Jaguars vs Lions: Three matchups to watch

The Jacksonville Jaguars head to the Motor City to face the Detroit Lions on Sunday. Here are three matchups to watch out for:

Mac Jones vs Carlton Davis

Is it officially tanking season in Jacksonville? The Jaguars’ star quarterback, Trevor Lawrence, will be absent again this coming Sunday after missing the game against the Minnesota Vikings with a left shoulder injury. Perhaps Lawrence would have gritted his teeth and played through it had the Jags been pushing for a playoff place. But with just two wins on the season, it seems foolish to risk him - and as such, backup Mac Jones will deputize against the Lions this weekend.

Those grumbling about Lawrence prior to the last game were awfully quiet as his backup showed just how difficult it is to move the ball through the air in this offense. Jones threw for just 111 yards, turning the ball over twice in the process. One game against a good defense is not a big enough body of work to slam the former New England Patriot, but the hometown kid will certainly be hoping for a better outing this time round.

Jones has a tough task ahead of him. The Lions are dominant in the NFC right now, crushing poor teams and digging out wins against contenders. At 8-1, they trail only the Kansas City Chiefs with their win-loss record in 2024, and seem loaded on both sides of the ball. Head coach Dan Campbell has built a team capable of going all the way, with a potent offense and marauding defense so far proving to be the envy of the league.

One of their more recent additions had his best game in Honolulu blue on Sunday. Carlton Davis came over to Detroit from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers this offseason, and quickly made the left corner spot his own. He terrorized CJ Stroud last weekend, picking him off twice and making four tackles. Davis is on course for his best season as a pro, with 47 tackles and two fumble recoveries also on his resume. Jones needs to be wary of multiple threats on this Lions defense, but Davis poses a particular problem for the Jags QB if he wants to push the ball down the field.

Jarrian Jones vs Amon-Ra St. Brown

A bright spot in a season of darkness for the Jacksonville Jaguars may be the ascension of defensive back Jarrian Jones. General manager Trent Baalke often comes under fire for his ability to manage a roster, but it looks like he got it right with last year’s third round selection. Jones has quietly earned more and more snaps on Ryan Nielsen’s defense, and with Darnell Savage being moved about to cover other spots perhaps vacated by injury, it has allowed Jones to make the slot corner role his own.

It’s not been an easy entry into the league. The Jaguars have struggled mightily this season, but Jones looks like he can become a key part of the secondary for years to come. Sure, the back end of the Jags’ defense is fluid, so suggesting he’s covering slot receivers every snap is too simplistic. But Jalen Nailor last week was held to just one catch for 11 yards. Jones has definitely added some steel to an otherwise suspect position group.

This week, things get tougher. Not only is Amon-Ra St. Brown one of the most explosive slot receivers in the league, he is also expected to be targeted more if Sam LaPorta cannot go on Sunday. The Lions tight end has not practiced this week after sustaining a shoulder injury, meaning St. Brown will be leant on even more than usual when Jared Goff works the middle of the field. St. Brown is half way through his fourth season as a pro, and has already surpassed 4,000 receiving yards - with 28 touchdowns to his name too. Jones is expected to be very busy trying to keep his opposite number quiet this weekend.

Travon Walker vs Penei Sewell

Penei Sewell has become the monster that everyone knew he would be when he was dominating for the Oregon Ducks at college. Since being drafted with the seventh pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, Sewell was named to the all-rookie team and has two pro bowl appearances = as well as being named a first team All-Pro last year. 335 lbs and feisty, he’s the epitome of a Dan Campbell player; a big man who can move but has the grit and fight that the Lions covet so much. In 2024 he’s raised his game so much that there are national campaigns to help him win league MVP and offensive player of the year. Comparisons to Orlando Pace says it all - this man operates in rarified air.

His dominance at right tackle has allowed Jared Goff to have his best ever season in the NFL. Mocked as a makeweight that saw Matthew Stafford traded to the Los Angeles Rams, Goff has elevated his game to such an extent that he is now considered one of the best QB’s in the league. Obviously his supporting cast has a lot to do with that comeback, and Sewell keeping him upright is at the top of that list. To date, the Lions have allowed just nineteen sacks on the season - the lowest in the league.

That sounds like a challenge for the Jaguars, who know they need to get Goff uncomfortable if they are to have any hope of returning to Jacksonville with a win. Despite having a pair of talented pass rushers, the Jags languish in the bottom ten of the NFL for sacks this year with just 21 takedowns - and they’ve played one more game than most other teams below them in that category. The good news? Third year edge Travon Walker looks on course to have his best season as a pro so far, already registering 7.5 sacks and 37 tackles. With Josh Hines-Allen operating as an effective foil on the other side of the line, Walker has shown impressive growth - and he’s in a rich vein of form too. Six of those sacks have come in the last six games. He’ll need to be at his best to challenge Sewell on Sunday.