Jeff McLane’s keys to Eagles vs. Jaguars in Week 5 and a game prediction

The Eagles travel to face the Jacksonville Jaguars at 9:30 a.m. on Sunday at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London. Here’s what you need to know about the matchup:

When the Eagles have the ball: It might be hard at times to recognize who’s on offense with so many players injured. On the offensive line, the Eagles will be without three guys who opened the season as starters: right tackle Lane Johnson (retired), left guard Landon Dickerson (injured), and center Cam Jurgens (traded). Jurgens’ replacement, Drew Kendall, will also be down with a knee injury, meaning the O-line will likely be, from left to right: Jordan Mailata, Willie Lampkin, Jake Majors, Tyler Steen, and Markel Bell. The combined career starts for Bell, Lampkin, and Majors: 1. And that was just last week when Bell had to jump in for Johnson at right tackle at a moment’s notice.

The Eagles will also be without a couple of key skill position players nursing hamstring injuries: top receiver DeVonta Smith and No. 1 running back Saquon Barkley. Backup running back Tank Bigsby (groin) and receiver Hollywood Brown (ankle) are also out. It’s not all bleak. Tight end Dallas Goedert (knee) is back after missing two games, while Dontayvion Wicks, who was dealing with a hamstring injury, was listed as a limited participant on Friday but does not carry a game status designation. Still, the Eagles won’t have close to a full deck in facing one of the NFL’s best defenses. Jaguars defensive coordinator Anthony Campanile is an up-and-comer. He’s blended the disparate philosophies of Vic Fangio and Brian Flores and come up with a defense that is both conservative and aggressive.

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Campanile, like Fangio, doesn’t devote extra bodies in the box to stop the run, mostly because he doesn’t need to. He’s got a good scheme with stout run defenders at all three levels, from interior lineman DaVon Hamilton to off-ball linebacker Ventrell Miller to safety Antonio Johnson. The Jaguars have allowed just 74.3 yards per game and 3.3 yards per rush. The group tackles well and has allowed only 2.01 yards after contact, which is second best in the league. Will Shipley and recently promoted Dameon Pierce and Carson Steele will have their work cut out for them. Eagles offensive coordinator Sean Mannion may need to be creative in his run calls and get quarterback Jalen Hurts involved, or his receivers on sweeps and end-arounds. There were occasional glimmers of hope on the ground in the first four games, but they’ve come more with Hurts in the shotgun.

Mannion said he’s committed to the under-center play-action offense he brought to Philly, but it’s been woefully unproductive so far. It’s going to be tough to dive into it this week, as well. Defenses have been stacking the line when Hurts is under center and blitzing him when he uses play-action. The Eagles have been wretched in picking up blitzes and simulated pressures. Campanile doesn’t have a high blitz rate (25.6%), but he has some of Flores’ concepts in his toolbag. Hurts can’t hold the ball like he has the last two weeks. It’s got to come out, and having Goedert back should help. He just won’t have many receivers to stretch the field, although Darius Cooper has shown promise.

When the Jaguars have the ball: Coach Liam Coen calls the plays and employs a sound offensive system that will stress defenses. It should be a good test for Fangio’s crew. Quarterback Trevor Lawrence is playing his best football in his sixth season. See what good coaching can do? He’s completing nearly 70% of his passes and has thrown eight touchdowns against only two interceptions. Lawrence has been careless with the football in the past, and he’ll still force passes into tight windows. But Coen is an expert at scheming receivers open so his quarterback doesn’t have to rush his throws. The Eagles’ best chance is to get Lawrence to turn it over and build off last week’s two picks from Andrew Mukuba and Cooper DeJean.

Coen’s offense can function from both under center and the shotgun. He’ll use outside-zone runs to stretch defenses and then hit them off play-action. The Jaguars lack a true No. 1 receiver, but Parker Washington has improved in each of his four seasons and leads the team with 16 catches for 228 yards and two touchdowns. He’ll line up inside and out. Tight end Brenton Strange is Lawrence’s favorite target over the middle and on seam routes when it’s there. Fangio threw the Los Angeles Rams a curveball by uncharacteristically leaning on Cover 2. It worked through 3½ quarters. He’s likely to favor more Cover 3 match zone to keep Coen and Lawrence on their toes. But the back end will need help from the front.

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The Eagles should have an opportunity to uncork a pass rush that has been uninspiring thus far. Jacksonville’s O-line may be its weakest link. Tackles Anton Harrison and Cole Van Lanen have allowed two sacks apiece. Jonathan Greenard has flashed in limited playing time, but he’s back on ice after spraining his ankle last week. Nolan Smith Jr. had his best effort of the season vs. the Rams. Jalyx Hunt needs to finally finish and get to the quarterback. The entire front four has struggled to consistently win at the point of attack. Jalen Carter, who has a hairline fracture in his wrist, has a solid excuse. Fellow interior lineman Jordan Davis (no sacks or quarterback hits) doesn’t, although Fangio conceded that he needs to play more.

Harrison is a road-grader in the run game, especially on the outside zone. The Jaguars have a collective that knows how to execute the wide-zone blocking scheme. Coen will mix in some power runs but tailback Bhayshul Tuten is very effective on the edges. He has good vision and uses his giddy-up to burst through cutback lanes. The Eagles have allowed 122 yards per game on the ground, but their efficiency numbers are solid. They’re sixth in expected points added per rush, even if Fangio still employs the lightest box rate (62.8) in the NFL.

Extra point: The Eagles are severely depleted, especially on offense. If they can get some early turnovers like they did against the Rams, they may be able to hang around. I don’t know if Hurts is going to have the necessary time in the pocket, but Jacksonville’s defense can surrender the occasional explosive play. But the Eagles can’t afford mistakes. Campanile’s unit set franchise highs in takeaways (31) and interceptions (22) last season and is tied for second in takeaways (8) this season.

The 2-2 Eagles’ matchup with the 3-1 Jaguars comes at a bad time. Not only are they playing poorly and wounded, they have to fly to London and face a team more accustomed to the transatlantic travel. Nick Sirianni opted to treat the trip like he would a West Coast jaunt. But there are some differences in heading the opposite direction. The Eagles will fly overnight Friday into Saturday and there will be jet lag. Maybe it’ll have no factor on the outcome. There are far too many other reasons to pick against the Birds this weekend.

Prediction: Jaguars, 27-10.

Listen to the latest episode

For over two decades, one of the guiding personnel principles of the Philadelphia Eagles organization has been to prioritize the offensive line. Through four games, and this past week in particular, the group has undergone dramatic turnover. Hall of Fame-caliber tackle Lane Johnson retired. Cam Jurgens was shipped to Baltimore in a trade. Their respective replacements have potential, but, compared to how general manager Howie Roseman has stockpiled talent on the line in the past, the options now seem less optimal. Did Roseman and the Eagles stray from a long-held philosophy? The Inquirer’s Jeff McLane retraces key decisions that brought the team to this point. Listen here.

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