The Jacksonville Jaguars are on the road in Week 12, this time taking on the Arizona Cardinals.
The Jaguars will enter this game at 6-4 and are currently the seventh seed in the AFC, while Arizona is 3-7.
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To get some added insight into this unfamiliar opponent, Jess Root, the managing editor of Cards Wire, answered a handful of our questions.
To see how these two teams stack up, you can find that here.
How has the offense looked with Jacoby Brissett at quarterback?
Root: “Well, the passing game has been cooking. They now lead the NFL in passing attempts, and he had 452 yards and a league-record 47 completions last week. However, they are 1-4 in his starts and have lost by 19 or more in two straight weeks. The run game is gone.
“So the offense ‘looks’ better, but it hasn’t been any better for the team. And Brissett has been sacked 18 times and hit 49 in five games.”
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What’s been a strength of the Cardinals?
Root: “Well, right now, it is the passing game. They are getting good volume numbers. Trey McBride has consecutive 100-yard games. Michael Wilson had 15 catches for 185 yards. Brissett has thrown two TD passes in every start.”
On the flip side, where have the Cardinals struggled?
Root: “Well, in pretty much everything. They have allowed over 40 points in consecutive weeks. They have allowed 32 ppg since Brissett took over. They have fallen behind 35-0 and 35-10 in the last two weeks. They had a franchise-record 17 penalties last week. Christian McCaffrey had 121 yards and three touchdowns against them last week. In Week 10, Seattle running backs combined for 181 yards and two scores. Brissett has four turnovers in the last two games. They have struggled across the board.”
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Who is an under-the-radar player on offense and defense to know?
Root: “With Marvin Harrison Jr. out, watch Michael Wilson. In his first opportunity to play as a WR1, he had 15 catches for 185 yards.
“On defense, rookie Cody Simon is now the Mike linebacker relaying defensive calls. He had 12 tackles last week.”
Prediction: Who wins and why?
Root: “The Jags have scored 30+ points in three straight games, and the Cardinals struggle to stop teams and to stop the run. However, Jacksonville’s defense is not good, although it is good at taking the ball away. I don’t think this will be a blowout for Arizona like the last two weeks, but I don’t trust their defense at all. It is a high-scoring affair.”
Jaguars 31, Cardinals 24
This article originally appeared on Jaguars Wire: Jaguars vs. Cardinals: 4 things to know and a Week 12 prediction