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Game details and what is at stake
Jacksonville visits Cincinnati in Week 4 on Sunday, October 4, 2026. Kickoff is scheduled for 1 p.m. ET at Paycor Stadium, with CBS listed as the broadcast by the Bengals’ October 2 preview. Both teams entered the game 2-1. These are pregame details; the available reports were published before kickoff.
The matchup puts Cincinnati’s efficient early-season passing and Jacksonville’s productive offense against a Jaguars defense that had been stingy and disruptive through three weeks. Red-zone execution and pressure on the quarterbacks are especially useful ways to understand the matchup.
What Burrow’s unbeaten record against Lawrence means
The Associated Press reported on October 1 that Burrow was 3-0 in starts against Lawrence. That tally includes the 2019-season College Football Playoff national championship, when Burrow threw for 463 yards and accounted for all six LSU touchdowns in a 42-25 win over Clemson. It is a head-to-head record across college and the NFL, not a record of three NFL games.
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The Bengals’ official preview called the upcoming game the third matchup in which both quarterbacks would start against each other, counting their NFL meetings. Jacksonville’s October 2 report separately said Cincinnati had won the teams’ last four meetings. Those statements track different things: the AP’s quarterback-start record includes college, the Bengals’ count concerns NFL starts by both quarterbacks, and the Jaguars’ streak is a team-versus-team series measure.
The most recent prior meeting cited by the AP was Cincinnati’s 31-27 win in September 2025. Burrow left that game with a turf toe injury in the second quarter and missed nine games after surgery, so the final score should not be read as a game he played to completion.
How the teams had performed through Week 3
The Bengals’ October 2 preview reported that Burrow had completed 70.9% of his passes through three games, with six touchdown passes and one interception. It also said he threw for 282 yards and three touchdowns at Pittsburgh in Week 3. Those are Cincinnati’s pregame figures, not full-season totals.
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Jacksonville’s offense had averaged 27.0 points per game through three weeks, according to the Bengals’ September 29 scouting report. The same report listed Lawrence with seven touchdown passes and two interceptions over that span. Receiver Parker Washington led the Jaguars’ first three games in the cited Bengals report with 15 catches for 221 yards and two touchdowns.
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1Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute2Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors3Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesThe Jaguars’ defense was the standout opposing unit in the pregame coverage. Cincinnati’s September 29 report said Jacksonville had allowed 12.0 points per game through three weeks. The AP’s October 1 preview described the Jaguars as second in pressure rate and noted that they had recorded an interception in eight consecutive games. These are dated snapshots, not season-end rankings or guarantees about what would happen Sunday.
Red-zone trips could separate the teams
Both teams had produced sharply different touchdown rates inside the 20 in the figures published by Cincinnati on October 2. Jacksonville had scored touchdowns on eight of its nine red-zone drives; Cincinnati had converted four of eight drives into touchdowns. The distinction is touchdowns, not simply points scored.
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On defense, Jacksonville had allowed touchdowns on two of 10 opponent red-zone appearances, while Cincinnati had allowed three touchdowns on 11 opposing red-zone drives, according to the same Bengals preview. That creates a two-sided test: can Burrow’s offense finish drives with touchdowns against a Jacksonville defense that had limited opponents near the goal line, and can Cincinnati prevent Jacksonville from doing the same?
Pressure and downfield passing: a key tactical contest
The Bengals’ September 29 scouting report said Jacksonville was emphasizing intermediate and deeper passes. It listed Cincinnati’s quarterback pressure rate at 39.7% through three games, attributing that figure to NFL Next Gen Stats or other named sources where applicable. The Bengals’ October 2 preview also said the Jaguars had eight sacks through three games. Pressure could disrupt Lawrence’s downfield timing, but it also makes protection and quick decisions important.
Jacksonville’s defense brings its own pressure threat. Burrow praised the unit to AP reporter Joe Reedy, saying: “They’re deep. Their two edge rushers — Armstead and DaVon (Hamilton) are really good. All those guys can play really good football, get pressure on the quarterback, stop the run. Then the rest of their defense plays with their roles really well, understands what they’re trying to do with their coverages.”
Cincinnati’s right tackle Amarius Mims was a notable protection matchup. The Bengals said Pro Football Focus had credited him with allowing no quarterback pressures on 113 pass-blocking snaps before the game, and that he was due to face Jacksonville edge rushers Josh Hines-Allen and Travon Walker. This is a pregame PFF figure reported by the team, not an independent film assessment.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Cincinnati’s secondary faced a personnel adjustment
The Bengals’ October 2 preview said nickel corner Jalen Davis had been placed on Reserve/Injured and that Dax Hill was expected to move inside, with DJ Ivey among the possible outside options. That mattered against a Jacksonville passing game whose leading receiver in the first three games, according to Cincinnati’s September 29 report, was Parker Washington, with 15 receptions, 221 yards and two touchdowns.
Lawrence also commented on the Bengals’ defense in remarks quoted by the AP: “Things have changed and I think they’ve figured out kind of what they’re good at. And in some ways I think it’s kind of simplified.” The AP’s account says Lawrence described a well-coached defense that makes an offense earn its runs and completions.
Quick Recap
What to watch in the game
- Burrow’s decisions against pressure: Jacksonville had allowed 12.0 points per game through Week 3 in Cincinnati’s report, while the Bengals highlighted the Jaguars’ pressure and coverage depth.
- Lawrence’s downfield opportunities: Jacksonville’s passing approach leaned toward intermediate and deeper throws, while Cincinnati reported a 39.7% pressure rate through the first three games.
- Touchdowns rather than field goals near the goal line: Jacksonville had converted eight of nine red-zone drives into touchdowns; Cincinnati had converted four of eight.
- How Cincinnati fills the nickel role: Davis was on Reserve/Injured, and the Bengals expected Hill to move inside, with Ivey among the outside possibilities.
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