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After a 1-6 start to the season, the Jacksonville Jaguars now turn their attention to a Week 9 clash with the Buffalo Bills.
Not much has gone the Jaguars' way over the season. From off-field controversies to ranking near the bottom of the NFL in a multitude of team stats, much attention for Jacksonville surely has already turned to the upcoming 2022 NFL Draft.
In the big picture, many Jaguars players still have much to prove in the campaign. Rookie quarterback Trevor Lawrence still is yet to produce an all-around complete performance this year, while many talents on the defensive side of the ball surely are aiming to put out standout showings in anticipation of next year's free agency period.
While the odds of Jacksonville picking up an upset win over the current AFC East leaders are slim, look for the team to put out for one grand effort in the game and also to achieve each of these four feats.
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4. Trevor Lawrence turns around his red zone woes
There surely is room for improvement across the board for Lawrence as a passer, including with his red zone efficiency.
The former Clemson star has completed a mere 50 percent of his passes to go along with four passing touchdowns recorded in 24 red zone pass attempts. His two red zone interceptions rank only behind Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (three), although the one-time NFL MVP winner has notched 13 passing touchdowns in this area of the field.
Lawrence is set to meet a Bills team that has only allowed nine red zone touchdown drives this year. The rookie quarterback may not have his way against this stout Bills defense, but it surely would be a promising building block if he can lead Jacksonville to multiple touchdown drives in the contest.
3. Josh Allen gets to Josh Allen
The Bills offensive line has been near flawless in protecting star quarterback Josh Allen. Overall, Bills quarterbacks have been sacked a combined eight times, which is tied with the Los Angeles Rams (eight) for the fewest this season.
However, they have not yet been tasked with facing a promising pass rusher such as Jaguars defensive end Josh Allen. Even as offensive coordinators have sent double teams his way as of late, Allen still continues to make the most out of every pass rush attempt, which has included a notable eight quarterback hits and 4.5 sacks recorded.
Article Continues Below![Jacksonville Jaguars head coach Liam Coen looks on during a rookie minicamp at Miller Electric Center Saturday, May 10, 2025 in Jacksonville, Fla. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union]](https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Liam-Coen-at-Jaguars-OTAs.jpg)
The Jaguars pass rusher may not be able to single-handedly be a game-changer in this contest, but look for him to inch closer to recording his second career campaign with at least 10.0 sacks recorded.
2. Jaguars receivers shine in the open field
As mentioned, Lawrence is set for one arduous test in Week 9 against a potent Bills pass defense. The Bills have allowed a formidable 182.4 passing yards per game, which ranks at the top of the leaderboard this year.
While Lawrence does currently hold a sluggish 67.9 percent on-target percentage, he has not had much help from his wide receiver unit when it comes to opening up the field. Jacksonville's wide receiver corps ranks in the bottom half of the league in yards after catch (761) and yards after catch per reception (4.7).
Jaguars offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell may not push for Lawrence to stretch the field with key downfield throws. Instead, Bevell could opt to rely on the short passing game, such as with screen plays.
In effect, this could provide wideouts Marvin Jones and Laviska Shenault Jr. with plenty of running room on the field to further extend plays. And while the Jaguars may not go on to have their way against one of the more potent tackling teams in the Bills, it could at the least give them a fighting chance to pick up crucial big-yard plays and move the ball outside of their own half.
1. Jaguars score 25-plus points for the first time this season
At this point in the year, it is simply the little things that matter for the Jaguars. Barring a historic surge in the coming month, they will miss the playoffs for the fourth consecutive season.
While the Jaguars may very well clinch their seventh loss of the campaign in Week 9, they could come away with a few silver linings from the game. As mentioned, the likes of Lawrence and Allen could post standout showings against the Bills. And overall, Jacksonville may score 25-plus points for the first time this season, which would be a notable feat against a well-rounded Bills defense.
