Jaguars (1-5) at Seahawks (2-5)
Sunday, 4:05 p.m. ET, Lumen Field, Seattle
TV: CBS
Tipico Sportsbook line: No line
Jaguars’ keys to victory: Jacksonville hasn’t done much right this year aside from barely beating a surprisingly poor Miami team. No. 1 overall pick Trevor Lawrence has legitimate potential, but he doesn’t have much of a supporting cast. Head coach Urban Meyer and offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell (formerly on Pete Carroll’s staff in Seattle) particularly need to improve on third-down performance.
Seahawks’ keys to victory: With franchise QB Russell Wilson stuck on injured reserve until Week 10 at the earliest, Seattle needs a balanced offense to help take the pressure off backup QB Geno Smith. The balancing will largely fall to former first-round pick and often-injured RB Rashaad Penny and a struggling running game. Penny, activated ahead of Week 7 from the injured list, only managed 9 yards on six carries vs. New Orleans. Defensively, the Seahawks need SS Jamal Adams to pick up his production as a blitz option and at least be passable in coverage. The Seahawks could also use some improvement in this area from second-year LB Jordyn Brooks.
Matchup to watch: Jaguars RB James Robinson vs. Seahawks LB Bobby Wagner. Seattle’s defense needs to worry most about Jacksonville’s supremely underrated running back, who’s averaging a robust 5.5 yards per carry. Stopping Robinson will be a team effort, but Wagner is among the league leaders in tackles.
Who wins? Seattle’s roster has its flaws, but it’s still a deeper and more capable group.
Seahawks, 23-17