Behind Enemy Lines: 5 questions with Jaguars Wire
The Indianapolis Colts (4-5) are set for a divisional matchup on Sunday when they host the Jacksonville Jaguars (2-6) at Lucas Oil Stadium in Week 10.
Before the matchup gets here, we caught up with Jaguars Wire editor James Johnson to get the scoop on the team from Duval County. Be sure to follow Jay and Jaguars Wire for all of your Jaguars needs leading up to the matchup.
We went behind enemy lines to preview the game with Jay:
What are the early impressions with Trevor Lawrence?
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James Johnson: It’s been a bit of a roller coaster for him, but that’s simply what comes with a team that doesn’t have a lot of talent around him. His start to the season was rocky, but around Week 4 against Cincinnati, he started to put it together and figure it out. He had a solid stretch of games from that point to Week 6, but his last two games (against Seattle and Buffalo) haven’t been great, and he hasn’t surpassed a completion percentage higher than 59.3%.
However, if there is one thing we’ve learned about Lawrence is that when he has a period where he’s off, it doesn’t take long for him to figure it out. Additionally, the offense has been without James Robinson those two weeks, so I don’t find it as a coincidence that he’s struggled. Ultimately, he’s proven on occasions why he was the No. 1 overall pick in the draft and has made throws people in Jacksonville are still getting used to seeing, and that’s a big reason I wouldn’t expect him to be down for long.
Is Urban Meyer a long-term fit or is there a chance he’s gone this offseason?
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JJ: Well, we probably would need to see how the season goes from this point on to make that call, but even by doing so, I think the odds are high for him to remain in Jacksonville next season. The reason for that is because the Khans are patient, and they’ve invested a lot into Meyer. He’s the reason they’ve taken a new approach with sports science, and he’s also the reason the team is building a new facility, which construction will begin next season. It also helps that he now has a signature win by his side with the win against Buffalo. In a nutshell, if things continue to similarly go as they have these last three weeks where the team has defeated a team they shouldn’t here and there, it’s hard to see him not sticking around. That might especially be the case when considering the Bills aren’t the only elite team they’ve played tight.
What is the biggest weakness for the Jaguars right now?
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JJ: They need a No. 1 receiver desperately for Lawrence. They already lack speed at the position and on the offense in general with both DJ Chark and Travis Etienne out for the season, and they also don’t separate on the perimeter as much as they need to.After that, they need help at two other important positions as there is the need for a CB1 to pair with Shaq Griffin and the need for an elite interior pass-rusher to help Josh Allen and Co.
Which Jaguars players are flying under the radar?
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JJ: On offense, two names to watch are tight end Dan Arnold (who they acquired through the C.J. Henderson trade) and receiver/returner Jamal Agnew. Arnold has three games where he’s hauled in seven catches or more since the trade and has great speed for a tight end. Meanwhile, Agnew is probably the fastest player on the offense with Chark out and he’s made plays with his feet often for the offense. He’s still learning the receiver position as it’s still new to him, but he has great potential as a slot receiver.
On defense, I’ll go with defensive back Rudy Ford. He plays a lot of nickel for the team and helps out on dime packages, but he’s a speedy playmaker with a knack for finding the ball. Like Agnew, he has elite speed, and it shows on the field when he’s chasing down receivers.
Final score, prediction?
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JJ: The Jags have defeated the Colts at least once in the last six seasons, but they aren’t all that great in Indy. I believe they will eventually beat the Colts this season, just not on their home turf, but I do see them making it very competitive. 24-21 Colts.
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