Clemson Tigers In The Pros: Lawrence And Williams Look For Wins Following Bye Week
Week 8 offers a nice slate of NFL games that will include some former Clemson Tigers. Trevor Lawrence will be back this week as the Jacksonville Jaguars will look for their second win.
The Arizona Cardinals will look to stay undefeated and that means a pair of former Tigers will have a part in it.
Here is a slate of games to take a look at Thursday and Sunday.
Green Bay Packers vs. Arizona Cardinals (-6.5)
Thursday night football looked to be an elite matchup of two better teams in the league before some availability shook things up for the Packers. One of the league’s best in Davante Adams is on the COVID-19 list and is unlikely to play. Also, Marquez Valdez-Scantling is on the injured list as well and will not play.
This potentially opens the door for Amari Rodgers to get some run at wide receiver. To this point Rodgers has been mainly a returner and has only a couple of catches on the season. If the former Tiger gets the chance don’t be surprised to see Aaron Rodgers look his way.
As mentioned, the Cardinals are the league’s only undefeated team and will be at home, so they’re favored. DeAndre Hopkins won’t have to deal with Jaire Alexander as he is going to miss this game as well. Look for Hopkins to add to his seven touchdowns that he already has.
Isaiah Simmons will be tasked with slowing down a still-very-good Packers’ offense. It is never easy going up against Rodgers, but Simmons is having a solid second year and will be up for the task. His speed should benefit in this matchup.
Cincinnati Bengals (-10) vs. New York Jets
There is not a more surprising team than the Bengals this season and they are coming off a wallop of the Baltimore Ravens. Cincinnati is alone atop the AFC North through seven games and rolling.
Tee Higgins had seven catches for 62 yards last week and continues to be a very important part of a talented Cincinnati wide receiver room. The Jets aren’t good and the Bengals should run past them no issue. Perhaps Higgins reaches the end zone for the third time this season in this one.
Not that the Jets bring a big-time running game, but in case they do D.J. Reader will be their to plug up the middle. Reader continues to be a force at the nose. The former Clemson big guy has 24 tackles and a sack on the season.
Shaq Lawson is going to be tasked with getting after Joe Burrow and bringing down the former Heisman winner. That is if Lawson goes, he is questionable with a wrist injury. On the season Lawson has not landed his first sack yet.
Jacksonville Jaguars vs. Seattle Seahawks (-3.0)
Trevor Lawrence picked up his first win after losing five games in a row to start his NFL career. Those five losses are easily the most losing that Lawrence has ever done in his career and his head coach Urban Meyer is not used to it either.
There have been growing pains, but Lawrence has made some exciting throws and given the Jaguars a reason to be ecstatic going forward. On the season Lawrence is completing just under 60% of his passes and has seven touchdowns to eight interceptions.
Lawrence and the Jaguars will be getting the Seattle Seahawks, a team that has lost three and a row and five-of-six. Russell Wilson remains out and the Seahawks have the 27th ranked pass defense. This game will be a chance for Lawrence to succeed and the Jaguars to pick up a win.
New England Patriots vs. Los Angeles Chargers (-5.5)
Last time out the Chargers were trounced by the Ravens. The offense could not get going and the defense couldn’t get a stop, simply a recipe for disaster. Now, the Chargers are coming off of their bye week and will look to rebound at home.
Former Tiger Mike Willams is off to his best start as a professional. Williams has 498 receiving yards and six touchdowns. He is Justin Herbert’s go-to guy and will look to torch the Patriots.
The Patriots have a middle of the pack pass defense. A team that is known for trying to take away best weapons, that is probably what the Patriots look toward doing. Williams may just counter them with a big performance.
