3 Matchups to watch vs the Ravens

9/22/2016

The Jaguars have a HUGE matchup with the Ravens this Sunday. Here's the 3 most important matchups to keep an eye on in this one.
By Jordan de Lugo - @jordandelugo

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Jalen Ramsey & Davon House (maybe) vs Mike Wallace

The Jaguars defensive backs will be tested in different ways this week. The Chargers ran a lot of shallow crossing routes and underneath routes -- the Ravens offense will be entirely different animal. Mike Wallace looks like he's found the fountain of youth and is averaging 18.9 yards a catch through two weeks. Oh yeah, did I mention he's scored every Ravens TD this season? Yep, that's right, every single one. Granted it's only 3, but the Jaguars will need to be locked in on Wallace who is one of the best deep threats in the NFL. The Jaguars will likely be without the services of Prince Amukara, so it'll be Jalen Ramsey and perhaps Davon House, who was held out of practice Thursday with a hamstring, to slow down Wallace. House excels at covering the deep ball while Ramsey will be ready to face the speedy WR. These two will likely matchup with Wallace for much of the game and they'll need to be ready on every snap, because with Mike Wallace it only takes a momentary lapse and then he's gone.

Allen Robinson vs the Ravens secondary

Allen Robinson has caught only 9 passes for 126 yards 0 TDs in 2016, but he'll be looking to get back on track this week against the Ravens CBs Jimmy Smith and Shareece Wright who struggled against Corey Coleman in week 2, giving up 2 TDs to the Browns rookie WR. After a season in which Robinson hauled in 80 catches for 1,400 yards and 14 scores, Robinson has struggled to create separation and to track down the ball when it's in the air. The blame cannot be placed squarely on the shoulders of Robinson -- Blake Bortles has had his struggles and has missed Robinson several times for what could have been big plays/touchdowns. In 2015, when the Jaguars beat the Ravens in Baltimore, Robinson recorded 5 catches for only 51 yards and a TD. He'll likely need to have a bigger impact on this one if the Jaguars are to avoid an 0-3 start to 2016.

The Jaguars O-Line could be without
Linder and Beachum in week 3

Luke Joeckel & Jermey Parnell vs Elvis Dumervil & Terrell Suggs

With Kelvin Beachum sidelined following what looked like a serious concussion in the Jaguars loss last week, Luke Joeckel will be sliding back over to left tackle where he'll be takes with the tough assignment of slowing down Elvis Dumervil, who is returning from injury this week. DOOM, as Ravens fans lovingly call him, will be playing with a chip on his shoulder -- it was his face mask penalty in the closing seconds that cost the Ravens the game against the Jaguars just a season ago. In 2015, despite the rough ending to the game, Dumervil wreaked Havoc, sacking Bortles twice and recording two other tackles on the day. Joeckel struggles with the games best pass rushers, so that matchup could get ugly. Then you've got Jermey Parnell vs T-Sizzle. Terrell Suggs is on the wrong side of 30 and is coming off a 2015 season in which he missed almost every snap with a torn achilles. Suggs and Dumervil still combine to be one of the most dynamic pair of pass rushers in the NFL, but there age and injury history are starting to catch up with them. If Joeckel and Parnell can "do their job" it'll make it much easier for Bortles and Co. to get the offense rolling in week 3.

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