The Jacksonville Jaguars and Las Vegas Raiders are two different cases of disappointing this season.
While the Jaguars came in with relatively low expectations after picking No. 1 overall in back-to-back drafts, optimism skyrocketed after a 2-1 start. Then a five-game losing streak brought the team crashed back down to Earth.
For the Raiders, it was a 10-7 season last year followed by the additions of Davante Adams and Chandler Jones that had the team thinking big things were ahead. An 0-3 start to the season and a shutout loss last week against the New Orleans Saints put a damper on those dreams.
If either team plans to make noise in the 2022 season, it has to start Sunday in Jacksonville. For the Jaguars, here are five players who have to make an impact against the Raiders if the team hopes to snap its losing streak.
CB Tyson Campbell
The Jaguars’ 22-year-old second-year cornerback has emerged as an incredibly promising cornerstone to build the secondary around.
Campbell is locking opposing receivers down and was tasked with shadowing Courtland Sutton last week. He held the Denver Broncos receiver to just one catch and got an interception.
It’d make sense if the Jaguars have Campbell on a similar assignment against Davante Adams, although that’s a massive step up in degree of difficulty.
Adams is a five-time Pro Bowler who already has five touchdown grabs this season. Campbell has played very well this season, but if he could shut down Adams, it’d be time to talk about the Jaguars’ cornerback as belonging in the elite tier.
RT Jawaan Taylor
Taylor picked a good time to have a career-best season. After up-and-down performances in his first three seasons, Taylor has been a solid right tackle for the Jaguars in the final year of his rookie contract.
Through eight games, he’s allowed two sacks and he’s picked up only two penalties (one holding and one false start). That’s pretty impressive for a player who’s been on the field for over 500 snaps at this point.
Sunday may provide his toughest assignment of the year, though. Taylor will spend the majority of the day lined up across from Pro Bowl pass rusher Maxx Crosby, who has six of the Raiders’ nine total sacks this year.
The Jaguars would be wise to provide Taylor help with chips and double teams, but it’ll largely be on the right tackle to keep Crosby from wrecking things in the Jacksonville backfield.
WR Zay Jones
It’s the revenge game for Jones, who became a free agent in the offseason after the Raiders decided they’d rather go after Davante Adams, which is more than a little understandable.
Jones has also been named the Jaguars’ honorary sixth team captain this week.
But it’s the matchup against the Raiders secondary that makes Jones a player to watch. While Rock Ya-Sin has played relatively well for Las Vegas on one side, the team is without Nate Hobbs who is on injured reserve with a broken hand.
To call his replacement, Anthony Averett, a liability would be an understatement. The Jaguars’ boundary receivers should have opportunities to make big plays, and Jones could lead the charge.
LB Devin Lloyd
There’s a good chance the Raiders get Pro Bowl tight end Darren Waller back from a hamstring injury this week and that could be trouble for the Jaguars.
After starting the season strong, Lloyd has been picked on in coverage in his last few games. In the 21 times he’s been targeted this season, Lloyd has allowed 17 receptions for 128 yards.
If the Raiders aren’t drawing up ways to get Waller running routes against Lloyd, they could also look to exploit the matchup of wide receiver Hunter Renfrow against the rookie.
The Jaguars need Lloyd to look more like the opportunistic and rangy playmaker that he was in September rather than the liability he was in October.
QB Trevor Lawrence
During an 0-5 month of October, Lawrence threw four touchdowns with five interceptions and fumbled five times. If the Jaguars have any hope of turning things around this season (or the 2023 season, for that matter), they’ll need much better play out of their quarterback.
The Raiders defense is a perfect unit to get back on track against.
Las Vegas is last in the NFL in sacks and takeaways, and it’s second to last in red zone defense. What the Raiders are pretty good against is the run, as they’re allowing only 4.1 yards per carry, fifth fewest in the league.
The Raiders can still expect a solid dose of Travis Etienne, but the Jaguars offense will go as far as Lawrence takes them Sunday.
