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JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Breaking down how the Chargers (10-7) and the Jacksonville Jaguars (9-8) match up heading into their game at 5:15 p.m. PST on Saturday at TIAA Bank Field in Jacksonville. The game will be shown on NBC and streamed on Peacock and NFL+.
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When Chargers have the ball
Chargers wide receiver Mike Williams will not play Saturday against the Jacksonville Jaguars.
(Zach Bolinger / Associated Press)
The Chargers lost wide receiver Mike Williams to a back injury last weekend in Denver, costing them their only deep threat to test a Jacksonville pass defense that hasn’t been good this season.
The Jaguars throttled the Chargers in Week 3, 38-10, limiting Austin Ekeler to five yards rushing and the Chargers to 26 net yards on the ground. There would seem to be little chance of the Chargers winning Saturday night unless they can make Jacksonville at least acknowledge the threat of a running game.
With Justin Herbert, this offense never will go ground-centric, but the Chargers are 5-8 over the last three seasons when Herbert attempts 45 or more passes. One of those losses came in that Week 3 game against the Jaguars.
With Mike Williams (back injury) now ruled out for the Chargers’ playoff opener at Jacksonville, the franchise is under scrutiny for handling of the roster.
Although suspect defending the pass, Jacksonville’s defense tied for fourth in the NFL during the regular season with 27 takeaways. The Jaguars clinched their playoff spot last weekend with a fumble return for a touchdown in the final three minutes against Tennessee.
The Chargers have turned the ball over twice in three of their last four games. Two or more turnovers could doom them against Jacksonville.
As wide receiver Keenan Allen said this week of playoff football: “Intensity, pace ... everything will be faster. Plays will mean a lot more.” So will misplays.
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When Jaguars have the ball
(Phelan M. Ebenhack / Associated Press)
Jacksonville surged into the playoffs by winning seven of its final nine games.
During that stretch, Trevor Lawrence was the NFL’s highest-rated quarterback while throwing for 15 touchdowns with only two interceptions. He has lost fumbles in three of the last four games, turnovers often a significant statistic in the most important games.
The Chargers, as with the Jaguars, are plus-five in turnover margin. Lawrence threw for 262 yards and three touchdowns when these teams met in late September. That day, Jacksonville scored 38 points, the most the Chargers yielded in a game during the regular season.
The Chargers on Friday downgraded receiver Mike Williams from questionable to out for the team’s AFC wild-card playoff game Saturday in Jacksonville.
After four consecutive weeks of solid play, the Chargers melted down defensively last weekend at Denver. They have to hope the stink of that performance doesn’t linger.
The Jaguars’ top rusher is Travis Etienne Jr., who reached 1,125 yards during the regular season.
The Chargers have struggled to stop the run all season and are likely to give up more real estate on the ground in this game. Their best bet might be trying to replicate their showing against Miami in Week 14, when the Chargers met the Dolphins’ speed with physicality and befuddled quarterback Tua Tagovailoa.
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When they kick
(David Zalubowski / Associated Press)
Rookie Cameron Dicker will make his NFL playoff debut after a solid regular season for the Chargers. He made 21 of 22 field-goal tries and 24 of 24 extra points.
His only miss came on a 52-yard attempt at Las Vegas in early December. Jacksonville’s Riley Patterson also will make his postseason debut.
In his second season, Patterson was 30 for 35 on field goals and 36 for 37 on extra points.
Jeff Miller’s prediction: The Chargers are about to enter a loud and chaotic environment at TIAA Bank Field. Jacksonville last hosted a playoff game on Jan. 7, 2018, when the Jaguars beat Buffalo 10-3. This one will feature more points — but a similar outcome.
JAGUARS 32, CHARGERS 13
