The Jacksonville Jaguars are 0-3 all-time in New Orleans, and that record could get worse Thursday night. Over the past 20 years, the Saints have been a much better football team than the Jaguars. Former quarterback Drew Brees turned the Saints into one of the best football teams of the 2000s. Recently, that talent has begun to dissipate, especially the quarterback talent. This year Derek Carr has five touchdowns and three interceptions with an 85.4 rating. This year’s Jaguars vs Saints game could come down to quarterback play, but there are reports that Trevor Lawrence may not be able to go. If Lawrence cannot play Thursday night, the Saints have a clear advantage at quarterback and a great shot to win the game.
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In 2023, the Jaguars have a more complete team than the Saints. They are better at almost every position on offense and their defense has played exceptionally well to date. The Jaguars are so good this year that they are favored to win by 2.5 points in New Orleans against a Saints team that is 69-38 at home since 2010. There are, however, a few key injuries that could make the Saints vs Jaguars matchup difficult to pick.
Jaguars’ QB Trevor Lawrence told reporters today that he’s “optimistic” he will play Thursday night vs. the Saints, “but of course we'll have to make that decision on Thursday.” Lawrence is dealing with a knee sprain.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) October 17, 2023
Injuries Could Prevent the Jaguars From Winning In New Orleans
The reality is that this Thursday night game means a lot less to the Jaguars than Sunday’s win over the Colts. It is not a conference game and the Jaguars sit atop the standing in the AFC South anyway. Here is the Jaguars’ current scenario:
- The team played in London 11 days ago.
- They are in first place in the AFC South.
- There would be 10 days of rest after the Thursday night game
- There is a bye week on the first weekend in November.
The bottom line is that there is potentially some wisdom in sitting guys who are hurt even if they could play. In fact, if they could sit some of their starters and still pull out a win in New Orleans, they could sit them one more week and give them three full weeks of rest before starting the second half of the season.
There is also the argument that every game in the NFL counts and if a player can go, he should go. This Thursday night game is on primetime and it is very winnable. If the Jaguars start everyone who can play, even if not at 100%, this could be a statement game that puts the team on the map. Either way, here are the important injuries the Jaguars are facing this week.
Trevor Lawrence
All indications point to the fact that Trevor Lawrence will probably be available for Thursday night’s game. That, however, does not mean he should be. Lawrence injured his knee in a very poorly called naked bootleg when the Jaguars had already put the game away against the Colts. It was a needless risk at a time in the game where risk was unnecessary. Lawrence has continually said he is ready to play, but with a short week behind him, that decision has not yet been made. If Lawrence does not play Thursday night, the Saints would probably be favored to win.
Walker Little/Brandon Scherff
Both Little and Scherff will not play against the Saints. The interior of the line will be vulnerable which could be another reason to consider resting some of the other injured starters…especially Trevor Lawrence. Walker Little has quite had a really good year both at left tackle and left guard and Brandon Scherff is one of the better run-blockers in the AFC.
Tyson Campbell
Tyson Campbell is out for the Thursday night contest and probably will not play again until after the bye. It is the defensive backfield that has carried this team through the first six games of the season, and Campbell is quickly becoming a shutdown corner in the NFL. The team should rest him and get him ready to play in the second half of the season.
Zay Jones
Zay Jones keeps finding himself on the sideline with a nagging knee injury. When an injury like this hangs around, usually the only remedy is time, and if the Jaguars are smart they will rest Jones until he is ready to contribute again. Jones has proved himself to be a valuable “glue piece” for this offense and they have missed him in the red zone.
Davon Hamilton
The Jaguars opened Davon Hamilton’s window to return after what turned out to be a somewhat serious back injury. By all accounts, Hamilton had the best camp of any Jaguar player and his return could bolster an already dominant defense. Most people believe he will return in week 10 against the 49ers, and that seems to be the most logical move for the franchise. Hamilton is a disruptive force inside that will make the run defense better and help in the pass rush as well.
Main Photo: Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union-USA TODAY NETWORK
