Big Cat Country
Welcome to Big Cat Country’s staff roundtable!
Today, we’re previewing the Wild Card Round playoff matchup between the Jacksonville Jaguars and the Buffalo Bills at EverBank Stadium.
Question 1: Who has been your favorite player(s) to watch during Jacksonville’s current eight-game win streak?
Dillon Appleman: Obviously, Trevor’s ascension has been awesome to watch, but I have to give some shine to Jarrian Jones. He’d fallen down the depth chart before the win streak but has since earned more playing time and has been terrific. His energy stands out and he’s become one of the biggest playmakers on this defense. Since his snaps started to increase in Week 9, Jones has seven pass deflections, two interceptions, and six tackles for loss.
Travis Holmes: It’s hard for me to name a player I’m more passionate about than Jarrian Jones here. Jones began the season as a guy who was theoretically set to be in a fight for the outside corner role early in camp, to seemingly be in a (losing) fight for a starting role with Jourdan Lewis, to playing at such a high level currently that I couldn’t envision him not being on the field. He and this Jacksonville secondary are playing at such a level of confidence on the tape that it screams coaching clinic, high-IQ football, and development oozing out of every snap. Jones exemplifies that, along with multiple others, in that DB room.
Gus Logue: It’s hard not to go with Trevor Lawrence. I’ve been writing about the Jaguars since 2019, and I’d say more than half of the feature-length articles I’ve posted have essentially been titled “Lawrence is good, I swear!” Right now, he’s doing everything you could ask for: playmaking from both in and out of the pocket; changing calls and protections at the line of scrimmage; using his legs in high-leverage situations; and taking what the defense is giving him rather than forcing the ball. It took long enough, but the Trevor Lawrence Show has been a thrill to watch over the second half of this season.
Henry Zimmer: My favorite players from this win streak have been the rookie running backs. LeQuint Allen Jr. and Bhayshul Tuten have injected such a fun energy into this offense because neither guy is afraid to bow up to anyone. If you can have two newcomers who have zero fear anytime they step on the field, that not only permeates through the whole locker room but is also a great reflection on what the coaching staff is preaching. Not to mention both have produced when called upon.
Question 2: What’s a matchup you’re looking forward to watching?
Dillon: Josh Allen vs. Josh Hines-Allen. Jags fans will never forget when these two faced off back in 2021 when they were going by the same name. The Jags’ Josh Allen got the best of the matchup as he had a sack, fumble recovery and an interception in that one, which led to Jacksonville faithful giving Hines-Allen the nickname “The Good...
