JACKSONVILLE – Senior writer John Oehser, senior correspondent Brian Sexton and team reporter Kainani Stevens offer quick thoughts on the Jaguars as they prepare to play the Las Vegas Raiders at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nev., in a 2025 Week 9 game Sunday.
John Oehser, Jaguars Senior Writer…
Pretty big. The NFL saying is the biggest game is always the next game – and if that’s true for the Jaguars this week, Sunday is big beyond that context. The Jaguars entering a Week 8 bye not only lost two consecutive games for the first-time under Head Coach Liam Coen, they lost the momentum of the three-game winning streak that moved them to 4-1. They also lost two-and-a-half games to the AFC South-leading Indianapolis Colts, who remained the NFL’s hottest team. Jaguars players and coaches following a one-sided Week 7 loss to the Rams bemoaned not responding well to the adversity of a loss to the Seattle Seahawks the previous week. Sunday marks a second opportunity to respond to difficulty. They must respond better than they did in London against the Rams or the AFC South could get out of reach quickly.
Time is now. The bye is a time for reassessment and self-evaluation – and for the Jaguars, it’ s time to refocus on and likely increase rookie wide receiver Travis Hunter‘s offensive role. The No. 2 overall selection in the 2025 NFL Draft made multiple big memorable plays through seven games offensively – and he turned in his most productive NFL game yet when he caught eight passed for 101 yards and touchdown against the Rams. But despite playing 66.7% percent of offensive plays to date – significantly more than has played at cornerback – he hasn’t yet been the primary focus offensively. With wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. and the passing game struggling for consistency, it feels as if Hunter’s performance against the Rams could be a harbinger of a new look for this offense. Hunter’s time in the offense could be now.