Jaguars vs. Chargers: Star WR Mike Williams Downgraded to Out
The Jacksonville Jaguars may have just caught a massive break.
After Los Angeles Chargers star wide receiver Mike Williams was ruled questionable with a back injury entering the weekend, the Chargers officially ruled Williams out for Saturday's Wild Card matchup at TIAA Bank Field.
Williams was ruled officially questionable with a back injury after leaving Week 18's contest vs. the Denver Broncos with the injury. Williams did not practice this week and is the only Chargers player on the injury report.
Williams, the No. 7 overall pick in the 2017 NFL Draft, appeared in 13 games this season and caught 63 passes for 895 for four touchdowns. In 2021, he appeared in 16 games and caught 76 passes for 1,146 yards and nine touchdowns.
Now, the Jaguars will face the Chargers' offense without one of its top weapons on the outside, making things potentially easier for a Jaguars' secondary that has had a resurgence in recent weeks.
The Chargers' passing game is now likely to run through slot receiver Keenan Allen and running back Austin Ekeler, with the Jaguars now having a sizable advantage on the perimeter.
“When you look at it, when you have a running back that has over 100 catches, that says something about him," Jaguars defensive coordinator Mike Caldwell said about Ekeler on Wednesday. "He’s a guy that they trust, and they get the ball to a bunch. I think it works well with him because outside you have to pay so much attention, and that opens it up for him and the tight ends underneath. As a coordinator, you just go out there and you just try to understand where the matchups are and how they try to attack you and try to hone in on that and give the guys a good plan.”
"Really, we have to get downhill and get the double teams off. They’re a team that likes to double. He’s a patient runner. He’s a guy that can find the hole. He takes his time, and we just have to make sure we’re staying in our gaps and control the line of scrimmage.”
