The schedule makers did the Jacksonville Jaguars no favors to start the season. 

After starting the new campaign with a 34-10 destruction of the Cleveland Browns, the Jaguars had to go on the road against last year’s AFC top seed, the Denver Broncos. 

Jacksonville had its nine-game regular-season winning streak end against the Broncos and then came back home to face the defending AFC champion New England Patriots. 

Against the Patriots, the Jaguars showed the rest of the NFL what they are made of by putting a 35-6 beatdown on one of last season’s Super Bowl teams. 

Now, Jacksonville has to go back on the road to face its third straight AFC contender in the Cincinnati Bengals before back-to-back “home” games in London against the Eagles and Texans. 

At 2-1, if the Jaguars can get through the first six games 4-2, they will be in a terrific position with the toughest part of their schedule already behind them. 

Jacksonville can’t afford to look ahead to the pair of games across the pond with a tough opponent like Cincinnati on the docket this week. 

Both the Jaguars and Bengals come into Sunday's showdown 2-1. Jacksonville is riding high after last week’s win over the Patriots. Cincinnati is coming off a tough loss to its division rival, the Pittsburgh Steelers. 

Whoever wins this heavyweight battle will secure the tiebreaker should the teams finish with the same record. 

The Jaguars must bring their A-game into Cincinnati if they want to add another impressive win to their resume. 

If the Jaguars want to beat the Bengals, they must find a way to contain star WRs Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins, who are the NFL’s best duo. Watching Travis Hunter and Jacksonville’s other corners battle them should be worth the price of admission. 

Aside from the Bengals’ star-studded passing attack, the Jaguars will also have to deal with Cincy’s much-improved offensive line and defense. 

The Bengals traded the 10th overall pick in the draft to the New York Giants for star defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence, and he has instantly become a difference-maker. The interior of Jacksonville’s remade offensive line will have its hands full with Lawrence all afternoon. 

Bengals’ right tackle Amarius Mims is quietly and quickly becoming one of the best in the NFL. The 2024 first-round pick has played 111 pass-blocking snaps without allowing a single pressure. 

Who has Mims gone up against during his streak? How about Rueben Bain Jr., Will Anderson Jr., Danielle Hunter, and T.J. Watt. 

It doesn’t get much more impressive than that. Josh Hines-Allen and Travon Walker must find a way to put pressure on Joe Burrow if the Jaguars are to win. 

On offense, the Jaguars will try to continue humming along against a solid Bengals defense that is much better than it has been in years.

Can Trevor Lawrence keep going at an MVP-level pace? Will WR Brian Thomas Jr. respond after seeing his playing time significantly cut a week ago? 

Jacksonville will have to keep running back Bhayshul Tuten going to control the clock and keep the ball away from Cincinnati’s explosive offense. Tuten has been great in his new role as Jacksonville’s top RB. 

The game between the Jaguars and Bengals should be a fun matchup between two of the AFC’s top teams. Whoever comes out of the clash with a win will be sitting pretty at 3-1 and in first place in their division. 

Hopefully, the Jaguars can put together a performance like the one they had against New England and record their first road victory of the season.