The Jacksonville Jaguars were riding high coming off their BYE. However, they came crashing down in Week 10, getting beaten at home by the San Francisco 49ers. The Jags are now 6-3 and set to face a couple of division foes next, with the Tennessee Titans coming to EverBank Stadium in Week 1 and the Houston Texans at NRG Stadium the following week.
By their own admission, the Jaguars couldn't execute against the 49ers and the coaching staff didn't put their players in a position to succeed. That needs to change against the 3-6 Titans, and if they want to get back to the win column, they'll need to answer these next four questions.
4. Can the Jaguars stop Titans RB Derrick Henry from wreaking havoc?
Before the 49ers game, the Jaguars' defense was known for two things: Their penchant for creating takeaways and their ability to stop the run. They couldn't do either against San Francisco, and it's one of the main reasons they gave up 34 points.
Early in the game, Jacksonville did a good job of slowing down running back Christian McCaffrey, but things quickly snowballed. The All-Pro ended up tallying 142 yards from scrimmage and averaging 5.9 yards per carry.
What's frustrating is that before facing the Jaguars, McCaffrey was in a funk, registering a combined 193 rushing yards the prior two games. In Week 11, they'll face Derrick Henry, who's found success running amok against Jacksonville throughout his career.
This season though, Henry hasn't been nearly as effective, posting just one 100-yard game. Granted, some of his decreased production is the result of the Titans struggling to establish the run but all all that pounding he's taken over the years is starting to show. Then again, King Henry still has some gas left in the tank and it will be up to the Jaguars' defense to ensure he doesn't cause damage.
3. Will the Jaguars pass rush Josh Allen and Travon Walker bring the heat vs. the Titans?
Left tackle Andre Dillard has been ruled out for the game. But even when he's played he's been a liability in pass protection. Either way, outside linebacker Josh Allen will have a favorable matchup, since he usually lines up on the right side, leaving him against the left tackle.
Allen is having a career year. Heading into Week 11, he's 10th among pass rushers and seventh in win-rate. Sophomore Travon Walker has also made strides, ranking 31st in pressures and 60th in win rate. On a similar note, right guard Daniel Brunskill is listed as questionable, so the Jaguars should have plenty of opportunities to bring the heat Sunday. It will be up to them to seize them.
2. Can the Jacksonville Jaguars offense avoid turning the ball over?
Turnovers, especially in the red zone, have plagued the Jaguars offense this season. It's one thing to stall out and a whole other failing to score and gifting the ball to the opposing team. Heading into Week 11, they rank 30th in the league with 17 turnovers, five short of the 22 they had in 2022. Also, their four turnovers in the red zone lead the league.
Simply, players must do a better job of making good decisions and not turning the ball over, something Trevor Lawrence acknowledged when he met with the local media Wednesday.
Trevor Lawrence says when it comes to turnovers, he thinks he has done a poor job of ball-security in the pocket and when being hit. Doesn't think he has been careless in terms of decision-making with passes, but says he has to fix his ball security overall
— John Shipley (@_John_Shipley) November 15, 2023
Similarly, Christian Kirk, who's had two fumbles in the last three games, talked about the importance of holding onto the football. If they don't want to overcomplicate things against the Titans, that's precisely what they'll need to do.
1. Can the Jaguars get WR Calvin Ridley involved in the game plan?
Calvin Ridley showed in the offseason that he had no rust even though he hadn't played football in more than a year. Throughout training camp, he made plays and showed he was the same playmaker he was in his career. Unfortunately, he hasn't been able to build on that. So far, Ridley has only had two 100-yard games. It's true that that he's gotten many interference penalties in his favor and he's also done a good job of drawing coverage away from his teammates. That said, the Jags didn't trade for him to use him as a decoy.
Ridley has shown he still has the speed and route-running skills that made him thrive with the Atlanta Falcons. It's just that the coaching staff hasn't gotten him involved as much as they could. Offensive coordinator Press Taylor recently told the media that they make him the primary target in the game plan but opposing defenses quickly zero in on him and take him away.
"There's always gonna be something. If Christian [Kirk] has a big game, Calvin doesn't, it's how do we get Calvin more involved?" Taylor told the media Thursday. "It's always going to be that way. We will continue to do everything we can to give all our best players opportunities in that game. There's plenty of times Calvin's been the primary play that gets called, coverage takes it away."
Still, the best receivers in the league are usually bracketed and still get the ball their way. The Jaguars need to find a way to do the same with Ridley moving forward and make him an important part of the game plan, regardless of when fellow receiver Zay Jones is back in the fold.