(12-03-2017, 08:56 PM)Bullseye Wrote: After last week's loss in Arizona, this week's game against the Colts took on increased importance.  We have fallen into a tie with the tacks, and technically they have the lead due to the head to head matchup from week 2.  One of the "costs" of winning is that every game down the stretch has importance and the margin for error is small.  But I would take that pressure every single time as opposed to the complete irrelevance by mid October in most of the past few years.  Here are my thoughts on the game.

1.  Bortles bounced back from a horrible 4th quarter against Arizona to have an outstanding game against Indy.  He had zero turnovers, took very few sacks (I counted one), had 300 yards, and hit plays downfield (though he did not see a wide open WR deep down the left sideline in the 3rd quarter that would have gone for a TD had he hit him in stride.)  He even looked competent throwing fade passes-something that had been a major weakness in his game.  We will need this level of play from him and above if we are going to beat the teams left on our schedule and beyond.

2.  Once again, I was very disappointed in the crowd.  Lots of empty seats throughout the stadium.  Understandable for a losing team.  Not so much on a contending team at home in December in 70 degree temperatures.

3.  It was good to see Jermey Parnell back.  I would give him mixed reviews for his return.  I though he had a brilliant blitz pickup of a blitzing DB in the first quarter, but later was beaten for a sack.  But I'm glad he was back.  we need him healthy down the stretch.

4.  I thought going in the defensive line would have another good game today, and they didn't disappoint in the pass rush.  While they did not have ten sacks like they did up in Indy, the Jaguars got plenty of pressure.  There were several instances were several guys who were around the ball when Brissett was sacked, and several others around Brissett to move him off his spot when they didn't get him down.  I will say that the run defense, at least for this game, looked like it regressed to how it played early in the season, as they were gashed by the same sorts of runs.

5.  This was another strangely officiated game.  While they miraculously threw one flag on the Colts for holding, there were plenty of plays that should have drawn flags against the Colts that weren't called (personal fouls, especially helmet to helmet vs Bortles), and there were some puzzling calls that were (Offensive PI on a screen pass).  One of the most infuriating was the second half penalty on Ngakoue for sacking the QB.  I guess it's too much to ask for consistency in officiating.

6.  I think Paul Pozluszny had an outstanding game today.  IIRc he was in on a couple of the sacks.

7.  The botched snap notwithstanding, I thought special teams played another good game today.  We had the beautiful fake punt-the 3rd successful fake punt this regular season.  Lambo was perfect on his kicks.  There was  excellent kickoff coverage today, and Lambo's kickoffs were generally deep.  There was an excellent punt coverage where a Nortman punt bounced inside the 5 and was about to go into the end zone for a touchback, only for Peyton Thompson to hit the ball back and keeping it from landing it int he end zone to have it downed at the Indy 4.  It's nice to see special teams be an asset for us.

8.  Rookie Watch:

• Leonard Fournette-had only 57 yards rushing today.  He did have some nice runs, including a roughly 25 yard run around left side.  He also had a couple of nice catches, including a catch on a slant where he was lined up wide.  he also scored a TD and went in on the pre planned TD celebration.  But we've got to get him healthy and we've got to get the running game going again.
  
• Cam Robinson-Had a pretty decent game in my estimation, though he did get hurt, only to return the next series.  I hope he is okay.  We will need him at the top of his game against Seattle.
  
• Dawaune Smoot-played and was in on a sack.
  
• DeDe Westbrook-had something like 6 for 78, and I thought he was concussed when he took a hit that seemingly spun him around.  But this seemed like his best game as a pro, and I think he was a real asset to the passing game.
  
• Blair brownwas in on a couple of tackles and a sack.  probably his best game as a pro.
  
• Jalen Myrick-DNP
  
• Kalen Cole-had a pretty good game.
  

9.  Bottom line-this was a big game for milestones.  Congrats to Calais Campbell for breaking Tony Brackens' single season sack record.  Congrats to Cole for catching his first TD.  IIRC, this was the first time we swept the Colts.  Though many of us, including myself, went on record as saying anything less than a ten win season would be a disappointment, the significance of reaching .500 for the first time should not be understated.  This is the first time we are guaranteed a record this good since 2007!  If we play up to capabilities from this point forth, we will have our first winning and playoff season since that time.  When I think of this, I think about guys like Paul Pozluszny who has spent his entire career in the NFL, in Buffalo and here, never being on a winning team or a playoff team.  I think about guys like Bortles, Lee, Linder, and Telvin Smith who were here from the beginning of the turnaround and endured the brutal losing seasons.  I think about Allen Robinson, who wanted so badly to win. only to blow out his knee in the first half of the first game this year.  I think of Jalen Ramsey, who was on the verge of tears on the sideline last year because he was unaccustomed to losing.  I think about the Jaguars fans, many of whom have never known a winning Jaguars team.  I think about Shad Khan, who, along with Caldwell, have taken their share of criticism during the now extinct losing streak.  I think of all of these people, basking in the glow of newfound success, and I smile, because it feels that damn good.  But we're still not out of the range of disappointment.  This team has to continue to win to get where we all want them to be.  I will be rooting like hell for them to get there.

Great read as always Bullseye, like others I find myself anxiously awaiting your post game comments.

As for the hi-lighted above, I wonder if the WR's had caught some of those deep passes against Arizona early if we would have seen a similar performance from Bortles in that game.  The receiving corps really stepped up after a disappointing outing last week, especially Lee.

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