The Jacksonville Jaguars’ bye week appears to have been well-timed.
After jumping out to its first 4-1 start since 2007 under first-year coach Liam Coen, Jacksonville lost its past two games, 20-12 versus the Seattle Seahawks and 35-7 against the Los Angeles Rams in London, to limp into its open week with a 4-3 record.
The Jaguars will look to return to their winning ways on the road when they oppose the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday.
“I think it’s a good reset, mentally more than anything,” said Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence.
It will be the first Raiders game since co-owner Carol Davis, the First Lady of Raider Nation, passed away on Oct. 24 at the age of 93.
“This week starts us off with a heavy heart with the loss of Mrs. Davis, the matriarch really behind all that happened here,” said Raiders coach Pete Carroll.
Las Vegas (2-5) also comes off an open week. The Kansas City Chiefs sent the Raiders into the bye week with a 31-0 shutout.
Offense hasn’t come easily to Las Vegas in Carroll’s return to the NFL after a one-year hiatus. The Raiders rank 30th in the league in total offense (276.4 yards per game) and 31st in scoring offense (14.7 points).
The good news is that quarterback Geno Smith, who is tied for the league lead with 10 interceptions, will be regaining some help this week with star tight end Brock Bowers expected to return.
Bowers, a first-team All-Pro as a rookie in 2024 with 1,194 yards and five touchdowns, didn’t play the past three games and hasn’t started since Week 1 due to a knee injury.
“Ready to roll,” Bowers said Wednesday. “… I’m excited to get back out there.”
Coen has experience coaching against Bowers in college when he was Kentucky’s offensive coordinator and the tight end was playing for Georgia. The Jacksonville coach knows how capable Bowers is of taking over a game.
“He has a knack for getting open, he’s harder to tackle,” Coen said. “ … He knows how to wiggle and separate, and also the contested-catch ability. Very good player. I have a lot of respect for him.”
There was no single thing that went wrong in Jacksonville’s falloff entering the bye week.
A defense that forced 14 turnovers in the first five games forced none during their two losses.
An offensive line that allowed six total sacks in the first five games surrendered 14 in the past two.
A run game that had been among the league’s best managed just 76.5 yards per game and no scores in the losses to the Seahawks and Rams.
“We haven’t played to our standard, but it’s very correctable things, things that I know we can execute and do well,” Lawrence said. “… Everyone being on the same page, I think that’s a big thing, which was good for the open week, to get on the same page, talk about some stuff, what we need to get better at.”
The Jaguars will be a bit limited at receiver in this week’s game. Receiver/defensive back Travis Hunter Jr. will miss at least the next four games after he was placed on injured reserve with a knee injury he sustained in Thursday’s practice. It’s unfortunate timing as Hunter is coming off the best game of his career, catching eight passes for 101 yards and his first career touchdown two weeks ago against the Rams. Receiver Tim Patrick (groin) and tight end Quintin Morris (groin) also are out for Sunday’s game, as is safety Eric Murray (neck).
Linebacker Devin Lloyd, who has four interceptions on the year, is questionable after he was limited all week with a calf injury. Receiver Brian Thomas Jr. (shoulder), cornerback Jourdan Lewis (neck) and linebacker Dennis Gardeck (chest) all have no game status designation, which means they’ll be available despite being limited all week.
Las Vegas backup quarterback Aidan O’Connell (right wrist) is out despite being a full practice participant all week, but he’s one of just two Raiders with an injury status designation. Safety Lonnie Johnson (fibula) also is out. Maxx Crosby, who didn’t practice Wednesday and was limited Thursday, returned to full participation Friday and is set to play. Bowers was a full practice participant all week and appears poised to be back in full force.
Wide receiver Tyler Lockett, whom the Raiders signed on Monday to reunite with Carroll, has no designation as he prepares for his first game with Las Vegas. After catching 622 passes for 8,064 yards and 59 touchdowns playing nine seasons for Carroll with Seattle (2015-23), Lockett stayed one more year with the Seahawks before appearing in seven games (one start) for the Tennessee Titans. He was released at his request last week after recording 10 catches for 70 yards.
–Field Level Media
