The Jacksonville Jaguars are on the road in Week 2, traveling to Cincinnati for a matchup with the Bengals, as both teams look to improve to 2-0 on the year.

In a nuanced game like football, there are always numerous factors and variables that can determine the outcome of any game. But if the Jaguars are going to leave Cincinnati with a win, performing well in these three areas will be a must.

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Limit the explosive pass plays

When facing the trio of Joe Burrow, Ja’Marr Chase, and Tee Higgins, big plays are bound to happen. The key for the Jaguars is limiting them, so one doesn’t become two, two becomes four, and so on.

As we know, explosive plays lead to points, and having to overcome too many chunk plays could, in turn, put a lot of strain on the Jacksonville offense to keep up, which reduces the ability to lean on the run game–an important element of the Liam Coen offense.

Helping the Jaguars’ secondary should be Anthony Campanile’s zone-heavy defense. This system will keep the defender’s eyes on the ball, which hopefully leads to some plays being made, and the pass catchers in front of them.

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Limit the penalties

The Jaguars were flagged a whopping 11 times in Week 1, totaling 93 penalty yards. Only three teams were penalized more than the Jaguars in Week 1.

This wasn’t exactly a one-off either, with penalties having been an issue throughout training camp and the preseason.

While the Jaguars were able to overcome those miscues against the Panthers, that won’t be the case every week, especially against high-end competition.

As we know, penalties erase big plays, put the offense behind the sticks, and keep the opposing offense on the field.

Contain Trey Hendrickson

Hendrickson has been one of the most disruptive pass rushers in football for several years now. He has four straight seasons where he’s logged at least 74 pressures. This includes totaling 83 pressures in 2024, along with leading the NFL in sacks.

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Despite having limited practice time prior to the Bengals’ Week 1 game, Hendrickson still managed to generate eight pressures–the most among any defensive end in Week 1–and a sack against Cleveland.

Keeping the quarterback clean is the name of the game. Without time in the pocket, Trevor Lawrence won’t be able to operate within the rhythm of the play and navigate his progressions, which can lead to errant throws.

One way to negate a strong pass rush is with a good running game, which helps keep the offense ahead of the sticks and out of predictable passing situations.

This article originally appeared on Jaguars Wire: Jaguars vs. Bengals: 3 keys to victory for Jacksonville in Week 2