The Jacksonville Jaguars and Atlanta Falcons are set to face off in a highly anticipated showdown in London this Sunday. Both teams are desperate for a win as they have been struggling in recent games.
The Jacksonville Jaguars (1-2) are coming off two consecutive losses, including a surprising blowout defeat at home to division rivals, the Houston Texans. The Jaguars’ offense has been particularly problematic during their two-game slide. In their last game against the Texans, they failed to score in the first half and went on to lose 37-17. The Jaguars’ first five drives concluded with a missed field goal, punt, blocked field goal attempt, punt, and a fumble. These offensive struggles have been a significant crutch for the team.
To turn things around, the Jaguars will need their young offensive stars to step up. Quarterback Trevor Lawrence, who has only thrown one touchdown pass in the last two games, will need to play better. They also rely on players like all-purpose threat Travis Etienne, who has amassed 284 total yards and a touchdown, and tight end Evan Engram, who leads the team in receptions and yards.
Wide receivers Christian Kirk and Calvin Ridley will need to contribute more in the passing game. Kirk had a solid game last week with four receptions for 54 yards and a score, but Ridley struggled with dropped passes in the end zone and was penalized twice for false starts.
Defensively, the Jaguars allowed rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud to pass for 280 yards and two touchdowns, resulting in the first NFL wins for both Stroud and his head coach, DeMeco Ryans. Jacksonville’s head coach, Doug Pederson, acknowledges the need for improvement and emphasizes the importance of evaluating themselves as a team.
Like the Jaguars, the Atlanta Falcons (2-1) also struggled in their last game, a 20-6 loss to the Detroit Lions. The Falcons had difficulty moving the ball and protecting quarterback Desmond Ridder, who was sacked seven times. Their usually strong rushing attack was limited to just 44 yards, putting pressure on Ridder to make plays through the air.
Atlanta is still figuring out how to utilize tight end Kyle Pitts and wide receiver Drake London effectively in the passing attack. Pitts has nine catches for 100 yards in three games, while London has eight receptions for 98 yards and a touchdown. Head coach Arthur Smith acknowledges that the team needs to create more explosive plays in the passing game.
Defensively, the Falcons have been solid, but they suffered a setback when starting linebacker Troy Anderson was placed on the injured reserve list due to a pectoral injury. Linebacker Andre Smith was signed to the roster to help compensate for the loss of Anderson.
Both teams will enter the game with some injury concerns. Atlanta’s running back Cordarrelle Patterson and wide receiver Josh Ali were limited in practice due to thigh and ankle injuries, respectively. Meanwhile, Jacksonville sat wide receiver Zay Jones and linebacker Devin Lloyd during practice. Five other players were limited in their participation due to various injuries.
As the Jaguars and Falcons clash in London, both teams are desperate for a win to turn their seasons around. The Jaguars’ struggling offense needs to find its rhythm, while the Falcons must overcome their offensive challenges and create more explosive plays. It promises to be an intriguing matchup as these two teams vie for a much-needed victory on the international stage.
