Jaguars navigate London bye week amid Lawrence injury concerns
The Jacksonville Jaguars become the first NFL team to host back-to-back international home games in London. Trevor Lawrence enters the team's bye week managing a concussion and sprained ankle after throwing 14 touchdowns through six games.
London fixtures and unique status
The Jaguars played two home games in London this month, facing the Philadelphia Eagles at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on October 11 and the Houston Texans at Wembley Stadium on October 18. This scheduling makes the Jaguars the first team in NFL history to act as the home team for back-to-back international games. Following the Week 6 loss to Houston, the team enters a bye week. This October London slate included three total games at Tottenham and Wembley, with the Indianapolis Colts also visiting London in Week 4 to face the Washington Commanders. The 2026 international series includes nine games played across four continents and seven countries, which include matchups in Rio de Janeiro, Paris, Madrid, Munich, and Mexico City during the regular season. The first game occurred in Melbourne on September 10 when the San Francisco 49ers faced the Los Angeles Rams.
Bye-week trends and travel
Teams handle the travel fatigue of the international series with different strategies. Since 2021, 27 teams played in London or Dublin, but only 11 of those teams opted for a post-London bye. The Indianapolis Colts did not opt for a bye week following their Week 4 game against the Washington Commanders at London’s Tottenham Stadium, despite the heavy travel involved. You should note that teams that skip the post-London bye went 10-6 in the games immediately following those trips. The Colts’ AFC South schedule remains spread out this year, which differs from 2025 when they played the Titans twice in the first half.
| International Series Fact | Details |
|---|---|
| Total 2026 international games | 9 |
| Total London games in 2026 | 3 |
| Teams taking post-London bye (since 2021) | 11 of 27 |
| Jaguars London games this month | 2 |
The Jaguars schedule this month differs from the Colts’ recent seasons where divisional games arrived in a heavily front-loaded block. Will the NFL continue to allow teams to bypass the bye week following these transatlantic flights?
Trevor Lawrence and roster status
Trevor Lawrence enters the bye week with 14 touchdown passes through six games. He is currently dealing with a concussion and a sprained ankle. He also managed a knee injury earlier in the season that affected his agility. During Week 5, Lawrence threw for 356 yards and two touchdowns against the Eagles. He also tossed two touchdowns and rushed for two more during a Week 11 victory against the Titans. In Week 12, he passed for a season-high 364 yards against the Texans. His performance remains vital for the team.
Lawrence must miss at least four games if he stays on the Reserve/Injury list. Doug Pederson has stated he has 100% confidence in backup C.J. Beathard. Beathard was a third-round pick in 2017 and has 18 touchdowns and 14 interceptions in 30 career appearances. He hasn’t started a game since 2020. Lawrence remains the engine for the Jacksonville offense. His 92.0 quarterback rating and 14 touchdowns through six games show his importance. The defense also relies on nose tackle DaVon Hamilton to stop the run, while safety Antonio Johnson and linebacker Ventrell Miller have played strikingly well.
The offensive support remains strong. Wide receiver Jakobi Meyers provides reliable targets after a 28-yard pass in Week 6 and a 22-yard reception earlier in the season. Tight end Brenton Strange also contributed with a third-down conversion. Wide receiver/cornerback Travis Hunter made an impact on both sides of the ball, which included a 7-yard touchdown catch and an interception of C.J. Stroud. Running back Bhayshul Tuten found the end zone from 27 yards out after weaving through the Texans’ defense. Parker Washington also contributed with a 124-yard, two-touchdown performance against the Eagles. Jacksonville holds an 8-4 record and leads the AFC South. They hold -240 odds to win the division, ahead of the Texans (+350) and Colts (+550). Running back Chris Rodriguez showed a physical style on a 14-yard carry midway through the first quarter against the Texans. Washington also picked up 19 yards to set up a red zone opportunity.
