JACKSONVILLE -- Senior writer John Oehser checks in with a last look before the Jaguars visit the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa Sunday at 1 p.m.
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Records
Jaguars (1-3), Buccaneers (1-3).
Big picture
There's a buzz about this one.
There are a couple of reasons that's true of the Jaguars' road game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Sunday, with one being that the crowd at Raymond James Stadium is going to have a decidedly "bold" feel.
That's "bold" as in the Bold City Brigade, which is expected to lead a group of more than 2,500 fans attending Sunday's game in a long-anticipated, long-awaited "Duval Takeover." That's only part of what is expected to be a significant crowd supporting the Jaguars.
"It's unbelievable," Jaguars Head Coach Gus Bradley said. "It's amazing. I know we mentioned it to our players and it's unbelievable. I don't know if words can express it."
Takeover or not, this is an important game for the Jaguars. After an overtime loss last week in Indianapolis cost them a chance at sole possession of first place in the AFC South, the Jaguars now enter Sunday's game 1-3 and a game and a half behind the division-leading Colts (3-2). A victory Sunday and the Jaguars are still very much in range of first place.
A loss would leave the Jaguars 1-4 and two games behind, but as much as that that, it would be a third consecutive loss on a three-game road swing.
Injury front
As has been the case much of the season, the Jaguars enter the weekend with injury issues.
Middle linebacker Paul Poslusnzy (ankle), defensive tackle Sen'Derrick Marks (knee) and tight end Julius Thomas (hand) all were listed as questionable on the Friday injury report.
Posluszny sustained a high-ankle sprain last Sunday and did not practice this week. Marks and Thomas both practiced limited this week and have yet to play this regular season.
Safety James Sample (shoulder) was listed as doubtful, with wide receiver Marqise Lee (hamstring), linebacker John Lotulelei (concussion) and running back Denard Robinson (knee) ruled out.
Safety Sergio Brown (calf), defensive end Chris Clemons (knee), cornerback Aaron Colvin (shoulder), cornerback Davon House (illness), wide receiver Allen Hurns (ankle/thigh) and tight end Marcedes Lewis were listed as probable. Brown missed the Colts game while other "probable" players played Sunday.
Rookie Thurston Armbrister will make his first NFL start at middle linebacker if Posluszny doesn't play.
Final thought
The Jaguars need this one. At the quarter pole of the 2015 season, they are 1-3 and missed opportunities to be 3-1 or at least 2-2. They played well in the first half of a 20-9 Week 1 loss to the Carolina Panthers, and then missed multiple opportunities to win in Indianapolis last week. They are improved on paper from a year ago, but it hasn't shown up enough in the win-loss record. This isn't a turning-point game and despite fan frustration, the result won't write any final lines on the David Caldwell/Gus Bradley regime; but in terms of the 2015 season and giving observers a good feeling about the franchise's direction … yes, this one's important.
