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The Jacksonville Jaguars have had a dreadful start to the 2024 season. Jacksonville lost their first four games, which caused many fans to panic about the future of the franchise. Reporters even started asking Doug Pederson how he was feeling about his job security before it was even October.
Thankfully, the Jaguars logged their first win of the season in Week 5 with a 37-34 win against the Colts. Now they have a chance to go on a winning streak if they can beat the Chicago Bears.
Chicago is 3-2 through five weeks with rookie QB Caleb Williams finally starting to look like a legit NFL signal caller in Week 5. Williams has certainly looked like a rookie for most of the 2024 season.
The real question is: has Caleb Williams arrived for good? Or does he still have a couple rookie mistakes in him that the Jaguars can exploit on Sunday?
Below we will discuss three Jaguars bold predictions ahead of their important Week 6 matchup against the Bears in London.
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Jaguars QB Trevor Lawrence throws for more than 300 passing yards, but has multiple turnovers
Trevor Lawrence signed a massive contract extension this offseason, which has raised expectations in Jacksonville. Lawrence has yet to live up to that contract, but that does not mean that the Jaguars will not lean on him like their franchise guy.
The Bears have a stout defense, but they are not invincible. Their secondary in particular has enough holes that Lawrence should be able to pick them apart as long as he is willing to spread the ball around. Jacksonville would be wise to make full use out of Travis Etienne Jr.'s pass-catching ability against linebackers to gain an advantage on Sunday.
The Jaguars have also had some solid performances from Christian Kirk and Brian Thomas Jr. (more on him in a minute), who create unique problems for opposing defenses as a collective.
I have a feeling that Lawrence will do whatever it takes to get a win against Chicago and start Jacksonville's comeback tour.
My prediction: Trevor Lawrence throws for more than 300 passing yards and three touchdowns against the Bears on Sunday. However, Lawrence's confidence gets the better of him on a number of occasions, leading to at least two turnovers.
Jaguars rookie WR Brian Thomas Jr. has another impressive performance against Bears
The Jaguars made a risky move in the 2024 NFL Draft, neglecting the cornerback position in favor of wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. Jacksonville desperately needs help at cornerback, which shows how much confidence they had when drafting Thomas Jr.
The young rookie out of LSU felt like a forgotten man during the pre-draft process. Other phenomenal rookie receivers like Marvin Harrison Jr., Malik Nabers, and Rome Odunze took most of the spotlight, leaving Thomas Jr. regarded as the fourth-best receiver in the draft.
However, that does not mean he isn't a great wide receiver.
Thomas Jr. has become a crucial piece of Jacksonville's offense, accumulating just under 400 receiving yards and three touchdowns in just five games. He went off against the Colts, hauling in an 85-yard touchdown and going for 122 yards in the win.
If he can continue getting better, the Jaguars will have an even more dangerous offense for opponents to deal with.
My prediction: Brian Thomas Jr. keeps his hot streak alive, going for over 100 receiving yards for the second game in a row. He also scores at least one touchdown.
Joshua Hines-Allen, Jags defense rattles Caleb Williams into a sloppy game
If the Jaguars have a chance of winning on Sunday, they will need a strong performance from their defense.
Chicago has a great defense of its own, which could put the Jaguars in an uncomfortable situation if they get down early. Thankfully the Jaguars have enough game wreckers on defense to swing the advantage back in their direction with a strong performance.
A lot of this responsibility falls on the front seven, specifically Joshua Hines-Allen and Travon Walker. The Jaguars have a chance to frazzle a rookie QB if they can get consistent pressure on him. This should be their top priority on defense heading into Week 6.
If the Jaguars can scramble Caleb Williams early, it becomes that much easier to beat the Bears.
My prediction: Joshua Hines-Allen and Travon Walker combine for at least three sacks and force Caleb Williams into at least one turnover. I also see them generating a ton of other pressure that keeps Caleb from getting into a solid rhythm. Jacksonville successfully defends their home away from home and get the victory in London.
