Retour
The Jacksonville Jaguars are riding high after destroying the Indianapolis Colts, 42-7, but they won't have much time to enjoy their victory. The Jaguars have a short week ahead, as they will take on the Baltimore Ravens on Thursday Night Football for Week 9.
Jacksonville is going into Week 9 on top of the AFC South at 5-2, while the Ravens are 4-4 and in last place in the AFC North. The Jaguars will be looking to build a new winning streak and continue their push for the playoffs, while Baltimore is struggling through a quarterback catastrophe.
Here are five storylines to watch.
Baltimore suffered a nightmare scenario in Week 8. Quarterback Lamar Jackson had just returned from being injured for several weeks, only to suffer another injury on the very first play of the game; it has now been confirmed that he will need surgery and will be placed on IR. The Ravens' backup quarterback, Tyler Huntley, came onto the field, only to also get injured before the first half was over. Undrafted rookie Joe Fagnano, who ended the game having completed 10-of-21 passes for 91 yards with an interception, is also on the injury report this week.
It's still not clear who the Jaguars will face on Thursday; Jackson is out, but Huntley's status is not yet known. If he can’t go Thursday, Jacksonville could be facing Fagnano, and in a brutally short preparation week, therefore have to plan for two different QBs on defense.
It was expected by virtually everyone in the league that Jacksonville would destroy Indianapolis, but caution was still needed. It's a mistake for any team to be cavalier going into a game, and the Jaguars have seen firsthand how self-inflicted mistakes can rob them of a victory.
The same will apply Thursday. Yes, Baltimore should be an easy team to beat, but will Jacksonville take this game seriously and put on another powerhouse performance? Or will they be complacent and let the Ravens steal what should be an easy win?
A big loss for Jacksonville was DaVon Hamilton, who is out for the season. He was a huge part of the Jaguars' defensive success, and he's not the only injured player Jacksonville has to contend with. During the game against the Colts, Eric Murray, Ezra Cleveland, and Travon Walker all had to exit the game.
There will be more injury updates to come, but for now, Baltimore is not the only team limping into Thursday. The silver lining: Jacksonville’s blowout allowed Trevor Lawrence, Bhayshul Tuten, Parker Washington, Brenton Strange, Foyesade Oluokun, and other star players to spend much of the fourth quarter on the sideline, which will have been helpful on the short week.
It wasn't just the defense that destroyed the Colts in Week 8. Lawrence in particular had an excellent game, and Jacksonville got explosive production from multiple players. Baltimore’s injuries at quarterback could create short fields and extra possessions, but the offense still needs to capitalize.
A prime-time road game is also an opportunity for the Jaguars to show that the Colts' performance wasn’t just a divisional demolition job.
Jacksonville is 5–2, has the division all but in the bag, and now faces a 4–4 Baltimore team missing its franchise quarterback. At this point, the Jaguars need to be concerned with more than just a win streak, and start looking towards AFC seeding and the possibility of hosting playoff football.
This should be an easy win, and Jacksonville can’t squander a matchup that has unexpectedly tilted heavily in its favor. A victory in Week 9, particularly if teams like the Buffalo Bills or Denver Broncos lose, would be the first step towards putting the Jaguars in a good spot for the postseason. As it stands now, Jacksonville is the No. 4 seed, but Week 9 could start to change that.