Jaguars vs. Saints: 5 Players to Watch

The Jaguars have won three straight and now travel to New Orleans beaten and battered on a short week no less. That said, it presents an opportunity to move to 5-2 on the season on national television. If people haven't been talking about the Jaguars, they sure will be after Thursday if they can secure the win against the Saints.

Here are my five Jaguars to watch on Thursday night.

Travis Etienne

There’s Christian McCaffrey, Travis Etienne, and then everyone else. The third-year running back is on pace to eclipse his impressive second-year statline. Etienne already has matched his 2022 rushing touchdown total and is on track for 1,765 yards from scrimmage and 14 touchdowns. The former Clemson Tiger has four scores the last two weeks.

With the possibility of Trevor Lawrence missing their Thursday night contest, the team will look to their star running back to step up for whichever quarterback suits up. If it is Lawrence, Etienne may also get more looks as a receiver to get the short passing game going early on.

Evan Engram

Similarly to Etienne, Evan Engram could be the go-to guy against the Saints. Press Taylor may look to get the ball out of an injured Lawrence’s hands faster and who better than the YAC (Yards After the Catch) monster himself, Engram. Engram is every quarterback’s dream at tight end, turning short, easy passes into first downs time and time again.

The Saints defense is pretty good despite their pedestrian 3-3 record. New Orleans currently has the fifth best defense by total yardage and has forced 10 takeaways. That said, they have been susceptible to tight ends. Last week, against the Houston Texans, tight end Dalton Schultz caught four balls for 61 yards and a touchdown. Look for a big day from Engram, especially with a tender Lawrence.

Cam Robinson

While the Jaguars may have won last week, it wasn’t without sacrifice as several Jaguars fell to injury, including guard Brandon Scherff. Additionally, Walker Little remains sidelined with a knee injury. A banged-up offensive line protecting a banged-up quarterback could prove troublesome.

That’s all the more reason to look out for a standout game from Cam Robinson, the Jaguars blindside protector. Since coming back from his four-game suspension, Robinson has slid into left tackle seamlessly. In two games, the Alabama tackle has allowed just two pressures on 88 pass-block snaps. The Jaguars face star pass rusher Cam Jordan this week. Coincidentally, the Jaguars will need another excellent game from Robinson to protect Lawrence.

Travon Walker

The young Jaguars’ pass rusher is blossoming. Sunday, Travon Walker tied a career-best five pressures and has collected nine over the last two weeks. To complement his already solid run defense, Walker seems to be turning a corner as a pass rusher and is due for a big game. He already has notched 2.5 sacks, closing in on the 3.5 from his rookie season.

The Saints are 27th in pass-block win rate according to ESPN and rank 25th according to PFF. If Walker was to have a big game, this would be a good opportunity to do so. He has the opportunity to match his rookie mark in just seven games. A Jaguars’ offense plagued by injuries could benefit from some extra fire from big No.44.

Tre Herndon

It seems likely that Jaguars stud corner Tyson Campbell will miss Thursday Night Football football. To fill in, expect Montaric Brown to see playing time, however, it’s Tre Herndon who will need to really step it up against the Saints. Whether it's outside or in the slot, Herndon is the only member of the Jaguars’ secondary still without an interception.

The Saints’ offense runs through Chris Olave and Michael Thomas. The two receivers have accounted for 54% of their team’s targets. Herndon will have his hands full with two of the better receivers in the league. He’s been solid this year, however, it will be interesting to see how he fares with more responsibility.