Patriots take on Jaguars in London

The Patriots return across the Atlantic to take on the Jacksonville Jaguars this Sunday at Wembley Stadium. It’s New England’s first trip back to England in over a decade. The last time they were at Wembley Stadium was in 2012, when they beat the then St. Louis Rams 45-7.

Both the Pats and Jags are 1-5 this season, but they are two franchises in very different locations. Jacksonville is expected to compete in the AFC South this season and has built a team that will now, around 2021, take first overall pick Trevor Lawrence. Somehow they’ve struggled to get out of the gate while the Patriots are suddenly re-energized after a promising debut from their own first-round quarterback Drake Maye.

The Jaguars’ defense should provide an opportunity for Maye to continue his growth, but Lawrence and his weapons remain a dangerous offense that can score points quickly.

Here’s what to watch as two teams battle for the elusive second win of the 2024 season.

Drake Maye – What will Maye do following his three-touchdown debut? Jacksonville’s defense has plenty of talent, but it hasn’t translated to the field this season. The Jags defense ranks 27th in DVOA and 32nd against the pass in DVOA and 32nd in EPA. Maye could benefit if he manages to make some positive strides with improved accuracy and pocket recognition, the two parts of his game that will likely receive the most focus for improvement going forward. As these areas improve, turnovers and negative plays will decrease. Regardless, it’s another great opportunity to progress and develop as an NFL quarterback. International duty will be a good test of his routine and another great experience.

“Overall, Drake did a good job with his reads and getting the ball out.” [against Houston]Jerod Mayo said earlier this week. “Was it perfect? No. Is he getting better? In any case. But we have to do a better job supporting a rookie quarterback.”