The Jacksonville Jaguars enter Week 11 at 5-4 and very much still alive in the playoff picture. Despite that, they're coming off a rough loss in which they gave up a franchise-worst 19-point lead in their loss to the Houston Texans. After starting 4-1, they've since gone 1-3, with their sole win coming against a lousy Las Vegas Raiders team—and even then, they squeaked by with a one-point overtime victory. Their winning record is thanks to DaVon Hamilton's meaty forearm.
Even with a winning record and the playoffs still within reach, Jags fans are feeling the looming danger of a disappointing season on the horizon. With the Chargers' talented roster, the team can bounce back even with a loss. Fans will (maybe) swallow dropping to 5-5 against a Justin Herbert-led offense if Jacksonville plays better and remains in the game until the very end (even if some analysts are picking the Jags in an upset).
With this in mind, here are three bold predictions that—even with a loss—would show Jacksonville is recovering after their latest devastating defeat against Houston.
Related:Former Jaguars player just dropped bleak prediction on Trevor Lawrence’s future
Jaguars running back Travis Etienne has 120+ scrimmage yards
The Los Angeles Chargers' passing defense is fifth-best in the league, keeping opposing quarterbacks to under 175 yards per game. Thus far, Trevor Lawrence hasn't proven himself the kind of player to rise above such statistics, so fans should expect a heavy dose of the run game this Sunday. While rookie Bhayshul Tuten will certainly get his shot, lead rusher Travis Etienne Jr. is likely to continue to be the Jaguars' best offensive weapon.
Now, I've cheated, hedging my bets by going with scrimmage yards over rushing yards. This is because I expect a bit of screen action, or a few jet sweeps that technically count as passes. Either way, I'm looking to see Etienne rack up at least 120 all-purpose yards by the close of the game.
Jaguars defense registers season-high 5 sacks vs. the Chargers
Yikes! I went quite a bit bolder here than I probably should have, especially considering how off I was last week with my predictions. But I'm feeling good today, so we're going to let the predictions fly. The Chargers have allowed a third-worst 34 sacks entering Week 11, and Jaguars defenders are going to be licking their chops entering the week, especially after their less-than-desirable performance in the last few (ie, nine) games.
This is a big, bold, brash prediction, but I have a feeling edge rushers Josh Hines-Allen and Travon Walker are looking to bounce back after last week's rough loss.
Related:Predicting Jaguars' next three games after devastating loss to the Texans
The Jaguars and Chargers combined scores will equal 60+ points
Again, I may be hedging my bets, since even if Jacksonville loses, this could still happen. So, I'll add a caveat here: The game ends with a one-possession score difference. Jacksonville averages a middle-of-the-pack 22.8 points per game, while the Chargers have a slightly better 24 points per game. That may only add up to 46.8 points (I think—I did that without a calculator), but the Jaguars have allowed 36, 29, and 35 points in their last three games.
If Jacksonville walks away with a victory, I'm expecting it to come from a few key takeaways that lead to points for the offense. With the defense currently unable to stop their opponents from racking up the scoreboard—and Justin Herbert throwing for 2,610 yards despite being sacked so often—I'm looking to see a shootout in Duval.
Final thoughts
Do the Jags win this one? Honestly, I don't think so, even if they do hit all the predictions above. Herbert scores in spite of sacks, and the Jaguars' defense has struggled lately. Even if Etienne plays lights out, it'll take a big step up from Trevor Lawrence for Jacksonville to move to 6-4.