Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence enters Sunday’s matchup in Cincinnati with a mandate different from simply erasing the franchise’s recent frustrations there. He’s focused on keeping things moving forward.
Locked On Jaguars host Tony Wiggins argued that Jacksonville’s new confidence, led by a more decisive Lawrence, has changed how the team approaches an early AFC measuring-stick game.
Wiggins described the old version of Lawrence as prone to prolonged cold stretches, a pattern he called the “Trevor Lawrence experience.” He said that pattern no longer defines the Jaguars quarterback, who is playing with more conviction after getting clearer protection plans, pre-snap answers, and permission from head coach Liam Coen to attack.
That development matters against the Bengals because Jacksonville may need its passing game to complement, rather than replace, its preferred physical approach. Wiggins expects the Jaguars to test Cincinnati’s front with the run, use their multiple-tight-end looks to force difficult personnel choices, and create intermediate throwing windows for Lawrence when defenders commit to stopping the ground game.
Locked On Bengals host Jake Liscow pointed to injuries and uncertainty in Cincinnati’s secondary as a potential opening for Jacksonville. He also identified Lawrence’s intermediate passing game as a particular concern, especially if the Jaguars can use their run game and formations to hold linebackers and safeties near the line of scrimmage.
But Jacksonville cannot treat that matchup as a one-sided opportunity. Cincinnati, with quarterback Joe Burrow and wide receivers Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins, presents the type of high-end passing attack that can erase a one-possession advantage quickly. Wiggins said Jacksonville’s ball-control approach would have to keep Burrow off the field while the defense continues producing stops near the goal line.
The turnover battle sits at the center of Jacksonville’s path. Liscow said the Jaguars have been effective at forcing quarterbacks into mistakes, while Wiggins stressed that Jacksonville has protected the ball and converted red-zone opportunities. If Lawrence sustains the poise Wiggins sees in him, the Jaguars will have a chance to turn an old source of Cincinnati disappointment into a statement road result.
Jacksonville takes its 2-1 record into Cincinnati looking for more than a win in Week 4: a road performance that confirms its confidence can hold up against an AFC opponent capable of matching its offensive firepower.
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