The last game before the NFL trade deadline, the Jacksonville Jaguars vs Philadelphia Eagles week nine matchup is a big turning point for the Jaguars 2024 season. For the Jaguars, week nine presents the turning point of the year. A win would potentially bring Jacksonville to the brink of contention, while a loss would effectively be the straw that broke the camel’s back. The outcome of the Jaguars vs Eagles week nine will dictate the Jaguars’ plans for the foreseeable future.
Jaguars Keys to Victory in Week Nine Against Eagles
With a tough matchup against the Eagles, Doug Pederson and the Jaguars will need to find success in three phases of the game if they want to secure their third win of the season. The most important key to victory is to protect the quarterback, with a dynamic, but inconsistent pass rush of the Eagles. Another key to victory for Jacksonville is the defensive backs containing the Eagles’ electric wide receiver duo. Lastly, the Jaguars will need to limit the Eagles’ explosive run game.
Protect the Quarterback
One of the biggest issues for Jacksonville will be protecting Trevor Lawrence on Sunday. Despite a slow start, the Eagles have a deep and ascending pass-rush group. The Jaguars offensive line is also dealing with its fair share of injuries and changes. Cam Robinson was traded to the Minnesota Vikings, and Walker Little is projected to fill in at left tackle. Anton Harrison has had an up-and-down season at right tackle and has allowed 17 pressures, the most among all Jaguars players.
Along the interior of the offensive line, the Jaguars are dealing with injuries to both of their offensive guards. Ezra Cleveland is most likely not playing Sunday, and Brandon Scherff is a game-time decision. Cooper Hodges is in line to take over at left guard, and if Scherff is ruled out the Jaguars would be down three offensive line starters, including both linemen on the left side.
The interior of the offensive line is the most concerning, thanks to the defensive tackle group in Philadelphia. Jalen Carter has been playing among the best of the best as a pass-rushing defensive tackle. Jordan Davis is a run-stopper primarily, but he could wreak havoc with his huge size. Moro Ojomo and Milton Williams have been great backups for Davis and Carter. It could be a long day for the interior of the offensive line if the Eagles’ defensive tackles can play to their potential.
The tackles are also not free from tough matchups, as Josh Sweat and Nolan Smith are capable of bending around the edge for pressures. Brandon Graham is also a problem that Little and Harrison will have to account for. The Jaguars tackles aren’t going to have an easy day, but for the Jaguars offense to find success, they will need to stop the pass rush.
Stopping the pass rush is especially important with how banged up the Jaguars wide receiver room is. Brian Thomas is a game-time decision, as is Gabriel Davis. Travis Etienne is also a game-time decision. Christian Kirk was lost for the year in the Jaguars vs Packers week eight loss, where he suffered a broken collarbone. Evan Engram, Tank Bigsby, and Parker Washington are the only healthy-skill players for Jacksonville who have any consistent usage of offensive work so far. The offense is short-staffed and has a tough task of facing against a strong pass-rushing group in the Eagles in Philadelphia.
Contain the Eagles’ Wide Receivers
There are a lot of tough wide receiver duos across the NFL, but the Eagles might have the toughest duo to defend. A.J. Brown has been playing at an elite level in 2024, having the second-highest grade among all wide receivers according to PFF. He’s averaging 19.4 yards per reception and has three touchdowns in four games. His wide receiver counterpart, DeVonta Smith, also has three touchdowns so far, and with the Eagles offense clicking in recent weeks.
Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts has played at his 2022 MVP level since their week five bye, and Jacksonville will have their hands full defending the two elite receivers. It’s a set-up that could lead to a huge day for the Eagles receivers, but the Jaguars’ defensive backs have begun to settle into their roles with some players returning from injury and others beginning to develop.
Jarrian Jones has begun playing better in recent weeks, and Tyson Campbell has been playing well since returning from an early-season injury. Ronald Darby has struggled in 2024, allowing 372 yards through eight games. Montaric Brown has allowed 348 yards in eight games and has had his fair share of struggles as well. With Smith and Brown lining up all over the offensive formations, the Jaguars corners will all have a chance to see one of the dynamic receivers.
Stop The Run
A staple of the Eagles’ offense for some years has been the running game, and the Jaguars’ defense in recent weeks has not been able to contain the run, but the overall numbers have been down thanks to the pass defense allowing a lot of yards through eight weeks. The Eagles are fifth in rushing yards and have the most runs over 40-plus yards in the NFL. This is of course thanks to Saquon Barkley. He has been a huge piece for the Eagles offense, and the Jaguars defense will have their hands full stopping him and Hurts in the run game.
Hurts and Barkley make up a tough rushing duo for the Eagles, and the Jaguars’ defense needs to emphasize stopping them. Foyesade Oluokun and Devin Lloyd will be two of the most important players in stopping the run. With the Eagles’ offensive line being among the best in run blocking, the Jaguars’ defensive line will need to not allow themselves to be pushed around all day long.
Lloyd and Oluokun have been great in the run game, and with both returning from their respective injuries, they could be in line to be huge pieces towards stopping the run. The Eagles offense utilizes the run game among the best in the NFL, and the Jaguars defense has the players to be able to stop the run. It’s going to be one of the toughest tasks for the Jaguars on Sunday and could be the determining factor in whether the Jaguars’ defense can get any consistent stops as the game progresses.
Final Outlook Before The Turning Point of The Season
Jacksonville is facing the turning point of its season, with the outcome of the game dictating what will happen for the rest of 2024 and beyond. The Eagles offense will be difficult to stop, with Barkley, Smith, and Brown being among the best offensive skill groups in the league. But, the Jaguars’ offensive line will see one of their toughest tasks of the year, thanks to a strong defensive front and a banged-up offensive line.
The Jaguars have faced a plethora of heartbreaking losses like the Jaguars and Texans matchup, and had moments where they entered a downward spiral after the loss to the Buffalo Bills where things seemed completely hopeless. They’ve failed to build upon momentum after the Jaguars beat the Colts, and once again after the Jaguars vs Patriots game, they followed a win with a loss to the Green Bay Packers.
Heading into week nine, the Jaguars are at an impasse, with their season being on the brink of ending early or being in playoff contention. The AFC playoff field is fairly lackluster, and the Jaguars at two and six are still within striking distance of making the playoffs. Many teams will wait until the outcome of their week nine matchups before determining whether to make trades or not according to Jordan Schultz. Jacksonville has an uphill battle, and if they can secure the keys to victory laid out on both sides of the ball, they could begin working toward a playoff bid. Otherwise, some of the Jaguars trade deadline candidates could be on the move.
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