Trevor Lawrence possesses the prototypical traits coaches covet in a franchise quarterback. Although his production and on-field performance have not matched the hype that preceded his arrival as the No. 1 overall pick, the Jaguars’ new coaching staff has carefully constructed an offensive plan that accentuates his strengths as a mobile playmaker with enough arm talent to punish aggressive defenses’ blitz-heavy tactics. If the fifth-year pro finds success early, the streaky gunslinger can transform into a superhero directing an offense that wants to attack down the field.
Josh Hines-Allen is a disruptive edge rusher with the speed, strength and power to overwhelm blockers on obvious passing downs. Despite his pedestrian stat line (0.5 sacks and 11 quarterback hits through seven games), the two-time Pro Bowler has shown disruptive skills off the edge when flipped into pass rush mode. With 53.5 career sacks, 10 forced fumbles, and 133 quarterback hits, the Raiders do not want Hines-Allen to flip the switch as a destructive playmaker.
The Jaguars defense has performed well when Arik Armstead has impacted the game as an interior pass rusher. The veteran poses a challenge to blockers with his combination of length and strength as an extra-large defender at the point of attack. If the 11th-year pro creates a little chaos on the inside, the Jaguars’ talented edge rushers (Hines-Allen and Travon Walker) could wreck the game against one-on-one blocks on the outside.
