The injury-riddled Ravens (4-4) will host the Jacksonville Jaguars (5-2) on "Thursday Night Football." Here are five things to know about the Jaguars.
They are a well-rounded team that's on track for a second straight AFC South title.
And if the Jaguars do make the playoffs (ESPN gives them a 98% chance of doing so), it'll be their first time this century making the field in consecutive seasons. They're one of only three NFL teams that haven't done so yet, along with Cleveland and Washington.
The Jaguars have been one of the NFL's hottest teams over the past calendar year. They have won 13 of their last 15 regular-season games dating back to last season, have the NFL's highest point differential this season (plus-85), and are fresh off a 42-7 domination of the Indianapolis Colts.
After having a top-10 scoring offense and defense last season, the Jaguars are the only team with a top-five scoring offense (No. 5) and defense (No. 2) through eight weeks this season.
Starting quarterback Trevor Lawrence is having the best season of his career.
The No. 1 overall pick in 2021, Lawrence is making a strong MVP case by building off a promising 2025 season.
Lawrence has ascended in large part because of elite efficiency. His 8.5 yards per attempt are tied for second in the NFL, and he ranks third in touchdown passes despite ranking just 22nd in pass attempts. He's thrown a touchdown on 8.6% of his passes – no other qualified quarterback has a higher rate than 7.5.
Jacksonville's pass catchers have helped Lawrence by creating after the catch (more on that soon), but he also has high efficiency numbers because he's been unleashing howitzers. A whopping one-third of his pass attempts are between 10 and 20 air yards, and he's produced an explosive play on 20.4% of his dropbacks (runs of at least 10 yards or passes of at least 15 yards), per Next Gen Stats. Only Josh Allen has a higher percentage.
Like Joe Burrow, Lawrence isn't a field-bending runner, but he can elude would-be sacks and connect with open receivers on the run at a high level.
Lawrence has a stellar supporting cast.
Through eight weeks, Lawrence has done an effective job at spreading the ball around, as eight different Jaguars have caught a touchdown pass.
His top target is wide receiver Parker Washington, who led Jacksonville in receiving yards and receiving touchdowns last season and is doing so again this season.
His ability after the catch is special – like Ravens wideout Zay Flowers, Washington excels at moving horizontally to create open running lanes vertically. But Washington's best trait might be his massive catch radius for someone who's listed at 5-foot-10. Unafraid of contact, Washington has made a handful of highlight-reel catches by climbing the ladder like a basketball player going for a rebound and a baseball outfielder laying out for a fly ball.
While Washington is the clear No. 1 wideout, it's tight end Brenton Strange who leads Jacksonville in receptions (28). He has more than 50 receiving yards in three of the past four games.
At running back, second-year player Bhayshul Tuten has emerged as one of the NFL's fastest-rising players at the position. He had a career-high 159 total yards against the Colts and is on pace for just over 1,600 total yards for the season.
However, Tuten's status for Thursday night is in question, as he didn't practice this week due to ankle and foot injuries. Head Coach Liam Coen told reporters on Wednesday that a decision about him playing would likely come around game time.
If Tuten can't go, backup Chris Rodriguez Jr. would get the start, and he's a hard runner like Tuten.
"I would say just the physicality that they play with, both in the run game and the pass game," Head Coach Jesse Minter said about what the Jaguars do well. "They have a couple really good backs that run behind their pads and break a bunch of tackles."
Overall, Jacksonville's offense is extremely efficient. The Jaguars rank third in third-down percentage and have turned the ball over just five times all season. Baltimore's defense, which has allowed 71 points over the past two weeks, has another tall task ahead.
"They're a really complete package," Ravens defensive lineman Calais Campbell said. "Trevor Lawrence is playing his best ball of his career, what everybody kind of expected him to be when he first got drafted. He's looked really good on tape, under pressure, making guys miss [and] throwing the ball right on the money.
"His receivers have rewarded him by being super elite after the catch. But really, their running game has been incredible. Their O-line is elite at opening up lanes, and their running back [Tuten] has crazy explosive speed. It's a tough challenge."
Jacksonville's defense has been extremely productive as well.
No team has been better at stopping the run than Jacksonville. The Jaguars have allowed league lows in yards per carry (3.4) and total rushing yards (542). They haven't allowed a 75-yard rusher since January 2025. Even more impressive is the fact that they line up in light boxes at a higher rate than league average, meaning that they haven't usually committed extra defenders to stopping the run and are still doing so effectively.
However, that might change going forward, as they sustained a huge loss on Sunday when defensive tackle DaVon Hamilton, their best run defender, went down with a season-ending torn quad.
Jacksonville's pass rush has also been solid. It has the second-highest pressure rate in the NFL since Week 5 and generates pressure on just over half its reps when sending five or more rushers at the quarterback. Against the Ravens, the Bills blitzed at their highest rate since 2021 and were largely successful at getting in Tyler Huntley and Joe Fagnano's grills, so it wouldn't be a surprise if Jaguars Defensive Coordinator Anthony Campanile cranks up the pressure on Thursday night.
As for their pass defense, the Jaguars have nine interceptions, the second most in the NFL. Six of them have come after a quarterback pressure, per Next Gen Stats, which leads the league.
Another player to watch is 2025 No. 2-overall pick Travis Hunter, who is tied for the team lead in passes defensed (six) and interceptions (two). A two-way star in college who won the Heisman Trophy in 2024, Hunter has mostly played cornerback in the NFL, but he's been electric as a receiver, too.
The Jaguars do rank No. 27 in net passing yards per attempt allowed and No. 29 in passing yards allowed. But their run defense and red zone defense have picked up the slack.
The Jaguars have a weapon at kicker in Cam Little.
Little holds the record for longest field goal in NFL history (68 yards) and made a 70-yard field goal during last year's preseason.
A third-year player out of Arkansas, Little has made 89.3% of his field goals in the NFL. He kicked a game-winning 57-yard field goal against the Eagles earlier this season and has never missed a kick from inside 40 yards (31-of-31).
The Ravens, meanwhile, will turn to Jake Moody at kicker in place of Tyler Loop, who was placed on injured reserve with a right groin injury.
