The Jacksonville Jaguars haven't been the most consistent defensive team in the league this season. They started out 2025 absolutely torrid, notching 14 takeaways in five games en route to a 4-1 mark. Then, the injuries started piling up, and their productivity dropped off a cliff.
They've had some truly brutal performances so far this year. They allowed Matthew Stafford to throw an NFL international record five touchdowns for the Los Angeles Rams, even without Puka Nacua. They gave up 29 points to Geno Smith and the Las Vegas Raiders' offense that hasn't done really anything outside of that game. They were helpless against Davis Mills and the Houston Texans, who marched for three straight end zone trips in the fourth quarter to erase a 19-point deficit in Week 10.
There's been a bit of a common denominator between all of Jacksonville's worst defensive showings in the 2025 season. The Jaguars just haven't been able to cover tight ends. Whether it's a consistently dominant force, like Travis Kelce or Brock Bowers, or explosive plays from sleepers, such as AJ Barner or Terrance Ferguson, this defense just hasn't been able to keep tight ends contained.
Arizona Cardinals, NFL, San Francisco 49ers, Trey McBride
Arizona Cardinals tight end Trey McBride (85) takes the field before their game against the San Francisco 49ers at State Farm Stadium on Glendale on Nov. 16, 2025. / Joe Rondone/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
The last time the Jacksonville Jaguars faced an elite tight end, it didn't go so well for them. In Week 10, Brock Bowers was one of the main sources of offense for the Las Vegas Raiders, tallying 12 catches for 127 yards and three touchdowns, all of which were season-high marks for him this year.
The Jaguars will have to do better to try to contain the Arizona Cardinals' Trey McBride. He's been on a total tear in 2025. In his last two games, he reeled in 19 total receptions for 242 yards and two touchdowns. The Jaguars might not be able to survive another triple-digit yardage performance from a star tight end. Head Coach Liam Coen knows this:
"I’ve got a lot of respect for Trey. He’s extremely versatile, similar in a lot of ways to Brock [Bowers] that way. Look, you've got to have eyes on him and understand where he is in the formation at all times in terms of, 'Okay, is he attached? Is he in the hip? Is he in the slot? Is he at one?' And, obviously, building a plan around stopping guys like that is mixing up looks right, is trying to give different looks, and present them, and make sure that maybe you have some areas in the red area, whatever it is to double him or take away their best player. That's some things that we're looking at.”
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