The Jacksonville Jaguars have lost their last two games by a combined score of 48-13.  The Saints are back on the right track though as they have won two games in a row over the Bears and Texans.  Here is a look at the matchups in this game:

When the Jaguars have the ball:  The Jaguars are going to come into this game running the ball a lot with Maurice Jones-Drew.  The Saints are giving up 4.3 yards per carry so far this year, so the Jags might have success on the ground.  You have to think that the Saints are going to cheap up to stop Jones-Drew.  If the Jaguars see that, they need to make adjustments and throw the ball over the top using play action.  The Saints already have 10 sacks this year, so they like to blitz.  So screen passes and shorter pass routes are likely going to be what QB Blaine Gabbert is looking for this Sunday.

When the Saints have the ball:  The Saints are going to come out throwing the ball against the Jaguars.  The thing that makes the Saints’ passing game so dangerous is that Brees throws the ball to everyone, so you can’t really double team anyone.  The Jaguars only have 3 sacks so far this year, so Brees is likely going to have a lot of time to throw the ball, and that’s bad news for the home team.  The front seven of the Jaguars should be able to stop the Saints’ running game, but they have to also make sure that they can contain Darren Sproles.

PREDICTION:  SAINTS 30, JAGUARS 10

31-year old cornerback Rashean Mathis is off to a good start once again in 2011 for the Jaguars.  He has played in all 3 games for the Jaguars so far this year and he has 15 tackles, 1 interception and 2 passes defensed.  Mathis just doesn’t seem to get the respect he deserves and I think it’s because he plays in Jacksonville.  Mathis played in 116 games in his first 8 years in the NFL (through 2010) and he had 464 tackles, 94 passes defensed, 29 interceptions (3 returned for TDs), 6 forced fumbles, 4 fumble recoveries and 13 tackles for a loss.   Mathis still can lockdown his side of the field.

The Jaguars left everything they had on the field yesterday in Carolina and they just came up a tad short.  Blaine Gabbert completed 12 of 21 passes for 139 yards with 1 TD pass and 1 INT in his NFL starting debut.  He also fumbled the ball three times but the Jags didn’t lose any of them.  Maurice Jones-Drew was incredible as usual for the Jags yesterday as he carried the ball 24  times for 122 yards (5.1 ypc).  He also caught 3 passes for 45 yards (15.0 avg) in this game.  Deji Karim pitched in with 4 yards rushing on 5 carries (0.8 ypc) and 2 catches for 19 yards (9.5 avg).  WR Mike Thomas led the way in the passing game for the Jags yesterday with 4 grabs for 55 yards (13.8 avg) with 1 TD grab.  The Jaguars finished up with 128 yards rushing on 34 carries (3.8 ypc) and they also completed 12 of 21 passes (57.1%) for 129 yards as they had possession of the ball for 30:26.

The Jaguars played well on defense in this game.  LB Daryl Smith (9 tackles, 2 passes defensed), DT Terrance Knighton (6 tackles) and DE Austen Lane (6 tackles) led the way for the Jags’ D yesterday.  The Panthers had 107 yards rushing on 28 carries (3.8 ypc) and they also completed 18 of 34 passes (52.9%) for 158 yards in this game.  The Jaguars are now 1-2 on the season.

This is going to be a very interesting game to watch as Blaine Gabbert will be making his starting debut against rookie QB Cam Newton and his Panthers.  The Jaguars aren’t going to try to get involved in a shootout with the Panthers, as they are going to try to control the clock and grind out a win on the ground.  Here is a look at the matchups in this game:

When the Jaguars have the ball:  The Jaguars have averaged more yards rushing (137.5 avg) than passing (125.5 avg) so far this year.  The Panthers are giving up 111.5 yards rushing per game and 4.8 yards per carry as they have already lost two starting LBs due to injury.  I look for the Jaguars to feed the ball to Maurice Jones-Drew as many times as he can handle it with Deji Karim coming in when he needs a break.  If the Jaguars are effective running the ball (and they will be), then look for Blaine Gabbert to take some shots down the field off of play action to WR Mike Thomas.  TE Marcedes Lewis is likely to be back in action this weekend and he will be the go to man on the short stuff.

When the Panthers have the ball:  The Jaguars are going to have to blitz Cam Newton a lot in this game to try to force him into making some mistakes.  The Jaguars will probably put CB Rashean Mathis on Steve Smith in this game as he is Newton’s favorite receiver.  He also likes to throw the ball to WR Brandon LaFell, TE Jeremy Shockey, TE Greg Olsen and RB Jonathan Stewart out of the backfield.  Newton has made his fair share of bad throws as he has been picked off 4 times this year and he has already been sacked 8 times.  The front seven will have to stop Newton from taking off as well as stopping DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart in the running game.  The Jaguars are only giving up 72.0 yards rushing per game and 3.2 yards per carry.

PREDICTION:  JAGUARS 23, PANTHERS 20

This looks like the perfect time to make the switch at QB from 30-year old Luke McCown to 21-year old rookie QB Blaine Gabbert.  Opposing QBs have a 124,7 QB Rating through the first two games against the Jags’ opponent this Sunday (the Carolina Panthers).  Gabbert replaced McCown late in the game against the Jets and he completed 5 of 6 passes (83.3%) for 52 yards without a TD pass or INT (102.8 QB Rating) in his NFL debut.  McCown has played in both games for the Jaguars so far this year and he has completed 23 of 43 passes (53.5%) for 234 yards without a TD pass and with 4 INTs (30.6 QB Rating).  McCown also has 6 carries for 14 yards (2.3 ypc).  Head Coach Jack Del Rio hasn’t named a starting QB for this Sunday at Carolina, but you have to think it will be Blaine Gabbert.

The Jaguars signed 31-year old DE Aaron Kampman to a huge contract last summer and he played in 8 games for the Jags last year in which he had 25 tackles, 4 sacks, 2 tackles for a loss and 2 passes defensed.  He missed the second half of last season after he blew out his knee.  He still isn’t ready to play for the Jaguars and they are really lucky that they signed 28-year old DE Matt Roth late this summer.  He has played in 2 games for the Jaguars so far this year and he already has 4 tackles and 2 sacks.  The Jaguars need Roth to keep up the good work while Kampman is out of action.

The Jaguars got punched in the face all day long by the Jets yesterday.  Luke McCown might have had the worst game ever for a starting QB in NFL history yesterday.  He completed 6 of 19 passes for 59 yards with 0 TD passes and 4 INTs (1.8 QB Rating).  Rookie QB Blaine Gabbert finished up this game at QB for the Jags and he looked pretty good.  Gabbert completed 5 of 6 passes for 52 yards without a TD pass or INT.  Maurice Jones-Drew had another solid game with 88 yards rushing on 18 carries (4.9 ypc) and he also caught 3 passes for 19 yards (6.3 avg).  Deji Karim pitched in with 15 yards rushing on 6 carries (2.5 ypc) and he also caught 1 pass for 10 yards.  WR Mike Thomas (3 rec, 29 yards) and TE Zach Miller (3 rec, 28 yards) led the way in the passing game for the Jaguars yesterday.  The Jaguars finished up with 112 yards rushing on 27 carries (4.1 ypc) and they also completed 11 of 25 passes (44%) for 91 yards as they only had possession of the ball for 26:37.

The defense actually played pretty well yesterday as the offense set up the Jets with some short fields with turnovers.  LB Paul Poslusny (8 tackles) and CB Rashean Mathis (7 tackles, 1 pass defensed and 1 interception) led the way for the Jaguars defensively.  LB Daryl Smith (6 tackles, 1 tackle for a loss and 1 pass defensed) and CB Will Middleton (3 tackles, 1 pass defensed and 1 interception) also pitched in for the Jags’ D.  The Jets finished up with 101 yards rushing on 32 carries (3.2 ypc) and they also completed 17 of 24 passes (70.8%) for 182 yards.  The Jaguars are now 1-1 on the year.

The Jacksonville Jaguars won a hard fought season opener at home against the Titans last weekend.  This is going to be a different animal this Sunday as they are on the road against the Jets.  Here is a look at the matchups in this game:

When the Jaguars have the ball:  The Jaguars ran the ball 47 times last weekend and only passed the ball 24 times.  That likely won’t work against the Jets this weekend.  The Jets only gave up 64 yards rushing on 26 carries (2.5 ypc) last week against the Cowboys.  The Jaguars’ offensive linemen are going to have to get to inside linebackers Bart Scott and David Harris if they want to get the running game going.  Maurice Jones-Drew and Deji Karim are going to have to fight for every yard they get this Sunday.  It would help if the Jaguars can get some help in the air from Luke McCown.  That’s going to be hard with CBs Darrelle Revis and Antonio Cromartie locking up with WRs Mike Thomas and Jason Hill.  The Jaguars hope that TE Marcedes Lewis will be able to go this weekend but his status is up in the air right now.

When the Jets have the ball:  The Jets are going to try to run the ball a lot more than they did last weekend.  The Jags’ held the Titans to only 43 yards rushing on 13 carries (3.3 ypc) in the season opener, so they might be up to the challenge of banging heads with RBs Shonn Greene and LaDainian Tomlinson.  If the Jaguars are effective in stopping the running game, they are still going to have to deal with QB Mark Sanchez and his crew of WRs and TEs.  Sanchez still makes rookie errors if you can get a lot of pressure on him, so look for the Jags to blitz a little more than usual.  CBs Rashean Mathis and Drew Coleman are going to have their hands full in trying to stop WRs Santonio Holmes and Plaxico Burress.  The safeties won’t likely be able to give the corners much support as they will be having to worry about TE Dustin Keller.

PREDICTION:  JETS 20, JAGUARS 9

30-year old QB Luke McCown looked solid in his first start for the Jags last weekend against the Titans.  He completed 17 of 24 passes (70.8%) for 175 yards without a TD pass or INT (91.5 QB Rating).  McCown also carried the ball 5 times for 10 yards (2.0 ypc) last week.  McCown wasn’t called on to make big plays by throwing the ball down the field as he was more of a game manager.  That’s because the Jaguars rushed for 163 yards on 47 carries (3.5 ypc) with 1 TD run last week.  Chances are good though that McCown is going to have to make some plays with his right arm against the Jets this weekend.

The Jaguars played keepaway today with their running game and it helped them top the Titans.  Luke McCown was pretty decent in his first start for the Jags as he completed 17 of 24 passes for 175 yards without a TD pass or INT.  McCown also carried the ball 5 times for 10 yards (2.0 ypc) in this game.  Maurice Jones-Drew got a lot of work in today as he carried the ball 24 times for 97 yards (4.0 ypc) with 1 TD run.  Deji Karim also played pretty good as he carried the ball 14 times for 33 yards (2.4 ypc) and he caught 3 passes for 39 yards (13.0 avg).  WRs Mike Thomas (8 rec, 55 yards) and Jason Hill (4 rec, 53 yards) led the way for the Jags in the passing game today.  The Jaguars finished up with 163 yards rushing on 47 carries (3.5 ypc) and they also completed 17 of 24 passes (70.8%) for 160 yards as they had possession of the ball for 39:38.

The Jaguars put in a pretty solid effort on D today.  Safety Dawan Landry (8 tackles) and CB Drew Coleman (5 tackles, 1 tackle for a loss and 1 sack) led the way for the Jags in this game.  CB Dwight Lowery pitched in with 1 tackle, 1 pass defensed and 1 interception today.  The Titans finished up with 43 yards rushing on 13 carries (3.3 ypc) and they also completed 21 of 34 passes (61.8%) for 249 yards.  The Jaguars have started out the 2011 season with a 1-0 record.