeks. So with Hainsey listed as questionable for Week 17, someone else will need to step in and keep Jacksonville's hot streak alive.
With Robert Hainsey listed as questionable, the Jaguars could turn to Jonah Monheim
According to the Jaguars' injury report, Hainsey hasn't practiced at all this week, which means rookie Jonah Monheim could get the starting nod in Week 17. The Jaguars' last two games are both divisional matchups, and while the Jags have already clinched the playoffs, they haven't officially won the AFC South yet. Jacksonville will need to, at the absolute least, defeat the Colts this Sunday to do that.
Lawrence has, of course, been improving each week, but the Jaguars offensive line will need to continue giving him good protection if that trend is to continue. And luckily, it seems that Monheim will be up to the task, judging by recent remarks made by head coach Liam Coen.
"He's done a great job, really all through training camp, and then when he had the opportunity to go play against Washington, he actually graded out really, really nicely," Coen said. "So lot of confidence in Jonah. And if he ends up having to go, I think there'll be good continuity."
Coen continued, "And it's just a on-the-road environment, little bit different, so we just got to have to see how he handles it. I have no question about how we will, but he's done a nice job, and those guys up front have done a nice job preparing them too."
Jonah Monheim offers the Jaguars plenty of upside at center
As Coen mentioned, Monheim hasn't spent a lot of time on the field, but when he has, he has generally been a capable replacement for Hainsey. This bodes well for the Week 17 game, but it would be a huge mistake to underestimate Indianapolis.
Yes, the Colts' defense was embarrassingly bad in their most recent game, and yes, they have a 44-year-old grandfather at QB. But they're still a threat that needs to be taken seriously. This is not the time for the Jags to get cavalier, especially if they want to walk away with the AFC South crown.
Jacksonville has a chance to not only win the division but could even go into the playoffs as the No. 1 seed if it wins out the remaining two games. This is the time for the Jaguars to be at their best, and that means Monheim will have a lot riding on his shoulders.