The Jacksonville Jaguars will play the Los Angeles Rams in Week 7. First-year head coach Liam Coen will get the chance to face mentor Sean McVay for the first time in his career, with the caveat that the game will be held in London as part of the NFL International Series.
There are several intriguing storylines ahead of the matchup. The biggest one is whether the Jags can fend off the Los Angeles pass rush. Travis Hunter's usage as receiver after getting just four catches in the loss to the Seahawks also comes to mind. Another one that isn't discussed nearly enough will be that the weather could be a factor, according to the latest report.
The likelyhood of rain for the Jaguars game vs. the Rams in Week 7 is high
According to NFL Weather, there's a 98 percent chance of precipitation for the London game, so rain is virtually a certainty. It will be 58 degrees Fahrenheit, meaning that it will be cooler than what the Jaguars are accustomed to, but not as cold as it would be if they were playing in New York in the winter. There will also be winds of 9 MPH through the bout, so they won't be nearly strong enough to disrupt the passing game.
It's worth noting that Wembley Stadium, where the game will be held, has a roof for the stands, but not for the field, so the weather may discourage both Jacksonville and the Rams from leaning on their respective quarterbacks.
The Jaguars game in London could feature heavy doses of Travis Etienne and Bhayshul Tuten
Trevor Lawrence has shown notable improvement in recent weeks. The Jaguars will need him to come up clutch if they want to pull off the upset. That said, it may be Travis Etienne and Bhayshul Tuten the X-Factors for the game.
After all, it may be a tad tough to take deep shots if it rains, as expected. By leaning on Etienne and Tuten, Jacksonville will keep the Rams defense honest and will prevent them from dropping extra players in coverage.
The Jags have most definitely shown the ability to run the ball under Liam Coen; the trouble is that they have struggled to get it going the past couple of games. It will be imperative, especially because of the weather, to tote the rock. If they do, they'll go into their BYE with a 5-2 record, which certainly looks much better than 4-3, right?