The Green Bay Packers return to the road this week and face the 2-5 Jacksonville Jaguars.
The Packers are currently on a three-game winning streak and are the clear favorite, but they shouldn’t overlook an opponent that poses potential problems.
After starting 0-4, the Jaguars are playing their best football of the season, winning two of their last three. Jacksonville turned in its best performance of the year during last week’s 32-16 victory over the New England Patriots in London.
While Green Bay is still expected to win, no team should be underestimated, especially one that has as many offensive weapons as the Jaguars.
If they hope to keep their winning streak going, the Packers will need to hang on in three key matchups:
CB Jaire Alexander vs. WR Brian Thomas Jr.
There has been plenty of talk between Alexander and Houston Texans wide receiver Stefon Diggs heading into their highly anticipated Week 7 matchup. However, Green Bay’s top corner backed this up after the kickoff by not allowing Diggs to catch a single pass against his coverage. Alexander has looked like he’s been on a break lately, but now he faces a unique challenge against the most productive rookie in the NFL. Thomas leads all rookies with 513 receiving yards, tied with Marvin Harrison Jr. with four touchdowns. The rookie has been a great addition to the Jacksonville offense, but he will be tested both mentally and physically on Sunday. Will Alexander be able to get under the newbie’s skin and deliver another performance? We’ll see.
WR Romeo Doubs vs. CB Tyson Campbell
Let’s take a look at another WR-CB matchup that will be fun to watch this week. Since his one-game suspension, Doubs has responded with two really good performances. In wins over the Cardinals and Texans, he led the team in all major receiving categories, recording 11 receptions on 14 targets for 143 yards, nine first downs and two touchdowns. While Doubs hopes to remain the focal point of the attack, it won’t be straightforward when he finds himself lining up opposite Campbell. The Jaguars’ top cornerback returned to the lineup last week after missing four games with a hamstring injury. Campbell doesn’t allow many catches, and when he does, the damage is minimal.
Green Bay vs. Jacksonville’s Edge Rushers
The Jaguars have one of the best pass rushing duos in the NFL in Travon Walker and Josh Hines-Allen. Both rank among the top 15 edge rushers in quarterback pressures and have a combined 8.5 sacks this season. It’s unthreatening to say that both pose sedate challenges for Zach Tom and Rasheed Walker. Tom played at a Pro Bowl level in 2024, but has experienced some issues over the past few weeks. Walker, meanwhile, has been solid at left tackle this year, but gave up a sack and three tackles last week. The Packers will need tackles on Sunday to secure the edge against their opponents, so Jordan Love has plenty of time to expose the Jaguars’ 31st-ranked pass defense.
