3 Key Areas Jaguars Have an Advantage Over Bengals: The Liam Coen Impact

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- For the Jacksonville Jaguars to leave Week 4 with a victory, it will take a few critical steps.

Perhaps the most important of those steps is taking advantage of several areas in which the Cincinnati Bengals are suspect. So, which areas do the Jaguars have an advantage over the Bengals moving into Week 4? We break it down below.

Jaguars' Offensive Scheme vs. Bengals' Defensive Scheme

nfl — Sep 14, 2025; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Jacksonville Jaguars head coach Liam Coen stands on the field during the second half against the Cincinnati Bengals at Paycor Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Katie Stratman-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Bengals defense has gotten off to a much better start in their second year under defensive coordinator Al Golden. Through three weeks, the unit ranks No. 7 in EPA/Play and No. 16 in success rate, compared to the first three weeks last season when they ranked No. 20 and No. 22 respectively in each stat. Dexter Lawrence has changed this unit, and they are a better all-around defense than they were when the Jaguars scored 27 and racked up 400 yards against them last season.

“Things have changed and I think they've figured out kind of what they're good at," Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence said on Wednesday. "They're just always in the right spot at the right time and you got to really earn every run, every completion, all those things. I think they're doing a good job of that right now.”

With that said ... I still think the Jaguars and Coen have an advantage. Coen managed to have one of his units best days in terms of success rate, yards per play, and explosive rates against the Bengals in just his second game leading the team last season, and he did so before Parker Washington and Jakobi Meyers helped overhaul the offense. Coen has better weapons now than last time, and I think he will know how to utilize them.

Also consider this: the three offenses the Bengals' defense have faced this year rank No. 32, No. 24, and No. 29 in EPA/Play. The Jaguars rank No. 6, and are the first good offense this Bengals unit will have seen all season.

Brenton Strange vs. Bengals LBs

nfl — Sep 14, 2025; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Cincinnati Bengals linebacker Demetrius Knight Jr. (44) brings down Jacksonville Jaguars tight end Brenton Strange (85) in the second half at Paycor Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Katie Stratman-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Bengals' defense was tormeneted by tight ends a year ago, and tight ends have had some big games against them this seaso. Tight ends have combined for 20 catches on 27 targets for 273 yards over the last two weeks, which means this could be the perfect week for the Jaguars to get Brenton Strange going in the passing game. Strange only had three catches for 17 yards in last year's battle against the Bengals, but there is reason to think his role and the Jaguars' offense have changed enough since then to have confidence in him entering this week.

Considering Strange is more dynamic than any of the tight ends who have damage against the Bengals in recent weeks (Dalton Schultz, Pat Freiermuth, Darnell Washington, Foster Moreau) and the high rate of 12 personnel snaps the Jaguars have utilized to start the year, I think this is a good week for Strange to do some damage.

Josh Hines-Allen vs. Orlando Brown

nfl — Jacksonville Jaguars linebacker Josh Allen (41) celebrates a sack during the first quarter of a game against Cincinnati on Dec. 4, 2023 at EverBank Stadium. The Bengals defeated the Jacksonville Jaguars 34-31 in overtime. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

The Bengals have one of the best right tackles in all of football in former first-round pick Amarius Mims. At left tackle, however, they have a veteran in Orlando Brown who has allowed eight pressures through the first three weeks and is not quite the level of left tackle the Jaguars have played in the last two weeks in Garrett Bolles and Will Campbell. This should mean some premium chances for one-on-ones for defensive end Josh Hines-Allen, who mostly rushes against the left tackle.

Hines-Allen has been schemed against quite a bit over the last two weeks, but there is reason to think the Bengals will be less likely to keep extra blockers in than the Patriots and Broncos were. Joe Burrow wants to spread the defense out, which should give Hines-Allen some chances to get after Brown on passing downs.

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