Jacksonville Jaguars – Atlanta Falcons
USA - NFL
The Jacksonville Jaguars entered the season as the absolute favorites in their division, but after three games, they sit at 1-2. The loss to the Houston Texans (17:37) last week was particularly shocking. The Jags made a huge number of mistakes, and it ultimately cost them. Even when they closed the gap to 10:17 and it seemed like they could make a comeback, Andrew Beck's punt return touchdown followed, and the story was over. The Jaguars' offense is struggling, which shouldn't be the case when you have Trevor Lawrence, Calvin Ridley and Christian Kirk on that side of the field. Lawrence even admitted that media headlines and hype had disrupted them a bit. Now they are traveling to their 'second home' in London with the hope that better things may start happening there.
The Atlanta Falcons won against the Carolina Panthers and the Green Bay Packers in their first two weeks at home, but the loss to the Detroit Lions exposed all the weaknesses of this team. Although rookie Bijan Robinson is already a superstar and one of the best running backs in the NFL, this offense will struggle as long as quarterback Desmond Ridder doesn't establish a connection with his wide receivers and tight ends. Kyle Pitts isn't getting enough usable balls, nor is the rest of the corps. On the other side, the Falcons' defense has shown two faces. While they can mostly neutralize the opponent's passing game, the same cannot be said for the running game.
For years, the Jacksonville Jaguars are playing one home game per season in London. This season, it was decided that the Atlanta Falcons would travel to England with them. Looking at the talent of both rosters, the Jaguars have a huge advantage. They haven't played as poorly as they've made rookie mistakes so far, and in some situations, luck wasn't on their side. The entire Falcons' offense is based on the running game, and the Jaguars' defense can stop that. They'll force Ridder to throw the ball, which could easily result in one or two interceptions. It's time for the Jaguars' offense to function and play the way it should. Wide receiver Calvin Ridley will be particularly motivated as the Falcons are his former team, making this a revenge game for him. This is the ideal opportunity for the Jags to get back on track, and expect them to do just that.