The Jacksonville Jaguars will have their BYE in Week 8, but before they can enjoy a midseason break, they'll need to take care of business when they play the Los Angeles Rams in London.
The Jags are currently a three-point underdog and are coming off a loss to the Seattle Seahawks. They certainly have the talent and the head coach in place to pull off the upset. However, it won't be a walk in the park.
With this in mind, here are three storylines that could have an impact in the outcome of the game.
The Jaguars will need Trevor Lawrence to keep making strides
After a slow start to the 2025 season, Trevor Lawrence has shown notable improvement the past two games, completing 67.2 percent of his throws for 479 yards with three touchdowns and three interceptions. In Week 6, No. 16 will need to keep playing well, if not better. The good news is that he came through against Seattle despite the fact that the bigs upfront couldn't protect him.
The Jacksonville offensive line gave up an alarming 33 total pressures and seven sacks to the Seahawks. Rightly, the coaching staff is putting an emphasis on execution in the trenches, and if Lawrence gets more time to throw, the Jags will have a realistic chance to come out on top.
Will the Jaguars unleash Travis Hunter vs. the Rams?
Travis Hunter is a work in progress. While he's been missing splash plays at corner, he's more than held his own. On the other hand, the reigning Heisman Trophy winner is yet to hit his stride on offense. Part of that may be due to just how complex playing receiver at the NFL is, and nobody would bat an eye if he's having a bit of trouble nailing the finer points of the position.
Against the Seahawks, Hunter logged four catches for a measly 15 yards. For the season, he has 20 receptions for 197 yards. That's certainly not the kind of production fans expected from the best receiver (and cornerback) prospect in the 2025 draft. The good news is that Liam Coen says the team has big things in store for the West Palm Beach, Florida native.
Now, that sounds great on paper, but it will be truly up to the coaching staff to get Hunter more involved on offense. If they do, he could turn out to be a headache for the Los Angeles defense.
Can Ventrell Miller step up during Devin Lloyd's absence?
Before the Jaguars made the trip to London, they ruled out linebacker Devin Lloyd, and neither he nor tight end Quintin Morris traveled with the team. A first-round pick in 2022, Lloyd was having a banner season before suffering a calf injury in Week 6. He's logged five takeaways this season, and it's fair to say that Jacksonville missed his big-play capability against the Seahawks. Ventrell Miller will get the starting nod against the Rams in his place.
Miller, a third-round pick in 2023, outplayed Lloyd last year, so there's a reason to think he should fare well in Week 8. If he does, the Jaguars will have a chance to contain the Rams offense. It will help that wide receiver Puka Nacua won't play, so Miller and the rest of the Jacksonville defense must take advantage of his absence.