The Jacksonville Jaguars will seek their first win of the 2024 NFL season when they take on the Buffalo Bills in 2023. They’ve faced challenges getting their offense on track, averaging just 15 points per game over the last two outings. However, the Bills have some weaknesses that the Jaguars can exploit.
Despite ranking eighth in the league for points allowed, Buffalo’s defense has shown vulnerabilities. They’ve had difficulty stopping running backs James Conner and De’Von Achane, allowing 124 and 139 rushing yards in consecutive games.
For the Jaguars to succeed on Monday Night Football, Tank Bigsby and Travis Etienne need to rise to the occasion. Although Jacksonville ranks 28th in rushing yards before contact, they lead the league in yards after contact. This is due to Etienne and Bigsby consistently pushing for extra yards with every carry.
Per @NextGenStats:
The Jaguars rank No. 28 in rushing yards before contact per carry at just 0.90
They rank No. 1 in yards after contact per carry at 4.52.
— John Shipley (@_John_Shipley) September 17, 2024
In the season opener, Tank Bigsby carried the ball 12 times for 73 yards. Unfortunately, he was unable to contribute in the loss to the Cleveland Browns due to an early injury. The good news is that he has a strong chance of playing in Monday Night Football.
While Bigsby impressed in Week 1, he is likely to take on a complementary role behind Travis Etienne, who had a somewhat disappointing performance in the opener but rebounded against the Browns.
In Week 2, Etienne recorded 13 carries for 52 yards and a touchdown. The coaching staff will continue to give him opportunities, hoping he can break off a big run. Last year against the Bills, he had his best game of the season, rushing for 136 yards on 26 carries.
#TouchdownTuesday, courtesy of @swaggy_t1 🤝#JAXvsBUF: 9/23 at 7:30 PM on ESPN pic.twitter.com/91dhzZDN9N
— Jacksonville Jaguars (@Jaguars) September 17, 2024
The Jaguars should utilize Christian Kirk and Brenton Strange in the middle of the field. With Matt Milano and Terrel Bernard sidelined, Droian Williams and Babylon Spector have struggled to defend this area. Their Pro Football Focus grades are 47.3 and 51.5, respectively, which highlights a favorable matchup for Kirk and Strange.
Kirk has been one of Trevor Lawrence’s most reliable targets over the past two seasons, but his performance in 2024 has been disappointing, with only two catches for 29 yards on seven targets. This isn’t the start he hoped for to showcase his talent, but this matchup could be an opportunity for a comeback.
Meanwhile, Strange impressed in Week 2, recording three catches for 63 yards and performing well as a blocker. If Evan Engram is out for a second consecutive game, Strange’s contributions could help fill the gap. Based on head coach Doug Pederson’s recent comments, it seems likely that Engram will miss this game.
If Strange starts against the Bills, he will need to step up again, and the coaching staff must integrate him into the game plan effectively. By capitalizing on the Bills’ vulnerabilities, Jacksonville could break their losing streak.
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