Jacksonville Jaguars (3-11) vs. Las Vegas Raiders (2-12)
Sunday, 4:25 p.m. EST, CBS
BetMGM NFL Odds: Raiders favored by 1.
Series Record: Jaguars lead 6-4.
Against the Spread: Jaguars 7-6-1, Raiders 5-9.
Last Encounter: Jaguars triumphed over Raiders 27-20 in Jacksonville on November 6, 2022.
Recent Performance: Jaguars fell to the Jets 32-25; Raiders suffered a defeat against the Falcons 15-9.
Jaguars Offense: Overall ranking (25), rushing (25), passing (22), scoring (26)
Jaguars Defense: Overall ranking (32), rushing (24), passing (32), scoring (28)
Raiders Offense: Overall ranking (28), rushing (32), passing (15), scoring (29)
Raiders Defense: Overall ranking (12), rushing (17), passing (9), scoring (27)
Turnover Differential: Jaguars at minus-13; Raiders at minus-19.
**Player Spotlight: Jaguars**
Rookie wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. has made a significant impact with 22 receptions totaling 267 yards and three touchdowns over the last three games. He has been targeted 36 times, including a personal best of 14 attempts last week against the Jets. Currently, he holds the franchise record for rookie receiving yards (956) and touchdowns (eight). With just one more reception, he will break the rookie record held by Justin Blackmon (64 in 2012).
**Player Spotlight: Raiders**
Tight end Brock Bowers is poised to leave a mark in team history. Recently, he has been targeted frequently, logging six receptions for 84 yards in his last two games. He’s expected to get ample chances against the Jaguars, who possess one of the league’s weakest defenses in terms of passing and total yards.
**Crucial Matchup**
The performance of the Raiders’ inconsistent offensive line against Jaguars defensive ends Josh Hines-Allen and Travon Walker is pivotal. The duo has combined for 15 and a half sacks this season and 53 and a half over the last three years. Although Hines-Allen and Walker struggled in their last game against the Jets, they now face an offensive line that has allowed 47 sacks, ranking third in the league.
**Injury Concerns**
For the Jaguars, four offensive players, left tackle Walker Little (ankle), left guard Ezra Cleveland (knee), right guard Brandon Scherff (knee/shoulder), and tight end Brenton Strange (shoulder), are expected to participate despite their ailments. However, they will be without quarterback Trevor Lawrence, tight end Evan Engram, and wide receivers Christian Kirk and Gabe Davis.
On the Raiders’ side, the main storyline will revolve around whether quarterback Aidan O’Connell (knee) will rejoin the starting lineup, which seems likely. The statuses of wide receiver Jakobi Meyers (ankle), guard Jordan Meredith (ankle), and cornerback Sam Webb (back) remain uncertain.
**Series Insights**
This upcoming game marks the first meeting between these teams in Las Vegas. Jacksonville previously won their last two encounters by just a combined seven points. Both teams have previously exchanged victories three times while using the Raiders’ former home stadium in Oakland, California.
**Statistics and Facts**
The Jaguars have suffered losses in six of their last seven games and hold a 2-8 record in one-score games. They rank alongside Pittsburgh, Indianapolis, Philadelphia, and Kansas City as the NFL teams with at least 20 sacks from two defenders over the last three seasons. Quarterback Mac Jones had a standout game last week with season-highs in completions (31), passing yards (294), and rushing yards (29). Brian Thomas has joined rare company as one of six rookies in NFL history to achieve a game with at least 10 catches, 100 receiving yards, and two touchdowns. Hines-Allen is one of four AFC players to secure at least seven sacks in four consecutive seasons. Rookie cornerback Jarrian Jones has tallied two pass breakups in successive games. The Raiders are currently on a 10-game losing streak, tying for the fifth longest in franchise history and the longest since their 16-game slide from 2013-14. A loss could also equal the Jaguars’ 15-game losing streak from 2020. Brock Bowers is standing out among rookies, being one of only ten in NFL history to accumulate 90 receptions, the first tight end to do so. He is also just 32 yards away from joining the elite group of rookie tight ends with over 1,000 yards, a feat achieved earlier by Kyle Pitts and Mike Ditka. Additionally, the Raiders boast a record with 16 players accumulating at least half a sack, the highest for the team in a season, trailing only the Ravens this year.
**Fantasy Insight**
Jaguars running back Travis Etienne recorded a season-high of 18 touches last week, showing promise for increased opportunities given that the Raiders have given up 320 rushing yards over the past two weeks.