For all the talk of dysfunction and doom by the Duval Devout, the fan’s misery might be the only thing that won’t quit as the Jacksonville Jaguars lost to the Chicago Bears last week. While there will certainly be talk of the Jaguars having an advantage over the New England Patriots this Sunday morning as they remain in London for the week, there are other on-field factors that could help the Jags claim their second win in the surrounding chatter of earning a high draft pick in 2025.

Making Drake Maye Uncomfortable

This is certainly rookie quarterback defense 101 for a football team. While New England’s rookie Drake Maye threw for three touchdowns, he also coughed up two interceptions and a fumble against the Houston Texans. The Patriots offensive line is certainly not the unit we’ve come to know from the past that kept an immobile Tom Brady safe for so many years. If there was a game for the Jags Josh Hines-Allen to come off of the back of the milk carton after having gone missing for most of 2024, it’s this one.

That being said, for all the pressures that Hines-Allen has been racking up, this could also lead to another big game for Travon Walker to clean up whatever garbage gets moved his way to clean up. Also, Arik Armstead may himself make a return to the sack column as well provided his taking snaps from the defensive tackle position.

The icing on the cake? This is the week that top cornerback Tyson Campbell returns from injured reserve. If Maye is throwing under duress in the direction of the Jaguars franchise cornerback, the odds are high that New England turns the ball over at least once in the contest.

Hitting BTJ for the Lottery Ticket TD

For all of the woes that have plagued Jags quarterback Trevor Lawrence and his offense, rookie Brian Thomas Jr. is making a case as the most impactful non-quarterback offensive rookie in the NFL. He leads the Jags in catches, receiving yards, and touchdowns with 25 for 424 with three scores. He is easily the best the Jaguars have at creating separation for a long completion that can blow a game open. If Lawrence connects for more than two passes of 20 yards or more and the Jaguars still lose — a major catastrophe has occurred for Jacksonville.

CATCH THE BALL!!  

As catastrophes go, dropping four touchdown passes in an NFL game is among them. For context, the Bears’ Caleb Williams broke a record for the four touchdowns he threw in an NFL game in England. That total matches what the Jags dropped on that same day. Might that have made a difference in the game?

The Duval Devout was promised that dropped passes would decrease with the departure of Calvin Ridley in the offseason. That is not the pace this offense is keeping.