Jacksonville Jaguars vs. Philadelphia Eagles: NFL Week 5 game picks

Welcome to the Big Cat Country staff roundtable!

Today, we preview Week 5’s matchup between the Jacksonville Jaguars and Philadelphia Eagles.

Question 1: What questions do you still have about the Jaguars, if any, after they beat the Bengals last week?

Dillon Appleman: I know the defense made the big stops at the end, but I really need to see more execution from that side of the ball in crunch time. In Week 2 against the Broncos, and this past week against the Bengals, both opposing offenses had long, seemingly easy drives down the field when it mattered most late in the game. I’d like to see more blood-on-water style play in those situations in the future.

Travis Holmes: Can this Jacksonville squad handle the weight of expectations? Heading into Jacksonville’s Week 2 game, a ton of praise was heaped on this Jaguars team as a top AFC Super Bowl contender, only for them to fail to play the game we know they’re capable of next week. In a week-to-week, matchup-by-matchup league, losses are going to happen, but Jacksonville clearly didn’t play its style of football against Denver. It is the inconsistency issue that has plagued the team for years. Similarly, Jacksonville was once again the national media’s “Belle of the Ball” this week, with talking heads popping up in every corner of the media sphere to extol the team’s future prospects. Can they cut through the noise and handle today’s business?

Gus Logo: Where are the deep passes? Trevor Lawrence threw the ball 10+ yards downfield on 43.3% of his attempts — the highest rate in the league, per NFL Pro — but most of that production came in the intermediate area. He ranks eighth in pass attempts 10-19 yards down (37) and just 25th in pass attempts 20+ yards down (8). It’s good that Jacksonville’s offense is lighting up the scoreboards without relying on shot plays. But the team has Brian Thomas Jr., after all. It will be nice to see some deep passes completed against a talented secondary.

Henry Zimmer: My big question is how good is the offensive line in terms of protecting Trevor Lawrence and keeping the game running. Overall, the offensive line has been OK against a solid Bengals front but the games never get easier as they run. This unit needs to find its footing, find the right five guys. When that happens, this team could be special.

Question 2: What was the key to the Jaguars’ success this week?

Dillon: Pretty simple, but just to win the turnover battle. The Eagles are snakebittin’ with injuries more than almost any team in the league right now, so it really isn’t going to give a desperate team a good chance through turnovers or mistakes. Clean execution and not forcing anything should lead to a positive result.

Travis: Ezra Cleveland and Robert Hainsey against Jalen Carter, Jordan Davis, and Moro Ojomo will be the matchup that will determine the outcome of this game, in my estimation. Vic Fangio’s defense has struggled to consistently pressure quarterbacks this season when not blitzing, ranking 16th in the NFL with a 31% pressure rate when rushing 4 or less. That’s while playing a defensive scheme built specifically around going home with four. Jalen Carter clearly seems limited as a pass rusher while playing with a cast on his right wrist due to a hairline fracture, similar to Travon Walker in 2025. However, given Hainsey and Cleveland’s slower start in 2026, Carter is still likely to be dangerous with his power rushing to disrupt the pocket for Trevor.

Gus: Win the explosive-play battle. I don’t expect Vic Fangio to allow Lawrence to paper-cut his defense to death by taking short, efficient passes and checking in on runs against the light boxes all game long. The Jaguars need to make some plays on offense. Defensively, they just really need to avoid getting Mossed — because without a bunch of Pro Bowlers around him, Jalen Hurts isn’t that good on his own.

Henry: This could be another “don’t play with your food” game for Jacksonville. Just go out and win. Your key is to defeat a banged-up team that is in free fall. This roster, at least on paper, is better than Cleveland’s but the process is the same. You must win, so go out and do it in 60 minutes.

Question 3: Who will be the X-factor for the Jaguars on Sunday?

Dillon: Bhayshul Tuten. Liam Coen and Trevor Lawrence have gotten most of the attention for the Jaguars, but Bhayshul Tuten’s impact this season is undeniable. He is third in the league in success rate, as well as missed tackles forced, which is huge considering the offensive line’s middling performance to this point. I expect that Sunday will be a heavy task for the young people.

Travis: An often overlooked area may come to the fore this week. With an extensive Eagles injury report heading into the London matchup, much of the attention has turned to starting players who may or may not be available. However, I believe this creates a huge opportunity for Heath Farwell’s special teams unit to be the biggest X-factor this week. When too many starting-level players are traded, placed on injured reserve, or just injured this week, forcing more practice squads, rotational depth, or recently signed players into more opportunities on special teams. A missed block, missed tackle, missed assignment, or miscommunication in a key situation could be all it takes to bust Sunday’s game wide open for Jacksonville.

Gus: Travon Walker. In case you haven’t heard, future Hall of Fame right tackle Lane Johnson has announced his retirement after missing last week’s game due to personal reasons. Our friends at Bleeding Green Nation believe third-round rookie Markel Bell will draw his second NFL start over veteran swing tackle (and former Jaguar) Fred Johnson. Walker must have been licking his chops to face a young buck following his 1-pressure performance against Amarius Mims. Furthermore, it’s no secret that Jalen Hurts is better when rolling to his right than to his left. Even if Walker doesn’t destroy Bell on every snap, he has to contain Hurts.

Henry: My X-Factor for Sunday morning is Anthony Campanile. He should be able to feast on the remains of this Eagles offense. With potentially no DeVonta Smith or Saquon Barkley, it could be a very long afternoon for new offensive coordinator Sean Mannion.

Dillon: Jaguars 27, Eagles 17

Travis: Jaguars 30, Eagles 13

Gus: Jaguars 27, Eagles 13

Henry: Jaguars 35, Eagles 14

What are your Week 5 predictions, Jaguars fans? Let us know in the comments!