JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The Jacksonville Jaguars have a big one coming up in Week 4.
The Jaguars will get a chance to start 3-1 for the second year in a row under head coach Liam Coen, which would mark their first time starting 3-1 in back-to-back seasons in franchise history. But to do so, the Jaguars will need to find a way to beat a Bengals team that has had their number during the Trevor Lawrence era.
So, what questions will the Jaguars need to answer when they face the Bengals in Week 4 in a game that could help shift the power dynamic in the AFC? We break it down below.
Is the Jaguars’ secondary ready for the Ja’Marr Chase challenge? 
Sep 27, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase (1) warms up before a game against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
This is the question of all questions. The Jaguars have one of the best pass defenses in the NFL on a down-to-down basis, though they have been a bit risk/reward. They have recorded plenty of interceptions, but they have also been prone to giving up some big plays. All things considered though, perhaps big plays are a given in a week like this one where the Jaguars are facing an elite wide receiver in Ja’Marr Chase and other factors like Joe Burrow and Tee Higgins. But the Jaguars will still have to do something to limit the overall damage Chase does, because he is a big reason they lost to the Bengals last season.
The Jaguars’ secondary has played some good football to start 2026, but Chase is a different challenge entirely. If the Jaguars want to make a long playoff run by the end of the season, they will have to be up to the task of going toe-to-toe with elite playmakers like Chase. If the Jaguars can slow him down and win in the process, it could answer bigger questions than just Week 4 when it comes to the AFC’s big picture.
Will the running game take over? 
Jacksonville Jaguars running back Bhayshul Tuten (33) is introduced before an NFL football matchup at EverBank Stadium on Sunday, Sept. 27, 2026, in Jacksonville, Fla. The Jaguars defeated the Patriots 35-6. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times‑Union] | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
It feels like the Jaguars’ running game has been building to a massive game, and this seems like a great week to have that game. The Jaguars have had one of the NFL’s most efficient rushing attacks (No. 2 in EPA/Play, No. 3 in success rate) through the first three weeks, even if they have yet to have a truly outright dominant day. Between the performances of Bhayshul Tuten and the momentum from Chris Rodriguez Jr.’s Week 3 performance, this could be the week the running game truly takes over.
“You guys know we’ve emphasized for a little bit here. When you can run the football, the pressure it takes off of the quarterback and obviously the skill players in ways to where it’s not every down is so critical, not every throw is so magnified that the quarterback has enough critical downs throughout a game,” Jaguars head coach Liam Coen said.
According to NextGenStats, the Bengals defense has allowed the sixth-highest explosive run rate (13.1%) and second-highest rate of rushes over expected (47.3%) in the league this season. This is a week where the Jaguars could really lean into the rushing attack to take the game over, especially in the few snaps a game Dexter Lawrence isn’t on the field. Speaking of …
What is the plan for Dexter Lawrence? 
Sep 20, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; Cincinnati Bengals defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence II (97) celebrates after defeating the Houston Texans at Reliant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Life for an offensive lineman in the NFL is … not easy. Every single week it seems like there are physical specimens on the other side of the ball who just do things that few other humans can do on the football field. The Jaguars saw it in Week 2 with Zach Allen, who they struggled against. Then they saw it again in Week 3 with Milton Williams and Christian Barmore, who they thrived against. But this week, they have a different challenge entirely in the form of All-World defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence.
“Just look at the guy. He’s huge,” said Trevor Lawrence, a former teammate of Lawrence from Clemson, on Monday. “He’s ginormous and strong and athletic. That’s the thing is he can move really well for how big he is. He’s not just a big strong guy. He can move well. One of the better, pass rushing, big guys inside in the league. And I think that makes him a challenge where you’re running the ball, passing the ball, all those things. It’s someone that you got to have in mind when you’re making a game plan. He’s a great player.”
A great player indeed. The Jaguars’ interior offensive line trio of Emmanuel Pregnon, Robert Hainsey, and Ezra Cleveland will need to be at their best against Lawrence, who will quickly determine whether this Jaguars’ offensive line is really ready to face the elite of the elite. If the Jaguars can somehow slow down Lawrence, it could bode well for their chances to do so against other elite defensive linemen down the road when the stakes really increase.
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