The Jacksonville Jaguars have gotten less-than-ideal production from their offensive line. The good news is that reinforcements are in the way. Cam Robinson, who served a four-game suspension to start the season, returned to the team and is set to play against the Buffalo Bills in Week 5.
With Robinson back in the fold, the coaching staff can move Walker Little — one of the most efficient left tackles this season — to left guard, a position that has been a weakness in previous weeks. It's true that Little has never lined up inside in the NFL. Then again, he got reps in training camp, so it won't necessarily be uncharted waters for the former Stanford Cardinal.
Top-10 OTs by Pass-Block Efficiency
— Daniel Griffis (@DanDGriffis) October 5, 2023
1. Penei Sewell- 99.3
1. Tristan Wirfs- 99.3
3. Trent Williams- 98.8
4. Bernhard Raimann- 98.5
5. Robert Havenstein- 98.4
6. WALKER LITTLE- 98.2
6. Brian O’Neill- 98.2
8. Trent Brown- 98.0
8. Dion Dawkins- 98.0
10. Rashawn Slater- 97.9
On top of that, the Jaguars wouldn't be making the move if they weren't comfortable about his skills. With that in mind, here are five players who must show out against the Bills.
No. 5 Jaguars player who must shine vs. the Bills: Cam Robinson, LT
Cam Robinson has never been a Pro Bowl left tackle but he gets the job done. He's a mauler who should allow the offensive line to open lanes for the running game. That said, he hasn't played since last year, when he suffered a meniscus injury to end the 2022 season. This means that he could be rusty.
On the other hand, Doug Pederson said that Robinson had a good week of practice. Also, he should be more motivated than ever to perform at a high level following his suspension for violations to the league's performance-enhancing drugs policy. Also, he emerged as a leader of the offensive line last year, so his presence should give his teammates a confidence boost.
No. 4 Jaguars player who must shine vs. the Bills: Travis Etienne, RB
The Jaguars have struggled to establish the run this season but this is by no means Travis Etienne's fault. See, the former Clemson Tiger is still the dynamic playmaker who totaled over 1,400 yards from scrimmage last year. However, he's had a hard time finding openings across the line of scrimmage.
Against the Falcons, Jacksonville didn't abandon the run but they didn't do a great job either, tallying 105 yards as a team. While those numbers don't necessarily look bad, 42 of those yards came in two plays in which Trevor Lawrence left the pocket. The Bills' defense is much better than Atlanta's. Yet, Doug Pederson will put an emphasis on pounding the ball.
"Travis is a really good running back and we trust what he does. Against a team like this, he got to try at least to run the football a little bit. You can't just drop back and throw it every down or they're gonna get you," Pederson said.
If the Jags can do a decent job of running the ball against the Bills, their chances of winning will go a bit up.
No. 3 Jaguars player who must shine vs. the Falcons: Anton Harrison, RT
The Bills have one of the most stacked defensive fronts in the NFL, so the Jaguars' offensive line cannot afford to lose the battle of the trenches. In particular, Rookie Anton Harrison must build from last week's performance.
Harrison, the 27th overall pick in this year's draft, struggled the first three weeks of the season. However, he played much better against the Falcons, giving up no sacks or pressures. On top of that, his Pro Football Focus pass-blocking grade of 75.4 was the best one he's posted this season.
The Bills aren't lacking pass rushers, so Harrison and the rest of the offensive line must do their part to ensure Trevor Lawrence has good protection and Travis Etienne has room to run.
No. 2 Jaguars player who must shine vs. the Bills: Travon Walker, OLB
The Jaguars are close to getting defensive end Dawuane Smoot back. However, he's already been ruled out for Week 5, so the pass rush will need to wait a bit more to get reinforcements. For the time being, Outside linebacker Travon Walker, the first overall pick in the 2022 draft, must step up and consistently create disruption at the line of scrimmage.
Walker has improved this season but hasn't yet lived up to his draft billing. He's already logged two sacks this season and needs only 1.5 more to surpass his rookie totals. However, much more is needed from him. Besides securing the edge, the former Georgia Bulldog must make one or two huge plays against the Bills.
No. 1 Jaguars player who must shine vs. the Bills: Josh Allen, OLB
One of the biggest matchups for Week 5 is Josh Allen vs. Josh Allen Part II. Back in Week 9 of the 2021 season, the Jaguars outside linebacker brought down his namesake, scooped a fumble, and had an interception. Not surprisingly, Josh Allen, the Bills quarterback, is terrified of him.
Allen has already accumulated six sacks this season and ranks among the best pass rushers in the league. Even in Week 2, when he didn't have a sack, he made a hit on Patrick Mahomes that disrupted his release and forced him to throw an interception.
If the Jaguars want to slow down the Bills offense (and to come on top), they will need Allen and the pass rush to step up.