At first glance, it may not seem like the Jacksonville Jaguars and Green Bay Packers have much in common, especially since they play in different conferences. However, that assumption would be incorrect. Remarkably, the circumstances surrounding this Sunday's game closely mirror those of their last matchup, which took place four years ago.
If you’ve heard this story before, bear with me. Back in 2020, when these two teams last faced each other, the Jaguars were at the bottom of the AFC South, desperately seeking a victory in the middle of the regular season. Despite a couple of touchdowns from Keelan Cole and the Jaguars leading in the fourth quarter, the game ultimately went to the Packers.
Despite the 1,275-mile distance between Lambeau Field and EverBank Stadium, there has been some overlap in personnel between the two teams. Mark Brunell, who became the original “face” of the expansion Jaguars thirty years ago, was selected by Jacksonville after Green Bay left him unprotected. In turn, the Packers have benefited from various roster moves, including the acquisition of Allen Lazard from the Jaguars' practice squad and the signing of fan favorite Marcedes Lewis following his release in 2018. This trend continued the following year when Green Bay claimed return specialist Tyler Ervin to enhance their special teams late in the 2019 season.
No one is probably more connected to these franchises than Jaguars head coach Doug Pederson who had a pair of stints with the Packers as a player comprising several seasons.
Let's hope that on Sunday, the Jaguars can break the trend the Packers have established against the AFC South this season. Currently, the Packers hold a perfect record of 3-0, with victories over Indianapolis, Tennessee, and a dramatic walk-off win last Sunday against Houston.
