Man, this team is good. Like, really good. After yet another week of the Birds dominating both sides of the ball, it’s hard not to get overly excited for the potential this team holds. That being said, the Jaguars, our week four opponent, are in a strikingly similar position to the Eagles, with a revamped roster catapulted into the upper echelon of the NFL by a young QB who’s taken a massive leap. I think as we look at the strengths and weaknesses of these two squads this week, it may be surprising just how tough the Jaguars will be as a matchup.
Jaguars Strengths
1. Dominant defensive line
One of the actual projected bright spots for the Jaguars was the D-Line, and they’ve lived up to that and beyond. The Edge rotation of Josh Allen, Travon Walker, Roy Robertson-Harris and Arden Key provide the perfect blend of explosive pass-rush and elite run defense, with the former two proving many doubters wrong with their near-elite play. The defensive coaching also harnesses these two perfectly, with crafty stunts and blitzes to funnel the athletic freaks to the quarterback as soon as possible.On the inside, Folorunsho Fatukasi and DaVon hamilton provide a super-underrated duo that both pushes the pocket and holds strong against the run. The real strength of this line, much like the Eagles, is depth. Opposing coaches should make sure to keep an eye on these guys, because there’s a lot, and they come at you fast.
2. Revamped weaponry
We heard a lot about the signing of Christian Kirk this off-season, and not much of the discourse was positive. While we all can admit to clowning Trent Baalke and the Jaguars DO for the “overpay of the century”, we should also admit that right now, Kirk is playing up to the money he got. The former Cardinal looks like a true number one out there, and surrounded by a savvy veteran in Marvin Jones Jr. and another highly underrated but hyper-productive signing in Zay Jones, this receiving corps has been another collection of Batmans. That’s not even mentioning former pro-bowl tight end Evan Engram, who’s apparently hit the Jugs Machines after leaving East Rutherford.
3. TLAW
I think the narrative around Trevor Lawrence was somewhat unfair coming out of Clemson. Setting the bar at “Andrew Luck” for any rookie is simply too much to ask, especially with Urban Meyer coaching the team. However, this year, we’re seeing exactly why that hype existed. Elite arm, mobility, field processing, and accuracy, this kid is really putting it all on display. Honestly, it’s just a matter of time before Lawrence enters the conversation with guys like Justin Herbert (I don’t care if you think it’s too soon), he’s that good. As it stands now, he’s easily the best Quarterback the Eagles will have faced.
Eagles’ Strengths
1. Offense
I mean, at this point what can I say. There is not a single spot on offense I can’t point to as a genuine strength for this team. The Birds have a mauling offensive line, an elite run game with a strong rotation of backs and elite running QB, an array of Batmans who all complement each other perfectly, and a burgeoning young QB whose leadership is apparent to anyone who watches this team. Until proven otherwise, this offensive lineup is a masterclass in roster building.
2. Defense
The same thing that I said for the offense goes for the defense. It’s impossible to call Jonathan Gannon a weakness anymore, as he’s called games wonderfully these past two weeks, and the roster speaks for itself. A defensive line that can put up nine sacks as well as stifling Dalvin Cook, a secondary that can shut down Justin Jefferson and a potent Commanders receiving corps, and linebackers who are so good fans aren’t even complaining about Nakobe Dean’s lack of snaps. This might seem homerish, and I’m sure things will change at some point, but outside of maybe safety, this defense has only strengths.
Jaguars’ Weaknesses
1. Turnover-dependent secondary
While the Jaguars Defense has performed better than expected in these first three weeks, there’s still room to exploit a secondary with a mixture of unproven and young talent. While a verifiably good player, If Shaquil Griffin plays, he should be a mismatch problem for a wideout like AJ Brown, and the same can be said for the sophomore Tyson Cambpell. On the back end, young safeties Andre Cisco and Rashawn Jenkins leave room to attack downfield. It’s a high upside unit, but far from a lockdown one.
2. Youth and inexperience
While youth is a great thing in the NFL, it can pose a problem against savvy teams willing to give young players on both offense and defense confusing looks that can exploit the inexperience inherent with being new to the big leagues. For the Jaguars, much of the defensive corps was drafted within the last two years, meaning there’s room to exploit a lack of tenure with certain concepts seen in the NFL but not necessarily as common in college. While Trevor Lawrence is awesome, there’s room to do the same against him, as there is with any young, learning QB.
Eagles’ Weaknesses
1. Special teams
This may seem like a major nitpick, but as we’ve seen with teams like the chiefs just last week, special teams can have very tangible impacts on the outcomes of games. The punt and kickoff coverage has been solid, but when it comes to returning kicks, the field position advantage has clearly not been in favor of the Birds. While it’s easy to point to the returners themselves, it hasn’t even seemed like Covey or Watkins have had the opportunity to turn upfield for a big play. While this Birds team has been a steamroller to start the season, when things get tight, field position is a major aspect of offensive success. The same can be said for the opposition; if Arryn Siposs continues to give opponents good positioning, it really doesn’t matter how good he can tackle.
2. Second half woes?
There has been some discourse about the dichotomy between the Eagles’ offensive performances in the first half of games as opposed to the second, which while inconsequential so far, is a valid concern. If games get close, it’s going to be important that the offense can rally late in games and give the team a chance. Right now, it could just be a problem with the game script, but the offense seems to go somewhat quiet after halftime.Not a major concern per se, but something to be wary of.
Keys to victory
1. Attack the secondary
Seeing as the forecast calls for rain Sunday, this could be a tall task. While running the ball may seem like the easier choice, I believe the Jaguars’s secondary is far more exploitable than their elite run defending defensive line and linebackers. Unless it’s a downpour, this game will again come down to Jalen Hurts’ arm, and whether the receivers can make big plays when needed to match this strong Jaguars offense.
2. Pressure!
While it wasn’t directly stated as a strength, the Jaguars offensive line has played near lights-out this season. If the Eagles want to disrupt a QB like Lawrence and keep the Jags offense off the field, the negative plays that come with pressure are going to be a crucial tool. To hold on defense against a near-top 10 QB like Tlaw, his timing needs to be thrown off early and often. Blitz!
Score Prediction
The way the season has played out so far, it’s very possible that the Jaguars end up as the strongest team we face until the Packers. This is far, far from a “gimme” win, and Eagles fans should recognize that if this ends up being a tight game, it’s far from an indictment of the Birds. With the weather forecast looking bleak, I believe the Eagles trench dominance will lead to them taking this game.
Score: 28-24 Eagles
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Noah Berger is a featured writer at The Birds Blitz. For more from Noah, check out his archive and read through our Eagles articles for the latest news about the Birds.
