3 Things to Know About Jaguars vs. Bengals

What will fans need to be aware of before the Jacksonville Jaguars kick off against the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday?

Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow (9) throws a pass in the fourth quarter of the NFL Week 4 game between the Cincinnati Bengals and the Jacksonville Jaguars at Paul Brown Stadium in downtown Cincinnati on Sunday, Oct. 4, 2020. The Bengals collected their first win of the season, 33-25, from the Jaguars. Jacksonville Jaguars At Cincinnati Bengals | Sam Greene via Imagn Content Services, LLC

The Jacksonville Jaguars will kick off against the Cincinnati Bengals in fewer than 24 hours, and it has the potential to be an important game for the Jaguars.

So, what do you need to know before kickoff? We break it down below.

Special Teams is Key

Jacksonville Jaguars special teams coordinator Heath Farwell looks on during an NFL scrimmage event at EverBank Stadium, Friday, Aug. 1, 2025, in Jacksonville, Fla. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union] | Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Jaguars made changes to their special teams this week when they traded running back Tank Bigsby to the Philadelphia Eagles, reshuffling their deck when it came to kick returns. Who the Jaguars have kick returner alongside Bhayshul Tuten remains to be seen, but the numbers are now clear that this is a key role for all teams. How the Jaguars address this spot will be telling.

In Week 1, 75.6 percent of kickoffs were returned (118 of 156), up from 33.1 percent in Week 1 in 2024 (57 of 172). Last week, there were 3,074 kickoff return yards, the most in a Week 1 all-time and the most in any week in 15 years (3,233 kickoff return yards in Week 15, 2010).

Trey Hendrickson Problem

Cincinnati Bengals defensive end Trey Hendrickson (91) celebrates as time winds down in the fourth quarter of the NFL Week 1 game between the Cleveland Browns and the Cincinnati Bengals at Huntington Bank Field in Cleveland on Sunday, Sept. 7, 2025. The Bengals begin the season with a 17-16 win over the Browns. | Sam Greene/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

How will the Jaguas handle Trey Hendrickson? That is one of the biggest questions of the week, with the Bengals' star still racking up pressures at an incredibly impressive rate in 2025. Hendrickson is not a top run defender, but he makes up for it by being one of the most consistent pass-rushers in the NFL.

Hendrickson had eight pressures in Week 1, amongst the best figures in the entire NFL. Per NFL Pro, Hendrickson accounted for 32.2% of the Bengals total pressures generated last season, making him the only defender to have recorded a team pressure share over 30%.

Trouble brewing?

Sep 7, 2025; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cincinnati Bengals head coach Zac Taylor during the second half against the Cleveland Browns at Huntington Bank Field. Mandatory Credit: Scott Galvin-Imagn Images | Scott Galvin-Imagn Images

The Bengals have the best passing game trio in the entire NFL in Joe Burrow, Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins. This did not matter much against a top defense in Cleveland in Week 1, with the Bengals failing to protect Burrow long enough for him to distribute the ball all afternoon.

"The Bengals offense recorded their lowest explosive play rate (2.0%) in a game during Week 1 victory against the Browns since 2020, along with their 2nd-lowest single-game offensive yards per play (2.9) over that span," NFL Pro said.

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