Philadelphia @ Jacksonville preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 7, 2014 ) Jacksonville 17, Philadelphia 34

Two teams that played for their respective conference championship last season face the prospect of falling two games below .500 on Sunday as the Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles face the Jacksonville Jaguars at Wembley Stadium in London. The Eagles let a 17-point, fourth-quarter lead go by the boards in a 21-17 setback to Carolina last Sunday while the Jaguars have been outscored 90-28 during their three-game losing skid.

The Eagles embraced the "underdog" theme throughout the playoffs last year despite being the top seed, but that tag may actually apply as this season reaches its midpoint -- so much so that coach Doug Pederson caused a stir by proclaiming that the "pressure's off, so we can go play, have fun, relax." Carson Wentz completed 30 of 37 passes for 310 yards with a pair of scoring strikes last week versus the Panthers, increasing his touchdown total to nine with zero interceptions over the last four games. Jacksonville's Blake Bortles hasn't been as fortunate in his last four contests, as he was picked off six times and drew an early exit last Sunday in a 20-7 setback versus Houston. The 26-year-old will aim to continue his success in London, as he threw for four touchdowns in last year's 44-7 romp over Baltimore and eight scores total in his last three trips across the pond.

TV: 9:30 a.m. ET, NFL Network. LINE: Eagles -3. O/U: 42

ABOUT THE EAGLES (3-4): Alshon Jeffery has returned with a flourish from offseason shoulder surgery, recording 25 catches for 306 yards and four touchdowns in four games. The 6-foot-3, 218-pound wideout has been the target of 24.6 percent of Wentz's throws and likely will go head-to-head with All-Pro cornerback Jalen Ramsey as well as the Jaguars' top-ranked pass defense. Zach Ertz, who leads all tight ends in receptions (57) and receiving yards (618), had nine catches for 138 yards last week and has at least five grabs in nine straight games. The Eagles' new-look ground attack mustered just 58 yards versus the Panthers, although it faces a Jaguars' defense that has been gashed for 157.7 rushing yards per game over the last three weeks.

ABOUT THE JAGUARS (3-4): Carlos Hyde is not Leonard Fournette, although Jacksonville is banking that the former can provide that physical presence to the running game until the latter returns from a hamstring injury that has dogged him since the season opener. "I run angry, downhill, smash-mouth football. That's been my game ever since I started playing this game so I think I’ll fit in perfect here," said the 6-foot, 229-pound Hyde, who was acquired from Cleveland for a fifth-round pick in the 2019 NFL Draft. Fellow running back T.J. Yeldon has four touchdowns (one rushing, three receiving) over the last four games despite nursing ankle and foot injuries. Hyde and Yeldon could face an uphill battle against the Eagles' second-ranked rush defense that is allowing 85.7 yards per game.

EXTRA POINTS

1. Jacksonville, which has won three in a row at Wembley Stadium, will be playing in London for the sixth straight season on Sunday

2. The Eagles (27th, minus-4) and Jaguars (31st, minus-12) rank toward the bottom of the league in turnover ratio.

3. Philadelphia CB Ronald Darby leads the NFL with 13 passes defensed.

PREDICTION: Jaguars 24, Eagles 20