A couple of things before I get into my game takes:

First, I sincerely hope everyone is safe from the hurricane and there is little to no loss of life and health and property to people throughout the region.  To piggyback on this, I hope Houston and the areas impacted by Hurricane Harvey recover quickly from the storm.  Those of us who lurk and post on these boards have our differences, but I hope we all emerge from these storms unscathed.

Secondly, I want to alert any readers of this post that due to technical issues, I missed the first half.  I listened on the radio but did not see.  I watched the second half, so take my analysis with a grain of salt.  That said, my thoughts on the game, for what they are worth...

1.  Prior to today, Jaguars fans had a litany of complaints about this team stemming from last season and extending though the preseason.  Bortles was a turnover machine.  We can't run the ball, even in short yardage.  Our offensive line was not good.  We don't get any pressure on the QB.  We don't create turnovers.  Special teams weren't any good.  Our coaching is incompetent.  After today...at least for this week...all of those criticisms save one were silenced.  Bortles was steady, if unspectacular as caretaker today.  We were able to run the ball and pound the Texans.  The offensive line stifled the vaunted Texans front 7.  The defensive line stole the show from the Texans' front 7, registering TEN (10) sacks!  The team forced three turnovers, and Marrone coached a heckuva game.  The only real question mark was Myers, who missed a FG and an extra point.

2.  The defensive line was amazing.  I figured the Texans might have problems blocking our guys without Duane Brown and the general state of their O-line, but ten sacks was beyond any reasonable expectations.  Every starter along the DL made an impact.  Calais Campbell FOUR sacks??!?!!?  Yes!!  Ngakoue has what...2 sacks and a forced fumble, that was returned for a TD by Dante Fowler, who forced a fumble and had a sack himself.  Malik Jackson notched a sack and Abry Jones recovered a fumble.  We didn't get this from our defenses under JDR.  We won't have games like this every week, but this performance gives me hope that our defense-especially the line, can be a catalyst in games to come, instead of a liability.

3.  The offensive line was a most pleasant surprise as well.  Houston has traditionally killed us with their defensive line.  Not today.  Did Houston notch any sacks against us?  Did they really even pressure Bortles?  I know they weren't able to stop the run.  The guards that appeared to be such a liability were nothing of the sort today.  They put Watt on a milk carton.  Outstanding performance all around given the opponent.

4.  I sure hope Allen Robinson is okay.  If this is, in fact, a season we return to respectability, we will definitely need him.

5.  This board is a whole lot different after a win...especially a relevant win.

6.  I continue to fear Myers will cost us a game.

7.  Rookie Watch:

• Leonard Fournette-100 yards rushing and a TD in his first game.  I will take that any time.
  
• Cam Robinson-Shut down Jadeveon Clowney and Mercilus was also a non factor.  Watching him and Joeckel today makes me think that trade up one spot to get him might have been one of the most important moves in the draft.
  
• Dawaune Smoot-got some reps and almost had a TFL.
  
• Dede Westbrook-on IR-DNP
  
• Blair Brown-DNP
  
• Myrick-DNP
  
• Keelan Cole-Bortles threw to him on what looked like some sort of crossing route.  Ball was either tipped or hit his shoulder.
  

8.  One of the things I enjoyed most about this game is the way the defense continued to attack, even with a big lead.  The team blitzed Savage, and when they forced him out of the game, they blitzed the rookie Watson, too.  This, among other things, makes me more confident in the coaching.

9.  Bottom line:  I know many observers will attribute the Texans' performance to the difficulties dealing with the hurricane aftermath.  I have no doubt that may have played a factor.  But most of these same observers thought the hurricane would be a positive intangible factor for the Texans.  Futhermore, the hurricane did not make the Texans' QBs any less experienced, did not cause or lengthen Duane Brown's holdout, did not create the talent deficiencies elsewhere on the OL, and did not make the Texans shorthanded at WR.  Nor did the hurricane cause the Jaguars to sign guys like Campbell and Church, draft guys like Fournette, Robinson, Ngakoue and Fowler, or name Marrone head coach.  Despite what many naysayers will try to say, this was an earned win for our Jaguars!  Any attempts to de-legitimize it are disingenuous and ultimately false.  The Texans had this [BLEEP] kicking coming, as do the tacks next week.


P.S.  Irma go away!

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