Toronto Star
· collected 2026-10-02 · by Joe Reedy The Associated Press
Joe Burrow and the Cincinnati Bengals will host Trevor Lawrence and the Jacksonville Jaguars in a matchup of two teams with identical 2-1 records on Sunday. This game marks the fourth time Burrow has faced Lawrence, maintaining his perfect record at 3-0 against him, though their last meeting saw Burrow suffer a significant injury that sidelined him for nine games. Both teams have notable performances this season: Jacksonville boasts one of the best defenses in the league with an eight-game interception streak and allowing only 36 points overall, while Cincinnati's defense struggled recently, giving up five plays over 20 yards in their last game against Pittsburgh.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-10-02,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Joe Burrow has gotten the better of Trevor Lawrence whenever their teams have met.
asserted
teams → get → Lawrence
Burrow is hoping that trend continues on Sunday when his Cincinnati Bengals host Lawrence and the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday in a matchup of 2-1 teams.
asserted
Bengals → hop → teams
The first was in the College Football Playoff national title game in the 2019 season when he threw for 463 yards and accounted for all six touchdowns in LSU’s 42-25 victory over Clemson.
asserted
he → throw → Clemson
The most recent time Burrow faced the Jaguars though is one he would like to forget.
asserted
he → face → Jaguars
The franchise quarterback suffered a turf toe injury during the second quarter of last season’s Week 2 game while being sacked by Jaguars defensive tackle Arik Armstead.
asserted
quarterback → suffer → Armstead
Even though the Bengals rallied for a 31-27 victory behind Jake Browning, Burrow missed the next nine games after having surgery on his left big toe.
asserted
Burrow → rally → toe
The Bengals season imploded as they lost eight of nine.
asserted
they → implode → nine
Burrow’s focus though is making sure Cincinnati gets back on track after a loss at Pittsburgh despite passing for 282 yards and three touchdowns.
asserted
Cincinnati → make → yards
Cincinnati was in Steelers’ territory during the fourth quarter when Burrow fumbled after being sacked by Derrick Harmon.
asserted
Burrow → fumble → Harmon
Burrow will face a Jaguars defense that is second in pressure rate this season.
asserted
that → face → rate
“They’re deep.
asserted
They → ’re → ?
All those guys can play really good football, get pressure on the quarterback, stop the run,” Burrow said.
asserted
Burrow → play → run
“Then the rest of their defense plays with their roles really well, understands what they’re trying to do with their coverages.”
asserted
they → play → coverages
The Jaguars’ defense has picked off a pass in eight straight games, the longest active streak in the NFL, and has allowed a league-low 36 points this season.
asserted
defense → pick → points
Cincinnati’s defense also has plenty of questions going into the game.
asserted
defense → have → game
After strong games against Tampa Bay and Houston, the Bengals reverted back to the level of the past couple of seasons against the Steelers with missed tackles and lapses on long pass plays.
asserted
Bengals → revert → plays
Lawrence has 65 completions of at least 20 yards since the start of last season, third most in the AFC.
asserted
Lawrence → have → AFC
The Bengals allowed five last week.
asserted
Bengals → allow → five
“Things have changed and I think they’ve figured out kind of what they’re good at.
asserted
they → change → what
And in some ways I think it’s kind of simplified,” Lawrence said of the Bengals, the only AFC team he hasn’t defeated.
asserted
he → think → Bengals
“I think sometimes that’s the hardest thing to go against is a really well-coached defense that might not bring a ton of pressures and all those things and have guys running free, but they’re just always in the right spot at the right time and you got to really earn every run, every completion, all those things.
uncertain
you → think → run
I think they’re doing a good job of that right now.”
asserted
they → think → that
Need to know
Jacksonville (2-1) at Cincinnati (2-1)
When/where to watch: Sunday, 1 p.m. EDT, CBS.
Latest odds: Bengals by 2 1/2.
Against the spread: Jaguars 2-1; Bengals 2-1.
asserted
Jaguars → need → spread
Last week: Jaguars beat the Patriots 35-6; Bengals lost to Steelers 30-27.
asserted
Bengals → beat → Steelers
Last meeting: Bengals beat Jaguars 31-27 on Sept. 14, 2025, in Cincinnati.
asserted
Bengals → beat → Cincinnati
Hunter had his first career interception last week and became the fourth player since 2000 with an interception and a touchdown catch in his first two seasons.
asserted
Hunter → have → seasons
The Jaguars rotate their coverages, meaning Lawrence will go up against both Chase and Higgins.
asserted
Lawrence → rotate → Chase
Chase has 14 games with multiple touchdown receptions since 2021.
asserted
Chase → have → 2021
He needs one more to become the fifth player in NFL history with at least 15 games in his first six seasons.
asserted
He → need → seasons
Stats and stuff
— Cincinnati has won the past four meetings in the series and is 9-5 in games played at home.
asserted
Cincinnati → win → home
— Jacksonville quarterback Trevor Lawrence has thrown 25 touchdowns in his past 10 games.
asserted
Lawrence → throw → games
Only Matthew Stafford of the Rams has thrown for more TDs in a 10-game span over the past two seasons.
asserted
Stafford → throw → seasons
— Jaguars WR Parker Washington has at least five receptions for 70 yards in four of his past five games on the road.
asserted
Washington → have → road
He had five catches for 76 yards in last year’s game.
asserted
He → have → game
— Jacksonville has not allowed a running back to gain at least 75 yards in 20 straight games, tied for the fourth-longest streak in the past 50 seasons.
asserted
back → allow → seasons
— Cincinnati quarterback Joe Burrow needs six completions to reach 2,000 for his career.
asserted
Burrow → need → career
If he does it on Sunday he would tie Kansas City’s Patrick Mahomes for the fewest games to reach the milestone (81 games).
asserted
he → do → milestone
— Bengals RB Chase Brown has gained at least 75 scrimmage yards in his past eight home games.
asserted
Brown → gain → games
— Cincinnati has 10 sacks, tied for fourth most in the league.
asserted
Cincinnati → have → league
Defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence had his first two sacks with the Bengals last week.
___
asserted
Lawrence → have → Bengals
The Aporia
