NFL week 3 features a Monday Night Football AFC showdown with the Jaguars vs Bills. The Jacksonville Jaguars travel to face the Buffalo Bills in a game that could help both teams build momentum, as they have tough Septembers.
The Jags enter this contest middle of the way through their difficult September slate. After facing the Miami Dolphins, the Cleveland Browns. and the Bills, they’ll play the Houston Texans. It means this game is pivotal to their development and confidence as a team. Quarterback Trevor Lawrence leads an offense that’s been below average through the air but makes up for it with a dynamic rushing attack. That rushing attack will face stout opposition from a Bills defense that only surrenders 124 yards per game. Therefore, the offense needs to rely on Lawrence to use his dual-threat ability to open some running lanes for the offense. Defensively, the Jags have been one of the best teams in the NFL in stopping the run, but their pass defense hasn’t been up to par. In their week 1 loss to the Miami Dolphins, they gave up 319 yards through the air. And Bills quarterback Josh Allen won’t make it easy for the Jags’ defense either.
Meanwhile, the Bills enter this contest needing a win, as they’re also undergoing a difficult schedule stretch. After this game against Jacksonville, Buffalo plays the Baltimore Ravens and Houston Texans–two teams that should be playoff caliber this season. The big matchup to watch in this game is how well Allen can pick apart a Jacksonville secondary, which is susceptible to big plays. If he can make some large gains early, it’ll place pressure on a defense that hasn’t shown the ability to make stops when it matters. Defensively, the Bills allow 130 rushing yards per game, meaning Jacksonville has some wiggle room to sustain drives.
How to watch Jacksonville vs. Buffalo
- Date: Monday, September 23rd
- Time: 7:30 p.m. ET
- Location: Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park, New York
- Channel: ESPN
- Streaming: DIRECTV STREAM, Fubo, Hulu + Live TV, YouTube TV, Sling TV’s Orange package
| Streaming Service | Free Trial | NFL Channels | NFL RedZone | Best Nights for Watching |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DIRECTV STREAM | 5-days | ABC, CBS, Fox, NBC, ESPN, NFL Network | Yes | All non-exclusive games |
| Fubo | $30 off first month | CBS, ABC, Fox, NBC, ESPN, NFL Network | Yes | All non-exclusive games |
| Hulu + Live TV | 3-days | CBS, ABC, Fox, NBC, ESPN, NFL Network | Yes | All non-exclusive games |
| YouTube TV | 7-days | CBS, ABC, Fox, NBC, ESPN, NFL Network | Yes | All games (w/ Sunday Ticket add-on) |
| Sling TV | 50% off first month | ABC*, Fox*, NBC*, ESPN, NFL Network | Yes | All non-exclusive games |
| Peacock | No | NBC | No | Sunday Night |
| Paramount Plus | 7-days | CBS | No | In-market CBS games |
| Amazon Prime Video | 30-days | Amazon Prime | No | Thursday Night |
Jaguars vs. Bills predictions
ESPN analytics favor Buffalo to win this game by 61.3 percent. Both teams have difficult September slates, making this game even more imperative for building momentum early in the season. For Jacksonville to win, they’ll need to sustain drives and use time of possession to keep Josh Allen and the potent Buffalo offense at bay. If they can do that, it can keep the game close throughout. Even then, the Bills have too much offensive firepower. It, combined with the Jaguars secondary, which struggles against better offenses, means the Bills will win a close contest.
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