In all likelihood, Jacksonville’s game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers is not a “must-win” contest. If the Jaguars win out they will win the AFC South and control their own fate. They would make the playoffs no matter what else happened. Obviously, to win out, they must beat the Bucs on Sunday. On the other hand, the two teams chasing the Jaguars, the Colts and Texans, are very inconsistent. Either team is just as likely to go 0-3 as they are to go 3-0. The most likely scenario is that going 2-1 in the final three games gets the Jaguars into the playoffs. With that said, Sunday’s game against the Buccaneers is a huge game for the Jaguars playoff chances. Here is how they can win.
Buccaneers Matchup Important for Jaguars Playoff Chances
Get Healthy
Christian Kirk and Cam Robinson are out of Sunday’s game. Tyson Campbell, Andre Cisco, Zay Jones, and Brenton Strange are probably not playing as well. That means the team’s starting LT, best cover corner, deep threat receiver, and best Safety will all be out against the Buccaneers. The good news is that Trevor Lawrence has cleared the concussion protocol and is expected to start. At minimum, he is traveling to Tampa with the team, which certainly bodes well for his chances.
Source: #Jaguars QB Trevor Lawrence has cleared the NFL’s concussion protocol and will travel to Tampa with his team. A significant development. pic.twitter.com/mBGySEllmy
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) December 23, 2023
Play Defense
The defense played well enough this past Sunday night against the Ravens to win. In the two games prior to the Ravens coming to Jacksonville, the offense had struggled. They were giving up huge plays to backup quarterback Joe Flacco against the Browns and they made Jake Browning look like a pro bowler against the Bengals. This week, the team needs its defense to step up. The Jaguars are tied with the 49ers for most forced turnovers this year with 25 each. They will need a couple more against the Bucs. They also need Travon Walker to play like he did against the Ravens and Browns rather than like he has for the rest of his career. He is starting to flash some potential, and maybe this game will be his coming out party.
Run the Ball
The run game for this team is painful to watch. Coming into the season, the running back room looked to be one of the strongest on the team. Travis Etienne, Tank Bigsby, and D’Ernest Johnson looked poise to be the backbone of the offense. Etienne has disappeared to a paltry 3.7 yards per carry. Bigsby turned the ball over almost as many times as he touched it, and he cannot get back on the field. Johnson has been the best-looking of the running backs in limited time. Etienne is still an explosive threat in the passing game as well, but there are times when he looks a step slower than he used to, so it is difficult to tell if he will round back into form.
Make Engram and Etienne Receiving Threats
The team needs Evan Engram and Travis Etienne to step up in the passing game. Both of these players have explosive streaks and they are generally sure-handed and strong. The Jaguars need to take a play out of the Bengals playbook and attack the Buccaneers defensive line through short passes. This will get two important parts of the offense involved early, which is especially important with Christian Kirk and possibly Zay Jones out.
Main Photo: Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK
