The Jacksonville Jaguars will return to the United Kingdom and their second home of Wembley Stadium to play an historic 10th regular season game in London. And they will take on the Atlanta Falcons in a contest packed with some of the most exciting young stars in the NFL.
After star quarterback Trevor Lawrence guided them to the final eight in the playoffs last season, the Jaguars have high hopes for the upcoming campaign. There is similar optimism in Atlanta after the Falcons were extremely busy this offseason, adding promising talent around second-year quarterback Desmond Ridder.
Five to Watch
Trevor Lawrence – Quarterback – Jacksonville Jaguars
The first overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft came of age in 2022, leading Jacksonville to the playoffs for the first time in five years. And the outstanding Trevor Lawrence was especially brilliant with games on the line, leading Jacksonville to late wins over Baltimore and Dallas in the regular season before fronting a 27-point comeback victory over the Los Angeles Chargers in the playoffs.
Christian Kirk – Wide Receiver – Jacksonville Jaguars
In his first season with the Jaguars, Christian Kirk recorded the first 1,000-yard campaign of his five-year career. He quickly became one of Trevor Lawrence's favourite targets and established himself as one of the most productive and reliable receivers in the league. The Jaguars are full of confidence and Kirk is one of the locker room leaders intent on taking this team even further in 2023.
Travis Etienne Jr – Running Back – Jacksonville Jaguars
After missing his rookie 2021 season through injury, Travis Etienne Jr. burst onto the NFL scene as one of the most explosive and exciting running backs of 2022. The former college teammate of Trevor Lawrence rushed for 1,125 yards and five touchdowns during the regular season and when adding his playoff output, Etienne Jr. averaged an impressive 5.2 yards per carry.
Bijan Robinson – Running Back – Atlanta Falcons
The Falcons already boasted a 1,000-yard rusher on their roster in the form of 2022 rookie Tyler Allgeier, but they couldn't resist Bijan Robinson when he was available with the eighth overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. Robinson has been described as a generational talent and has been compared to all-time greats such as LaDainian Tomlinson and Edgerrin James. NFL stardom beckons.
Drake London – Wide Receiver – Atlanta Falcons
Atlanta spent their 2022 first-round Draft pick on wide receiver Drake London and he led the team in catches, receiving yards and touchdown receptions as a rookie. At 6-foot-4 and 213 pounds, London is a big-bodied receiver who gives defenders all kinds of trouble. He got better and better as the 2022 season went on and, as his name would suggest, he is set to shine in the capital in October.
Last time in London… Jacksonville Jaguars
The Jaguars have played in London nine times, with eight of those taking place at Wembley Stadium. Jacksonville's first contest in the UK was against the San Francisco 49ers in 2013 and they currently have a record of four wins and five losses. They lost 21-17 to the Denver Broncos in 2022 – a game played in front of a UK record crowd of 86,215.
Last time in London… Atlanta Falcons
The Falcons have played in London twice, with mixed results. Atlanta built a 21-0 halftime lead against the Detroit Lions in 2014 but were beaten at the buzzer by Matt Prater's twice-taken 48-yard field goal. They led a welcome NFL return to London after a 707-day absence in 2021, recording a 27-20 victory over the New York Jets at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
Did you know?... Jacksonville Jaguars
Despite now being one of NFL's best quarterbacks, Trevor Lawrence started his career on the offensive line. The six-year-old was the youngest on his team and had little say in what position he played.
Did you know?... Atlanta Falcons
Falcons running back Bijan Robinson enjoys watching soccer when he is not playing American football. He is a big fan of Real Madrid in La Liga and his Premier League team is Liverpool.
