JACKSONVILLE – Each week during the 2024 season, Jaguars "experts" – Tony Boselli, Frank Frangie, Jeff Lageman, Brent Martineau, John Oehser, Brian Sexton, J.P. Shadrick and Kainani Stevens– will analyze the following day's Jaguars matchup.

Up this week:

The Minnesota Vikings at EverBank Stadium.

Tony Boselli, Jaguars Analyst and Former Jaguars Left Tackle

• The Jaguars will win if: They can run and stay ahead of the sticks. The Vikings defense does a great job of disguising coverage and blitzes in second- and third-and-long situations, leading to pressure and turnovers. The Jaguars offense needs to stay on schedule and protect the ball.
• The Vikings will win if: They take away the Jaguars run game and pressure quarterback Mac Jones. Offensively, the Vikings will look to take advantage of a Jaguars defense that has struggled getting off the field and has given up a bunch of big plays.
• As Boselli sees it: The Jaguars are coming off another tough loss in which they had another slow start. They're desperate for a win and quarterback Trevor Lawrence is out. I think the Vikings come in a little overconfident and leave with an L. Jaguars 21 Vikings 17.

Frank Frangie, Radio Voice of the Jaguars

• The Jaguars will win if: They start faster and finish. The last three games, the Jags have trailed 10-0. The result is they had to play uphill the rest of the game and left themselves with no margin of error. And then when one play goes wrong at the end, they lose. They have to target wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. more than they did a week ago, particularly with wide receiver Christian Kirk now gone for the year. And they must find a way to rush for more than the 60 yards they got last week.
• The Vikings will win if: They start fast and put some doubt into the minds of the Jags early. They will win if they continue to use the multiple defensive fronts and rush packages that have served them so well this year. And when Darnold has time, he has been very good.
• As Frangie sees it: The Jags must find a way to finish. Too many times, the other team makes one more play at the end of the game. I think the Jags will be in the game Sunday as usual. But they must finish. They must be the team to make the big play at the end to get back on the winning track.

Jeff Lageman, Jaguars Analyst and Former Jaguars Defensive End

• The Jaguars will win if: They find a way to get a fast start. The Jags have been lethargic in the early part of games, scoring few points, and the Vikings have been the best in the NFL scoring early in games. Starting fast will give the Jags some confidence and get the crowd going.
• The Vikings will win if: Jefferson and their passing game gets rolling against a Jaguars defense that is struggling against the pass. Jefferson is an explosive play waiting to happen and the Jags defense has been allowing explosive plays at an alarming rate.
• As Lageman sees it: This will be another tough matchup for the Jaguars. The Jaguars' quarterback situation provides uncertainty, especially against a Vikings defense that is tough to figure out. Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores does a great job of disguising coverages and can be aggressive at times. The Jaguars will need to find success on the ground and on early downs for their offense to have a better chance at success. The Jaguars' defense needs to do something to provide extra attention on Jefferson or face the consequences.

Brent Martineau, Action Sports Jax Sports Director

• The Jaguars will win if: They limit explosive plays. The Jaguars have been doing some good things defensively, but they are getting crushed by the big play. Jefferson has at least one catch of 25-plus yards in every game this season. That's not a good setup for this pass defense. If the Jags can make the Vikings drive the entire field without the big play, I think they will do enough on offense to win.
• The Vikings will win if: They continue to make the Jags miserable on third downs. The Jaguars are one of the worst in the league with a 31 percent conversion rate on third downs. If the Vikings continue that trend, they will be able to control the action and win the road game.
• As Martineau sees it: The Jaguars were supposed to be the better team in this matchup this season and the teams are going in opposite directions. I think the Jaguars will win this game. I think they are going to fix their third downs and slow starts. I believe this is the game where everything clicks, and the Jaguars win at EverBank Stadium, 27-20.

John Oehser, jaguars.com Senior Writer

• The Jaguars will win if: They have the stamina to continue the effort of the last two weeks. Playoff chances seem over, which can make it difficult to play focused as a team for an entire game. The Jaguars must match the effort shown in losses to the Green Bay Packers and Philadelphia Eagles the past two weeks – and get a break late – to beat a strong Vikings team.
• The Vikings will win if: They play defense as they have much of the season and find wide receiver Justin Jefferson for big plays. The Vikings' defense has been suffocating at times, and the Jaguars' offense has been inconsistent. Jefferson makes key plays at key times, and the Jaguars' defense hasn't stopped such players well enough this season.
• As Oehser sees it: This is yet another tough test for the struggling Jaguars. They have lost five games this season in the final two minutes. Slow starts have defined this team – and if the Jaguars can't start fast, it will be tough to break the string of difficult, close closes.

Brian Sexton, jaguars.com Senior Correspondent

• The Jaguars will win if: The defense keeps the game close again this week. I know there isn't much evidence to support this thought, but at some point this team will find a way to win a close game late. The Jaguars did it in November 2022 when they battled back to beat the Las Vegas Raiders in Jacksonville after losing consecutive games late to the Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, New York Giants and Denver Broncos. I just see it in the eyes of players such as defensive ends Travon Walker and Josh Hines-Allen, linebacker Ventrell Miller and tight end Evan Engram. If it's close this week, I believe they win.
• The Vikings will win if: They confuse the Jaguars offensively and keep them sputtering out of the gate. It has happened each of the last three games and cost them the last two. The Vikings are playing great on defense with sacks, turnovers and a rushing defense that gives no ground. A Jaguars offensive line that will start its second left tackle and third left guard of the season – and who knows if those are the only two spots with new starters – must play well above the Xs and Os to keep this one close. If they struggle and third down remains a problem, the Vikings will win.
• As Sexton sees it: The Vikings are a better team playing good football and meaningful games. This should be their seventh win of the season, and they need it to keep pace with the Detroit Lions in the NFC North. That's usually a solid formula for a win.

J.P. Shadrick, jaguars.com Senior Reporter

• The Jaguars will win if: They start faster and finish a game with execution in key moments. This team is close, with five losses coming by five points or less. They're doing some things well, but it's a small thing – or combination of things - each loss that kills them. But injuries are piling up as we reach the midway point of the season. A complete team game should be enough to get them over the top, even against teams like the Vikings and Detroit Lions. But we haven't seen it yet.
• The Vikings will win if: They balance the running game with the deep threats in the passing offense. Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold is playing really well this season, and the Jags' secondary has had issues in allowing explosive plays in critical moments. Jefferson is an explosive play waiting to happen. Vikings Head Coach Kevin O'Connell gave newly acquired left tackle Cam Robinson the first game ball after last week's win, and Robinson will be highly motivated this week to return to Jacksonville two weeks after the trade.
• As Shadrick sees it: The Vikings are in the thick of the NFC North race, so expect them to be locked in and focused. The Jaguars are injured with a 2-7 record and the season is on the brink, so it's up to the locker-room leadership to maintain that edge and intensity if adversity continues. For a team without a true identity, the early two-score deficits are becoming that identity. In hindsight, it was the identity of the 2022 division title team also – they had to rally in wild comebacks week after week. They stayed healthy and the ball bounced their way often that season, but they also played loose in those comeback bids because there was no tomorrow and nothing to lose. Alas, guess where we are now? And it's three weeks to Thanksgiving.

Kainani Stevens, Jaguars Team Reporter

• The Jaguars will win if: They find a way to neutralize Jefferson. His star power is obvious, and he has the ability to make a huge impact on any game that he plays. The Jags have been very vulnerable to explosive plays this year, but if they can avoid giving up huge deep plays then I think they will have a chance.
• The Vikings will win if: They don't underestimate their opponent or play it safe. The Jaguars have been able to battle back in games recently when their opponents gain a lead and then play more conservatively on defense. As long as the Vikings stick to what they do best, I predict a lopsided win for them.
• As Stevens sees it: I'm not certain of the outcome regardless of who the Jaguars starting quarterback will be on Sunday. I know I'll be focusing on Jaguars defensive end Josh Hines-Allen going up against his former teammate Cam Robinson. I expect both men who practiced against each other for many years will keep things interesting. That's a matchup to keep your eye on.