Analysis
Trevor Lawrence for MVP? George Kittle's San Francisco 49ers for the Super Bowl? Bijan Robinson to run riot? - NFL Gameday Guide
Watch the Jacksonville Jaguars face the Philadelphia Eagles in the second NFL London game of the season at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, live on Sky Sports from 2pm, followed by the Green Bay Packers against the Chicago Bears and the San Francisco 49ers against the Seattle Seahawks
Friday 9 October 2026 11:03, UK
The Jacksonville Jaguars return to London this week to play what will mark their 15th and 16th regular-season games in England's capital since 2013, featuring as part of the league's 44th and 45th games in the UK since 2007 as well as a record slate of nine international matchups in 2026.
It will see Jags punter Logan Cooke play in an NFL-record 10th international game to surpass former Jacksonville offensive lineman Tyler Shatley, per ESPN stats.
But this has a different feel to that of the Jags teams from years gone by, who have monopolised London without ever truly inserting themselves among football's Super Bowl contenders. The 2017 team that stunned the NFL to reach the AFC Championship Game, perhaps, being the exception to that rule.
This time they arrive to take on the Philadelphia Eagles behind a true MVP candidate in Trevor Lawrence and a head coach in Liam Coen knocking on the door of the elite. It is not a team brimming with star names, but instead an expertly-drilled reflection of their coach's vision for contention.
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- NFL 2026 fixtures and UK kickoff times
- Get Sky Sports or stream with no contract on NOW
The Jags are 3-1 and purring at the top of the AFC South, their one blemish a defeat to the Denver Broncos in which they can been control before letting the game slip away.
Momentum is on their side after back-to-back statement wins over the New England Patriots and Cincinnati Bengals, in contrast to an opponent battling to steady a ship rocked by injury, retirement and consecutive losses. There is an overwhelming case of deja vu for the Eagles, whose soaring expectations can occasionally make for a gloomier fan outlook than is actually the case.
The last time the Eagles faced the Jaguars, Saquon Barkley conjured one of the greatest plays in NFL history with his reverse hurdle over Jacksonville cornerback Jarrian Jones back in November 2024.
"Everybody DM'd me like I'm supposed to be mad or something," Jones said on Wednesday. "I don't give a damn. He made a good play. It is what it is."
Barkley's availability for Sunday is in doubt after the running back exited Week Four's defeat to the Los Angeles Rams with a hamstring injury. The Eagles had already been missing leading wide receiver DeVonta Smith due to a hamstring issue, the former Heisman Trophy winner having become Jalen Hurts' unequivocal top target this offseason following the marquee departure of AJ Brown.
This week meanwhile saw stalwart offensive tackle Lane Johnson announce his shock retirement to focus on his mental health, before center Cam Jurgens was traded to the Baltimore Ravens. What's more, wide receiver Hollywood Brown, edge rusher Jonathan Greenard and linebacker Jihaad Campbell all missed practice this week through injury.
On paper, it is a decimated Eagles team so far failing to demonstrate the kind of offensive resurgence expected under Sean Mannion after he replaced Kevin Patullo as offensive coordinator in the offseason. Philly's offense enters Sunday's game at Tottenham averaging the fourth-fewest yards per game, second-fewest passing yards per game, 26th in scoring and 29th in EPA/play.
Jalen Hurts also continues to be one of the most divisive quarterbacks in football as critics wrestle over his true value, who is suffering in a system lacking serious punch on the ground and the consistent presence of a Brown on the outside - with the greatest of respect to the always-reliable hands of Smith.
The Jags have their identity. The Eagles are still searching desperately for theirs.
Nick Sirianni's side have elected to fly in just 36 hours before kickoff in London, following a similar plan to that of Sean McVay and the Los Angeles Rams when they travelled in on the eve of their dominant win over the Jaguars at Wembley.
Things to watch live on Sky:
Philadelphia Eagles @ Jacksonville Jaguars at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium - KO 2.30pm - LIVE from 2pm on Sky Sports NFL and Sky Sports+:
The Jags might have finally found their answer as to how best they use Travis Hunter. Both he and they started this partnership with the best intentions of revolutionising football with a full-time two-way player, Hunter having famously starred at receiver and corner in college. To drift from as much wouldn't be to concede defeat, but instead recognise Hunter's potential to become one of the premier defensive backs in football. Right now, that looks like where his future lies. Hunter played 71 defensive snaps in Sunday's win over the Bengals and gave up just four catches for 30 yards while seeing an interception nullified by a penalty up front. Receiver packages can still be in play from time to time, but the signs are there of Hunter finally making his mark in the NFL, on defense.
Chicago Bears @ Green Bay Packers - KO 6pm - Exclusively LIVE from 6pm on Sky Sports NFL, Sky Sports Football and part on Sky Sports Main Event:
Ben Johnson's Chicago Bears offense enters Sunday's rivalry matchup boasting the No 1-ranked rushing attack in football behind D'Andre Swift and Kyle Monangai, who lead a ground unit averaging 196.3 yards per game. It has become the perfect remedy to the loss of starting quarterback Caleb Williams, teeing up Case Keenum and Tyson Bagent for success in his absence. Bagent will start again on Sunday as Chicago arrive 3-1 against a Packers side yet to convince after a 2-2 start. Matt LaFleur's offense ranks dead last in offense amid the absence of Josh Jacobs due to his off-field legal problems, while they are also averaging a fifth-fewest points per game.
Minnesota Vikings @ New Orleans Saints - KO 6pm - LIVE from 6pm on Sky Sports+:
Tyler Shough is braced for one of the defining acid tests of his young NFL career as the New Orleans Saints quarterback comes up against a Brian Flores defense that has spearheaded the Minnesota Vikings to a 4-0 start this season. The Vikings are ranked third in pressures with 72, according to Pro Football Focus, while leading the league in points allowed. Dallas Turner is ranked second with 5.5 sacks behind only Buffalo's Greg Rousseau amid what is shaping up as a breakout season, thriving in a defense that leads the NFL by a distance with a blitz rate of almost 70 per cent.
San Francisco 49ers @ Seattle Seahawks - KO 9.25pm - Exclusively LIVE from 9.15pm on Sky Sports NFL, Sky Sports Football, and part on Sky Sports Main Event:
If the San Francisco 49ers are to be serious Super Bowl contenders, they need this version of George Kittle for an entire undisrupted season. The way he moved on Sunday's 56-yard touchdown catch-and-run, you would not believe he is just coming off a season-ending torn Achilles. It was Kittle at his electric best, executing a perfect blitz-crushing Kyle Shanahan call to underline everything that makes this 49ers offense so innovative and so dangerous when everybody is healthy. Kittle has 16 catches for 244 yards and four touchdowns so far in 2026 as part of a 49ers attack ranked seventh in yards and third in scoring.
Detroit Lions @ Arizona Cardinals - KO 9.25pm - Exclusively LIVE from 9.25pm on Sky Sports Football:
The Cardinals are coming off last weekend's 36-24 defeat to the Giants, during which Jacoby Brissett threw three interceptions while both start running back Jeremiyah Love and tight end Trey McBride were largely bottled up as the focal points of their offense. Sunday welcomes two of the NFL's most porous defenses, the Lions allowing a second-most 31.8 points per game to the Cardinals' fourth-most 29.3. Jared Goff has been clean even if not spectacular over the first month of the campaign, 109 of 161 passing for a second-most 1,214 yards and nine touchdowns to zero interceptions. He is the only quarterback ever in NFL history to have 1,200-plus passing yards with zero turnovers through four games of a season while not having a winning record, according to Opta Stats. The Lions come into Sunday 2-2 after losing 32-26 to the Carolina Panthers on Sunday night.
Baltimore Ravens @ Atlanta Falcons - KO 1.20am (Monday) - LIVE from 1.10am (Monday) on Sky Sports NFL and Sky Sports Main Event:
The Atlanta Falcons look a completely different proposition to the team that began the season 0-2 behind backup quarterback Cooper Rush. Michael Penix Jr has flourished on his return from injury in victories over the Packers and Saints, completing 73.3 per cent of his passes for 479 yards and two touchdowns. With some stability at quarterback has come deserved reward for Bijan Robinson, who is second only to Kansas City's Kenneth Walker III with 614 yards from scrimmage through the first month. That includes 339 yards and four touchdowns on the ground over the last two weeks alone. Lamar Jackson availability is meanwhile in question after the ankle injury he suffered against the Tennessee Titans in Week Four, with Tyler Huntley in line to start should the two-time MVP miss out. Declan Doyle is still perhaps in second gear with his Ravens offense, which itself looks a completely different threat with Zay Flowers in the lineup as a field-flipping aerial complement to Jackson and Derrick Henry on the ground. The Ravens are averaging the fifth-most yards and fifth-most rushing yards per game after a 3-1 start.
Latest news
- The Commanders are set to have quarterback Jayden Daniels available again against the Giants this weekend after he missed the last two weeks with an elbow injury
- Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans is taking over defensive play-calling duties from defensive coordinator Matt Burke after the team's 0-4 start
- Eagles offensive tackle Lane Johnson announced his retirement from the NFL in what is his 14th season in the league
- The Seahawks opted against signing running back Joe Mixon after the veteran's physical with the team
- Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh said offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel's job is 'not in jeopardy' after the team's 0-4 start
- The Vikings signed veteran wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr to their practice squad
- Broncos head coach Sean Payton announced his taking over play-calling duties from Davis Webb on offense after the team's slow start to the season
Key stats:
- Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts is one more game with a rushing touchdown and a touchdown pass from becoming the fifth quarterback with 30 such games in NFL history behind Josh Allen, Cam Newton, Aaron Rodgers and Steve Young.
- Jags quarterback Trevor Lawrence needs one more touchdown pass in London to tie Blake Bortles' nine for the second-most touchdown passes in regular-season international games; Tom Brady leads the way with 12.
- 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy is one of two quarterbacks with to post a passer rating of 125 or higher in multiple games this season.
- Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs needs one more touchdown to tie Barry Sanders (57) for the most scrimmage touchdowns by a player under the age of 25 in NFL history.
- Saints running back Alvin Kamara needs just five receiving yards against the Vikings to become the sixth player in NFL history with at least 5,000 rushing yards and 5,000 receiving yards.
- Cardinals tight end Trey McBride is seven receptions away from overtaking Jimmy Graham (386) for the most catches by a tight end in their first five seasons in the NFL.
Watch the 2026 NFL season live on Sky Sports, including every minute of the playoffs and Super Bowl LXI on Sunday February 14, 2027. Get Sky Sports or stream contract-free with NOW.
