The Jake Browning-led Cincinnati Bengals (5-6) will struggle to maintain their slim postseason hopes alive in opposition to a Jacksonville Jaguars workforce (8-3) vying for the AFC’s prime seed on “Monday Night time Soccer.” Here is what to look at when every workforce is on offense.
When the Bengals are on offense
Can Browning construct on his first profession begin?: The previous undrafted free agent made his first profession begin final week instead of the injured Joe Burrow and was stable in opposition to a formidable Pittsburgh Steelers protection, particularly given the circumstances. Browning accomplished 73.1% of his passes for 227 yards, one landing and one interception within the 16-10 loss.
Though he is coping with a proper wrist harm, Browning may very well be in line for an additional respectable efficiency for the reason that Jaguars hand over the fifth-most passing yards per recreation (269.4).
WR Tee Higgins’ return to the sphere: Fortuitously for Browning, Higgins is about to return after lacking the previous three video games with a hamstring harm. It has been a irritating season for Higgins, who has missed 4 complete video games with accidents and has struggled to provide when wholesome, partly attributable to Burrow’s early-season calf challenge. In seven video games, Higgins has hauled in 27 passes for simply 328 yards and two touchdowns.
The 24-year-old is within the remaining season of his rookie contract, and if he performs nicely down the stretch with Browning, his harm historical past could not have a considerable affect on his upcoming negotiations.
One other disappointing recreation for RB Joe Mixon?: Whereas Higgins’ return ought to elevate the offense in some capability, the Bengals will want their floor recreation to be efficient to have an opportunity of upsetting Jacksonville. Nevertheless, the Bengals have been the worst speeding workforce within the NFL on a yards-per-game foundation (75.8), primarily due to Mixon’s inefficiencies.
Mixon is averaging 56.5 speeding yards per recreation this season, the second-worst mark of his profession, and solely earned eight carries final week, leading to a mere 16 yards. Contemplating Jacksonville permits the fourth-fewest speeding yards per recreation (87.4), it appears unlikely that Mixon can flip issues round on this matchup.
Josh Allen: The Jaguars have been prepared to attend on extending the previous top-10 draft decide, and given how nicely he is carried out, it could have been a mistake as he’ll now be far more costly to re-sign. Allen has accounted for 12 of the Jaguars’ 24 sacks this season, which ranks him fifth within the NFL in that statistical class, and the pass-rusher has generated 60 pressures, the seventh-most within the league.
Cincinnati’s offensive line has struggled in go safety as of late, permitting the fourth-most sacks over its final three video games (13), doubtlessly setting Allen up for an additional dominant outing.
When the Jaguars are on offense
QB Trevor Lawrence is discovering his stride: On the floor, Lawrence’s stats recommend he is having an underwhelming season since he has solely thrown for two,746 yards, 12 touchdowns and 7 interceptions, although his affect goes far past the field rating. The previous No. 1 general decide has posted the eighth-highest anticipated factors added amongst quarterbacks (54.8) and ninth-best QBR (61.7) this season.
Lawrence has responded nicely to Jacksonville’s embarrassing Week 10 blowout loss to the San Francisco 49ers and is proving that the dreadful efficiency will not be an correct reflection of his or his workforce’s expertise. Over his final two video games, Lawrence has averaged 321.5 complete yards of offense whereas throwing three touchdowns and including three scores on the bottom.
Which model of WR Calvin Ridley can we count on?: Ridley’s first season again within the NFL has been a combined bag, however he is been on a tear just lately, which can be attributed to Zay Jones’ return from a knee harm. Curiously sufficient, Jones’ presence on the sphere seems to boost Ridley’s manufacturing considerably.
In 5 video games with Jones this season, Ridley has caught 29 passes for 447 yards and 4 touchdowns, in comparison with 18 receptions for 216 yards and one landing in six video games with out him.
Will TE Evan Engram be Jacksonville’s greatest contributor?: Ridley and WR Christian Kirk must be closely concerned within the Jaguars’ recreation plan, however the tight finish Engram may need the perfect probability of success out of any pass-catcher. Engram has racked up 64 receptions for 524 yards this season and ranks because the third-most focused tight finish within the NFL (82).
Cincinnati has struggled in opposition to tight ends all through the season and has allowed 779 receiving yards to the place, the second-most amongst groups.
DE Myles Murphy’s increasing function: Murphy, the twenty eighth general decide in April’s draft, has performed sparingly as a rookie, although has proven extra promise with every passing week. Coming off the perfect recreation of his younger profession, throughout which he generated three pressures and picked up his second sack of the season, Murphy seems set to tackle a bigger alternative in Monday’s contest.
Talking to reporters final week, Bengals DC Lou Anarumo hinted that Murphy might get a “few extra snaps” in opposition to the Jaguars, per WLWT’s Charlie Clifford.
Murphy wasn’t allowed to the touch Lawrence when the 2 have been teammates at Clemson, so the rookie pass-rusher is certain to relish the prospect to take action now.
