The Jacksonville Jaguars are set to take on the Indianapolis Colts in their first regular season game of the 2023 season Sunday.
Jacksonville is coming off a 9-8 record and a playoff berth last year. Indianapolis, on the other hand, went 4-12-1 and earned the No. 4 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft.
Buy Jaguars TicketsBoth teams are debuting players added in the offseason. Jaguars wide receiver Calvin Ridley and Colts rookie quarterback Anthony Richardson will both see their first regular season matchups in their new jerseys.
Here are five Jaguars players to watch in their season-opening tilt with the Colts:
LB Devin Lloyd
Second-year Jacksonville linebacker Devin Lloyd will be key to helping the Jaguars stop rookie passer Anthony Richardson. Lloyd struggled throughout his rookie year, but he showed flashes of what made him a first-round pick.
He’s got a tough task ahead of him this week. Lloyd and fellow linebacker Foyesade Oluokun will have to be alert all game with Richardson on the other side of the football.
Richardson is a big-play rusher with the ability to break tackles and run past defenders. Lloyd will be tasked with making plays in the open field and reading Richardson on read-pass options, read options, and extended plays.
“It takes a lot of discipline, your eye discipline,” Jaguars coach Doug Pederson said of his team’s linebackers. “It’s a tough duty, but it’s a great opportunity for them and we’re going to see it at all season from these first few teams anyway.”
RG Brandon Scherff
Jaguars guard Brandon Scherff, who was named one of the team’s five captains Tuesday, will be important in helping protect quarterback Trevor Lawrence.
The Jaguars offensive line will need to slow a tough Indianapolis defensive front. While the whole unit should be productive, the interior brings the most heat, and Scherff will draw plenty of matchups with the Colts’ top players.
Scherff will often line up across from former All-Pro defensive lineman Deforest Buckner, who came up with 74 tackles and eight sacks a year ago. Bucker is joined by the productive Grover Stewart, so Scherff will need to be at the top of his game and help some of the younger players in Jacksonville’s offensive trenches.
S Andre Cisco
Third-year safety Andre Cisco seems due for a breakout season in 2023, and his first test will come against the Colts. Indianapolis has an offense that can threaten defenses vertically when it moves away from the run game.
Richardson has a cannon for an arm, and he’s got the weapons to push the ball down the field. Wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. isn’t going to be the fastest player on the field, but he’s a big pass-catcher, who is a capable 50/50-ball catcher.
Sophomore receiver Alec Pierce has 4.4 40-yard dash speed and always has the ability to break open a big play.
Cisco will need to help prevent the big plays and come up with big tackles throughout the game to keep the Colts at bay.
WR Calvin Ridley
Ridley is heading into his first season with the Jaguars, and his game against the Colts will be the first chance he has to prove Jacksonville made a smart move. While all signs point toward him having a successful year, Indianapolis will be the first team he faces.
Kenny Moore II is the only veteran in the cornerback room and will be the toughest player Ridley lines up against. However, Moore had a down year last season, finishing with a career-low 55.7 grade on PFF.
Most of the other members of the secondary are in their first or second years, so Ridley will have favorable matchups for his Jaguars debut. This game will allow Ridley to find his footing and create more chemistry with his new quarterback.
OLB Josh Allen
Edge rusher Josh Allen will face a tough opponent in right tackle Braden Smith on Sunday.
Smith had his worst season since his rookie year last season, but he’s still a solid protector. Even in a down year, Smith earned a 75.5 grade from PFF last season.
Allen had seven sacks and 57 tackles in 2022. If fellow edge defender Travon Walker develops as much as Jacksonville hopes, Allen could see a return to his double-digit sack potential.
He will also have to ensure he seals the edge against a mobile Richardson. If he can keep Richardson in the pocket and pressure the rookie consistently, Indianapolis could have a hard time getting going on offense.
