Can Love play a clean game?

The Jaguars offense has shown signs of getting back on track after a slow start, but the defense, and more specifically the pass defense, is irredeemably bad, mostly due to a lack of talent in the secondary.

Only four teams have allowed more yards per game than Jacksonville, only two have allowed more points per game, and just one has given up more passing yards than the Jags so far this season.

The run defense is faring better, ranking sixth in the NFL in yards per game allowed, so the onus will be more on the Packers passing game to dominate.

Love is yet to get through a game without throwing an interception this season, currently leading the league with eight.

The one pick he threw versus the Cardinals two weeks ago was pure bad luck, with Bo Melton’s slip causing the turnover, and it is Love’s performance against Arizona, easily his best of the season, that he will be looking to replicate this week.

That game was not some careful, risk-averse performance from Love, and the Packers will not want their QB to lose the swashbuckling style that makes him special, but that does not mean the interceptions cannot be cut down, as Love showed down the stretch last year.

With the weapons at Love’s disposal, and likely a lower level of defensive resistance to face, as long as he is protected, Sunday could be an eruption game for Green Bay’s quarterback and pass catchers.

Games between the Packers and Jaguars have tended to be close, Jacksonville is not as bad as their 2-5 record, and they have won back to back games, but the Packers are the better team.

If they are to show that definitively, it will start with the quarterback, and facing a defense which has only come up with one interception this season, it is time for Love to have a game where he stays clean and doesn't throw a pick which could keep the opponent in the game.

Josh Hines-Allen and Travon Walker

The key to letting Love and company cook on Sunday will be keeping the quarterback upright, and while they may not have much to lean on defensively, the Jaguars do have players capable of threatening that goal.

Hines-Allen racked up 45 sacks in his first five NFL seasons, including a huge 2023 in which he took the quarterback down 17.5 times. He usually lines up against the left tackle, meaning Rasheed Walker is likely to have his hands full on Sunday.

On the other side, Travon Walker presents a danger as well.

The Jaguars drafted Walker with the first overall pick in the 2022 draft, taking him ahead of Aidan Hutchinson (which Detroit Lions fans are very grateful for).

Walker has not exactly justified that selection given Hutchinson’s excellent NFL career so far, but he did register ten sacks a year ago and already has six in 2024. Zach Tom will not be in for an easy afternoon.

It feels like the pair of edge rushers taking over is the only thing that could derail Green Bay’s offense this week, so keeping them in check will be a priority.

Rashan Gary vs Anton Harrison

The Packers meanwhile are still waiting for Rashan Gary to round into form after an uncharacteristically quiet start to the season.

Jeff Hafley did a good job of moving Gary around last week, rushing him from the interior at times, evoking memories of Za’Darius Smith stalking the line of scrimmage and isolating a weak link.

It meant Gary was able to impact C.J. Stroud, and Green Bay’s star edge rusher also had a sack of the Houston quarterback after the right tackle slipped.

Last week was a nice changeup to crank up the pressure, but the surprise factor will now be gone, and Gary simply needs to start winning more regularly.

Up against right tackle Anton Harrison this week, who is PFF’s 61st graded tackle out of 76 qualifiers, he will have a prime opportunity to do exactly that. It is time for the real Rashan Gary to stand up.

Brian Thomas Jr

Part of what has made Jacksonville’s early struggles on offense is that they have useful pass catchers for Trevor Lawrence to utilize. Christian Kirk and Evan Engram are solid pieces, but rookie receiver Thomas is quickly becoming the headline act.

A first round pick out of LSU, Thomas is almost 6’3”, weighs 209 lbs and runs a 4.33. To put it another way, he is big and fast. The question for the Packers will be, who do you want on him?

Jaire Alexander is of course Green Bay’s best corner, but the size discrepancy could cause him some issues. Eric Stokes has requisite size, as well as the speed to run with Thomas, but he is not playing particularly well and has lost outside corner snaps to Keisean Nixon.

Nixon is still new to playing on the perimeter, and is also not the biggest corner. Thomas could prove a tough assignment for him.

If Jacksonville’s pass catchers get open, Lawrence is more than capable of finding them, and Thomas has the ability to create separation and explosive plays at any moment.

Packers punt coverage

In Green Bay’s last matchup with Jacksonville back in 2020, they allowed a 91-yard punt return for a touchdown at Lambeau Field, as Keelan Cole took a JK Scott boot to the house, with the punter failing to lay a finger on him as the last line of defense.

Last week in London, Parker Washington returned a kickoff for a touchdown, helping the Jags on the way to a 32-16 victory.

Rich Bisaccia’s special teams unit has been below average once again in 2024, ranking 27th in special teams DVOA through seven games. They will need to be on full alert this week to avoid a potentially game-altering play in the third phase.