New York @ Jacksonville preview

Last Meeting ( Oct 1, 2017 ) Jacksonville 20, N.Y. Jets 23

The Jacksonville Jaguars went from looking like Super Bowl contenders in a dominant victory over the New England Patriots in Week 2 to looking like a team that might finish at the bottom of the division in a lackluster Week 3 showing against Tennessee. The Jaguars will try to bounce back and reestablish themselves as an AFC contender when they host the New York Jets on Sunday.

Jacksonville moved to 2-0 by ripping the Patriots 31-20 but managed only 232 yards of total offense while dropping a key AFC South contest 9-6 at home to the Tennessee Titans last week. "It wasn’t a lot of people in the wrong places at the wrong time," wide receiver Keelan Cole told reporters, echoing similar statements from his teammates. "It was just when we were in the right place and everything went well, something went wrong. The point that we really need to focus on is just executing. Everything has to go 100 percent instead of 98." The Jets went through similar Jekyll-and-Hyde issues through the first three weeks but got some extra time to clear their heads and fix some issues after a 21-17 loss at Cleveland on Thursday, Sep. 20. "The last two games don’t really matter," New York safety Jamal Adams told reporters. "We've moved on. It’s the NFL – anybody can be beat. You have to bring your 'A' game each and every Sunday, Thursday, Monday, whatever day it is. We understand what’s at stake and we have to go down (to Jacksonville) and get a win. It’s going to be a tough opponent. We have a lot of respect for this team and it’s going to be a dogfight."

TV: 1 p.m. ET, CBS. LINE: Jaguars -7.5. O/U: 38.5.

ABOUT THE JETS (1-2): Rookie quarterback Sam Darnold gave New York fans some hope while completing 16 of his 21 pass attempts in a 48-17 win over Detroit in Week 1 but looked like a different quarterback while going 15-of-31 and throwing a pair of interceptions at Cleveland. "I think I've done a pretty good job of keeping my poise in the pocket," Darnold told reporters. "Sometimes I rush, but in the first couple games I thought I found completions. I didn't do as good of a job at that in the Cleveland game, but I've just got to continue to do the things that are working, continue to find completions, but also take my shots when they are there." Darnold could be working with fewer weapons this week after wide receiver Terrelle Pryor suffered a groin injury in practice on Thursday.

ABOUT THE JAGUARS (2-1): Quarterback Blake Bortles threw for 376 yards and four TDs against the Patriots in Week 2 but was held to 155 yards while failing to find the end zone against Tennessee. "Continue to take what they give you, not get greedy, not force anything down the field," Bortles told reporters of his mindset going forward. "Continue to take the underneath stuff in the play-action game and take the check downs. We had some shots downfield that I didn’t pull the trigger on and missed (against the Titans), but you can’t get greedy and start forcing the ball downfield. You want to. You want to throw the ball downfield. You want to move it. But I think the (the key is) just playing within the system and staying comfortable happy with completions and being efficient." The defense is doing its part and is fourth in the NFL at an average of 286.3 yards allowed.

EXTRA POINTS

1. Jaguars CB D.J. Hayden (toe) did not participate in practice this week and is doubtful.

2. New York Ss Marcus Maye (ankle, foot) and Doug Middleton (knee, finger) were both limited in practice this week.

3. Jacksonville RB Leonard Fournette (hamstring) sat out the last two games and remains questionable.

PREDICTION: Jaguars 24, Jets 10