The Patriots are back on the road this weekend, travelling to Florida to take on the 1-1 Jacksonville Jaguars. After winning their opener in dominating fashion over the Browns, the Jags lost a lead in Denver last weekend, falling to Bo Nix and the Broncos.
Now, they'll look to get back on track against the team that beat those Broncos in Denver last year in the AFC Championship.
Jacksonville quarterback Trevor Lawrence is off to a hot start with four touchdowns to just one interception, ranking ninth in the NFL in EPA-per-play. Parker Washington is his favorite receiver and leads the team with 12 catches on 18 targets for 181 yards, while complementary receivers Brian Thomas Jr. and former Patriot Jakobi Meyers round out a dangerous passing offense that ranks fifth in DVOA after two games. Thomas brings an explosive element to the attack while Meyers' established reliability and clutch play helps keep the chains moving.
Defensively, bookend edge players Josh Hines-Allen and Travon Walker are two good pass rushers with the ability to blow up a game plan. It's a defense that feeds off turnovers, and they've already recorded three takeaways in the first two games.
But they were gashed by the Broncos last week for 392 yards, while the Denver defense applied plenty of pressure on Lawrence (45.2% pressure rate, per Next Gen), holding him without a touchdown.
What matchups will decide this Week 3 contest? Here are the 3 to Watch.
1. Keep Pounding
The Patriots run game was better in Week 2, producing two explosive plays, including TreVeyon Henderson's 39-yard touchdown, that helped give New England the win. But it was far from dominating, as they have yet to break 100 yards rushing through two games. Rhamondre Stevenson fumbled on the Patriots first drive of the game, almost immediately altering the team's ground approach. Stevenson finished with just six attempts as Henderson took over lead back duties in his first game of the season with 16 carries.
This week, the hope is that the run game can settle into what we haven't seen yet -- a full 60 minutes of the one-two punch from their two-headed monster backfield.
The rushing attack ranks 15th in yards-per-attempt, 25th in DVOA and 27th in rush EPA. Finding more consistency could be a major key to unlocking Drake Maye, as it will force defenses to put more attention into the box and open up more passing space on the back end, something that has been tough to find through two games.
2. Battle of Takeaways
Jacksonville's defense preys on turnovers. Last season their defense forced the second most takeaways in the league and they often came in bunches. They had four games with three takeaways, five games with two takeaways and even forced four takeaways in one game. That's more than half a season's worth of games with multiple game-changing plays, with the impact often landing directly on the scoreboard. The Jags were 8-2 in those multiple takeaway games in 2025.
Their defense has three takeaways through their first two games this season. They're just getting warmed up.
Meanwhile, Maye and the Patriots offense has struggled with their turnovers, netting five through their own first two games. Four have been Maye's league-leading interceptions with Stevenson adding a fumble lost.
NFL games most often boil down to who wins the turnover battle. This week they're even more important.
3. Special Edge
The third phase will be an important one this week in Jacksonville, with the Jags having one of the best kickers in the league and a pair of dangerous returners who could change the game in one play.
Kicker Cam Little owns the NFL's record for the longest kick in league history (68 yards), which he nailed last year against the Raiders. Little also finished off the 2025 season by hitting a 67-yarder against the Titans and even hit a 70-yarder last preseason, when records don't count. Little is a proven weapon. If the Jags only need three points they won't have to get very far into New England territory.
Parker Washington is Lawrence's favorite target but he's also an explosive punt returner who can be just as deadly as the Patriots own Marcus Jones. He has three return touchdowns over the last three seasons, including longs of 96 yards in 2024 and 87 yards in 2025.
12-year veteran Ameer Abdullah has 174 career kick returns and is once again averaging close to 30 yards-per-return (28.3).
For the Patriots, Jones can help flip field position and is every bit the problem that Washington is. But the Jags have the edge at kicker and a more proven kickoff returner. In a tight game between two AFC contenders, these margins are where it will be won or lost.
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