Patriots-Jaguars predictions: Which 1-5 team will win in London?
FOXBORO -- Patriots fans can watch the team on Sunday while enjoying their morning cup of coffee. Or maybe they should switch to a cup of tea for New England's Week 7 showdown with the Jaguars in London.
The Pats and the Jags will kick things off at 9:30 a.m. EST on Sunday, and both teams are desperate for a win. New England has lost five straight, but at least there is a slight sense of optimism with Drake Maye now at the helm on offense. If the rookie can show some signs of progress and the defense can stop committing third-down penalties (and get back to stopping the run), then the Patriots should be able to return stateside with a win.
The Jaguars are ripe for the taking right now. They've been in London since last week, and have had to do a lot of soul searching following a 35-16 loss to the Chicago Bears at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in Week 6. Head coach Doug Pederson's seat is scorching hot right now, and Trevor Lawrence -- who has lost 10 of his last 11 starts -- may lose his job to Mac Jones in the near future.
Meanwhile, we're left to watch two 1-5 teams play each other on the international stage. Will the Patriots stop their skid on Sunday, or will they start the season 1-6 for the first time since 1993? The WBZ Sports team makes their picks for Sunday's Pats-Jags clash in London.
Steve Burton: Patriots 21, Jaguars 17
The Patriots are due. The Jaguars are also 1-5, but they've been in London for two weeks and are favored on Sunday.
However, Drake Maye has given this Patriots team the spark they've needed.
Dan Roche: Patriots 24, Jaguars 17
This is a game the Patriots have to win to keep their focus in place. Yes, Drake Maye is the future, but the players on this year's team are giving everything they have to try to win now. Drake will have his ups and downs going forward. We'll see if he can build off a good first start.
Joe Weil: Patriots 24, Jaguars 21
I've picked the Pats twice this year, only to be disappointed when they lost each time in close games to the Dolphins and Seahawks. But third time's a charm, right?
Jacksonville's defense ranks third-to-last in yard per play allowed this year, and the Patriots offense with Drake Maye at the controls looked better against the Texans. I'm hoping for another big game for DeMario Douglas.
The Patriots were expected to be here, but Jacksonville is much worse than we've all expected. And Trevor Lawrence is somehow 1-10 in his last 11 starts.
Matthew Geagan: Patriots 24, Jaguars 13
If the Patriots don't win this weekend, it's hard to imagine them winning any games the rest of the way. Losing to the Jaguars would be a new rock bottom for the 2024 New England Patriots.
The Pats could really use a strong first quarter on Sunday. Get up early, control the game, and give the Jaguars an excuse to think about that return flight to Jacksonville.
Get ready for Sunday's Patriots-Jaguars game in London with WBZ-TV -- your flagship station of the New England Patriots. Coverage kicks off Sunday morning with Patriots GameDay at 8 a.m. (which you can also stream on CBSBoston.com), and switch to TV38 after the game for full reaction and analysis on Patriots 5th Quarter!