JACKSONVILLE – Another week, another high-profile – and important – game.

The Jaguars on Sunday will play host to the New England Patriots, marking the second consecutive week the Jaguars have played one of the AFC's best two teams from the 2025 season.

The Jaguars losing the first of those two games last week to the defending AFC West champion Denver Broncos by a touchdown on the road doesn't make Sunday's matchup against the defending AFC East and AFC Champion Patriots "must-win."

But it does make it feel important in terms of early-season momentum. Hence, the theme of the week around the Miller Electric Center:

Response.

"It's football," Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence said as the AFC South-leading Jaguars (1-1) prepared to play the Patriots (1-1) at EverBank Stadium Sunday at 1 p.m. "It's how you respond. That's what it's all about.

"We all know that have played, and if it's not your first season, it's the NFL and you're going to play some good teams, you're going to have some tough losses and you have to be able to respond the next week. And that says everything you need to know about your team.

"I'm confident that we're going to respond and that we're going to be ready to go against New England. That's what good teams do. You bounce back and you play better than you did the week before."

Here are 10 things the Jaguars must do to beat the Patriots Sunday.

1. Run. This remains No. 1, and will remain No. 1. The Jaguars under Head Coach Liam Coen want to be able to run and are at their best when they can do effectively.
2. Play all 60. Yes, playing an entire game is usually required to win in the NFL. But the Patriots under Head Coach Mike Vrabel are going to play hard and be focused for the entire game, and they usually won't give away the game. This game likely will be decided by a series of two late. The team that plays to its identity – and forces and avoids mistakes – on those series likely will win.
3. Be physical. The Jaguars usually are the best team – and usually win – when they're the more physical team. It's the core to their identity under Coen. Being more physical than the Patriots is a big ask. If the Jaguars can answer, they likely will win.
4. Protect the passer. Protecting the passer is "basic football stuff." Beating a team as disciplined, focused and sound as the Patriots usually comes down to "basic football stuff." The Patriots thrive on production from a strong defensive line. Making Lawrence comfortable and allowing him to direct the offense against an elite secondary is paramount Sunday.
5. Pressure the passer. This is basic football stuff, too. Patriots quarterback Drake Maye has thrown four interceptions in two games, but quarterbacks rarely throw interceptions unless they're pressured. The Jaguars haven't pressured opposing quarterbacks well enough in their last two games against contending teams – the Broncos Sunday and the Buffalo Bills in the postseason last January. It's hard to beat elite teams if you can't pressure quarterback on key downs.
6. Win up front. Neither line, offensive or defensive, had their best day for the Jaguars against the Broncos. Whichever team wins these matchups probably wins Sunday.
7. Run, Trevor, run. Lawrence can't force this. And the Jaguars won't design a lot for Lawrence to run. But when he runs effectively at the right times it strains a defense and the Jaguars' offense tends to run at a high level.
8. Feed Tuten. Jaguars second-year running back Bhayshul Tuten has played well enough in his first two NFL starts to merit more carries. It feels as if he's close to breaking a big play. The more opportunities, the better the chance he breaks it.
9. Make big plays. The Denver game turned in the second half when the Broncos made key – explosive – plays at big moments. That's how games between contending teams turn, and it likely will take big plays late to beat a team as disciplined defensively as the Patriots. That means catching catchable passes and making a few plays above the Xs and Os, particularly in the second half.
10. Find a way. The Jaguars built their nine-game regular-season winning streak that ended in Denver largely on playing well and pulling away in games. They played a little clunky and "out of sync" in Denver and couldn't find a way to win a close game. The Jaguars strive to be a great team, and great teams figure out a way to win when they're playing just "OK."