The Arizona Cardinals take on the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 12. Kickoff from State Farm Stadium is at 4:05 p.m. ET (2:05 p.m. Arizona time). The Cardinals are looking to change their fortunes after losing seven of their last eight games and getting blown out the last two weeks.
The Jaguars are 6-4 and currently would make the playoffs if the season ended now.
As the Jaguars are not a frequent opponent, there is a lot to learn about them. Jags Wire managing editor Paul Bretl helps us out, taking us behind enemy lines.
He answered a few of my questions. The questions and his responses are below.
The Jaguars on offense
With no Brian Thomas or Travis Hunter in the passing game, how will the Jaguars come out offensively and attack the Cardinals?
This will be the third game that Brian Thomas Jr. has missed with an ankle injury. Over the last two games, Parker Washington, Jakobi Meyers, and Tim Patrick have shouldered the workload at wide receiver. Getting the run game going is an important aspect of Liam Coen’s offense, so with that will be some two tight end looks as well. One thing to watch for is whether or not tight end Brenton Strange is activated from IR. He brings a do-it-all presence to the tight end position and would provide a boost in both the run and passing games.
Strengths and weaknesses
At 6-4, what have the Jags done well and not so well?
The run game for the Jaguars has often been steady for them this season. Defensively, Jacksonville has stopped the run and has been quite good at generating takeaways.
Two areas where they need to find more consistency are with their pass rush, specifically, getting after the quarterback, as well as in the passing game. Jacksonville is also one of the most penalized teams in football.
Fantasy must-starts and sleepers
Who are your fantasy must-starts and a sleeper pick from the Jags?
Travis Etienne will be a must-start each week. As mentioned, running the ball is important to this offense, so the opportunities will be there. Etienne and the offensive line have found success in doing so as well.
My sleeper pick is Jakobi Meyers. This will be only his third game with Jacksonville after being traded from Las Vegas, but he’s quickly established himself as a go-to target and has been very reliable.
Key matchups
Which matchups are you most excited and most worried about?
The big matchup on my radar is the Jaguars’ pass rush against the Cardinals’ offensive line. As mentioned, generating steady pressure has been a problem this season. However, Jacksonville’s front is coming off a very good performance against the LA Chargers, which was a big part of the struggles that offense had. So is this group trending in the right direction? Or was that a blip on the radar?
Game prediction
Who wins the game? How?
I’ll pick the Jaguars to win. After that brutal loss to Houston, the way that Jacksonville was able to bounce back against the Chargers says a ton about this Liam Coen-led team. I think they ride that wave of momentum into this week’s game. Jaguars 24, Cardinals 20
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This article originally appeared on Cards Wire: Jaguars vs. Cardinals preview, fantasy, matchups and prediction
