The New Orleans Saints visit the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday, October 13, 2016, at the TIAA Bank Field in Jacksonville, Florida. The Saints come into Week 6 of the 2019 NFL season 4-1, and the Jaguars enter this game 2-3. The Saints lead the all-time series between the two teams, 4-2, and have won the past three in a row, including the last game in 2015 and the last game played in Jacksonville in 2011. The Saints are favored to win by 57.8%.
The Saints come into Week 6 after beating the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in week divisional play in Week 5. The New Orleans’ offense has recorded 348.4 yards so far this season, with Teddy Bridgewater completing 85 of 121 passes for 849 yards and six touchdowns. Bridgewater has been in the starting position since Drew Brees was injured Week 1. Alvin Kamara has recorded 75 carries for 945 yards, and Michael Thomas has posted 45 receptions for 543 yards. New Orleans’ defense has allowed an average of 363.4 yards per game with many players tied for three sacks each. Kicker Will Lutz has connected on 10 of 11 extra-point attempts and 11 of 12 field goal kicks.
On the other side of the field, Jacksonville is entering the game following a 34-27 loss against the Carolina Panthers last week. The offense has recorded 392.6 yards, and rookie quarterback Gardner Minshew has completed 110 of 165 passes for 1,279 yards and nine touchdowns. Leonard Fournette has posted 95 carries for 512 yards and D.J. Chark has hauled in 27 passes for 485 yards. The Jacksonville defense has allowed 382 yards per game and rookie Josh Allen and Calais Campbell both have three sacks on the year. Josh Lambo has a perfect record so far this year with nine of nine extra points made and 12 of 12 field goal kicks.
Bridgewater had 314 passing yards and four touchdowns for a rating of 131.3 in Week 5 and has had a 100-plus rating in two of his past three games on the road as starter. Bridgewater is aiming for his seventh career game with 300-plus yards, and his fourth start in a row on the road against an AFC opponent with at least one touchdown pass and a 90-plus rating.
Running back Alvin Kamara had 62 rushing yards and 42 receiving yards last week against Tampa Bay and has at least 100 scrimmage yards in the past five of seven games. Kamara has recorded 311 scrimmage yards and five touchdowns in four career games versus an AFC opponent, and since 2017 ranks second in the NFL in scrimmage touchdowns and fourth in scrimmage yards.
Wide receiver Michael Thomas had 182 receiving yards and two receiving touchdowns in Week 5 and leads the NFL in catches and receiving yards. He has led the NFL in catches since 2016 and ranks second in receiving yards. Thomas looks to record his third game in a row with at nine or more catches and 90-plus receiving yards.
Tight end Jared Cook had his first touchdown catch with New Orleans last week.
Saints defensive end Cameron Jordan has six sacks in his past six games on the road and is one of two players since 2011 with 70 or more sacks, 40 or more pass deflections, and 10 or more forced fumbles; the other player is J.J. Watt. Marcus Davenport led the team with two sacks a forced fumble last week and recorded his second career game with at least two or more sacks. Rookie Carl Granderson had his first sack last week and Sheldon Rankins also posted a sack in Week 5 and has four sacks in his last five games on the road. Demario Davis tied the team lead with seven tackles and two pass deflections last week and has eight or more tackles in four of his past five away games. Marshon Lattimore had two pass deflections last week and is looking for his third game in a row with at least two or more pass deflections. Since 2017, Lattimore has ranked third in the league for pass deflections, and safety Vonn Bell is looking for his fourth game in a row with at least one pass deflection.
On the home side of the field, rookie Gardner Minshew recorded 374 pass yards and two touchdowns along with 42 rushing yards and a 101.9 rating last week against the Panthers. Minshew is one of three quarterbacks in the Super Bowl era with a rating of at least 100, plus zero interceptions through his first four career starts. He leads all rookies in touchdown passes and rating. He is aiming for his fourth game in a row with at least two touchdown passes and a 95-plus rating, and his third game in a row at home with a 105 or higher rating.
Running back Leonard Fournette posted 108 rush yards and a touchdown last week and is aiming for his third game in a row with 100 or more rushing yards. Fournette is only one of two players in the NFL (also, Nick Chubb) to record 85 or more scrimmage yards in each of the first five games so far this season.
Wide receiver D.J. Chark had a remarkable Week 5, recording a career-high in catches, receiving yards, and receiving touchdowns. Chark is the second player in franchise history to record 160 or more receiving yards and at least two receiving touchdowns in a single game. He also leads the AFC in receiving yards and touchdowns this season and is looking for his third game in a row at home with at least 75 receiving yards and a score.
Dede Westbrook recorded seven catches for 82 yards in Week 5 and has at least one touchdown catch in the last two of three home games versus an NFC opponent. He is aiming for his fourth game in a row with five or more catches.
Marqise Lee also posted a touchdown catch in Week 5.
Defensive end Calais Campbell has seven sacks in his past six games at home and recorded two sacks in his last game versus New Orleans as an Arizona Cardinal in 2016. Yannick Ngakoue had two sacks and a forced fumble last week and has a sack in three of the past four games against an NFC team. Rookie Josh Allen posted an impressive six tackles and a sack last week and ranks second among AFC rookies with three sacks. Linebacker Myles Jack led the Jaguars last week with nine tackles and two pass deflections.
The game kicks off at 1:00 p.m. EST on CBS.
New Orleans #Saints defense sees several offensive standouts for Jacksonville, writes @JohnDeShazier
Read more: https://t.co/W945q9wxpI pic.twitter.com/roFjgl44QM
— New Orleans Saints (@Saints) October 10, 2019
"We're glad to be back home for a game. It's a lot easier to start fast in your own building."@GEICO | #DUUUVAL pic.twitter.com/BlqRCAQWBR
— Jacksonville Jaguars (@Jaguars) October 9, 2019
