THE Jacksonville Jaguars enters Week 10 after another tough road loss to the Philadelphia Eagles and will look to pull off an upset win at home against the Minnesota Vikings 6-2.
Like last week, the Jaguars will be without some key players, including franchise quarterback Trevor Lawrence, who is nursing a left shoulder injury this week. Losing Lawrence will be a blow to a team that has been relatively competitive largely due to its play in recent weeks.
However, Jacksonville can follow a path to success. The Vikings don’t have many weaknesses, but there are some areas the Jaguars can take advantage of to pave the way for an upset.
Jaguars Wire breaks down the key matchups that could be key to securing the Jaguars’ third win over the Vikings.
Jacksonville’s running game vs. Minnesota’s run defense
The Vikings own the NFL’s second-ranked rushing defense this season in terms of yards allowed and have allowed the fewest rushing expected points added (EPA) this season. The Jaguars have had success on the field this season and with Lawrence out, they will have to rely on their new star Tank Bigsby.
A productive day from Bigbsy could be the biggest key to Jacksonville’s victory this weekend. He’s a tough runner to break down, forcing a missed tackle on nearly 38 percent of his carries, according to Next Gen Stats.
That’s good enough for the third highest rate in football. Minnesota has struggled in space this season ranked fifth.
Bigsby has the skills to handle a heavy workload at any given time. His ability to rush downhill and his mobility in space make him a handful to take down.
To add pressure for Minnesota, Bigsby can be a running back with his second-level explosiveness and quickness down the field. It won’t be an easy task, but it’s a battle of strength against strength in this weekend’s match.
Jacksonville DE Josh Hines-Allen vs. Minnesota LT Cam Robinson
This match could be personal for both players. Just a few weeks ago, Robinson was tending to Lawrence’s blind side.
But after Vikings star left tackle Christian Darrisaw suffered a season-ending injury, they acquired Robinson and a conditional seventh-round pick in 2026 in exchange for a conditional fifth-round pick in 2026.
The former Jaguar had a checkered career in North Florida. Robinson was playing steady football in pass protection with just a 7.1 percent pressure rate before being traded. But he struggled against Indianapolis in his Vikings debut and is now tasked with slowing down Josh Hines-Allen for the first time as an opponent.
Jacksonville’s primary passer is tied with teammate Travon Walker for the most pressures on the team with 34. He’s also good coming off the edge and will likely spend most of his snaps lining up at the right defensive end for his face-off. -a confrontation with Robinson.
Hines-Allen vs. Robinson in the trenches is a key individual matchup that fans should have a close eye on, and one that could be a deciding factor in this weekend’s matchup.
Jacksonville QB Mac Jones vs. Minnesota pass defense
Losing a talent like Lawrence for one or more games is a big blow for the Jaguars. He is the franchise quarterback and has played good football for most of the season.
But now it’s time for former Pro Bowler and once rumored New England franchise signal caller Mac Jones to make his debut with his hometown team.
Jones never proved to be the prolific quarterback on Alabama’s incredible 2020 national championship roster in the NFL. More of a game manager, a A heavy dose of running game and play action should allow Jones to cruise pretty smoothly if things go as planned.
However, the Jaguars could be missing the vertical element that has been a vital part of their offense with Jones under center this weekend.
Jones will face a defense that is second in the NFL in blitz rate and has used the split safety coverage the most of any team this season. Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores has them playing solid football and will pose a challenge for Jones this weekend.
Still, there is a path where Jones performs well enough to put Jacksonville in position to pull off the upset. If he protects the ball and finds answers against pressure while giving receivers like Brian Thomas Jr. and Parker Washington chances to play run after catch, the Jaguars will be one step closer to winning.
This article was originally published on Jaguars Wire: Jacksonville Jaguars vs. Minnesota Vikings: Key Matchups
