(12-17-2017, 07:17 PM)Bullseye Wrote: At last!  After ten years in the wilderness of irrelevance and mediocrity at best, the Jaguars have finally made the playoffs!  Yes, no longer is it the word we dare not utter.  We now have tangible football action for Jaguars fans in January...and I'm not talking the Senior Bowl!  Here are my thoughts on the game.

1.  As a STH since 1995, I have seen every Jaguars QB from Beuerlein to Bortles.  In that span of over two decades, I have seen some good performances by the offense.  But I say this in all seriousness, today was the most dominant passing game performance I've ever seen from a Jaguars' QB.  The much maligned Blake Bortles absolutely dismantled the Texans' secondary, and he did it with two rookies:  a 4th round pick (Westbrook) an undrafted free agent (Cole), and a mid season waiver wire pickup (Mickens).  Bortles was on fire.  His close quarters TD throw to Mickens (the 2nd one) was placed perfectly, as ere many others.  Those throws on the corner and crossing routes were lethal, and I'm sure the Texans don't want to see either of those patterns again for the rest of the year.  It's as if Bortles has found a new favorite toy on those patterns.  I am stoked to see him play at this level!  If he keeps this up, we're going to have a lot of fun these next few weeks.

2.  I wasn't in the NEZ, but I was sure with them in spirit when they started chanting "We want fifty!"  It was apparent by the end of the first quarter that Houston did not belong on the same field with the Jaguars.  Our beloved cats could have named the score, and I can only think of one more deserving recipient of such humiliation:  the tacks.  Otherwise, stomping the Texans will do for now. 

3.  While we didn't get to see another ten sack performance against the Texans, the defense got very good pressure on Yates most of the game.  Campbell notched two sacks, and now has 15 or so for the year.  Ngakoue got one, as did Fowler and Jackson.  The Texans' OL could not block them at all.  I only wish that fumble that was returned for a TD by Jack would have stood.  Jaguars fans wanted blood there-at least I know I did.

4.  About the only player that didn't have a very good game was Ramsey.  Actually he was good for most of the game, but had one drive where Hopkins got the better of him.  He gave up a deep pass jump ball where Hopkins was about a yard or two in front of him on an underthrown ball, and just jumped in front of him to get it.  He then got beat  on the TD.  Later, he looked like he was slow getting off the field, as if he was holding his knee.  After the game he was still dressed in his uniform and seemed okay, but I hope he is healthy.  Hopins won this matchup individually, but fortunately, the Jaguars won the team matchup.

5.  Mickens has been an absolutely amazing find.  He is an electrifying punt returner, and has done some damage in the passing game with his two TDs.  To get that kind of performance from a mid season pickup-not even a trade-has been huge for us.

6.  Special teams continues to perform at a high level outside of Mickens.  Lambo hit a FG and hooked the extra point inside.  Myers would have missed that.  Nortman absolutely flipped the field on a second half punt.  Coverage was outstanding, too.

7.  Rookie Watch:

• Leonard Fournette-DNP
  
• Cam Robinson-played well against Clowney.  Did not give up a sack (I don't think).
  
• Dawaune Smoot-showed very good pursuit in chasing a run down from behind.
  
• DeDe Westbrook-had a nice punt return and some nice catches.
  
• Jalen Myrick-Saw him in the game but nothing about his play stuck out to me
  
• Keelan Cole-wow!  7 catches for 186 yards and a TD which should have been two if he weren't caught at the one.  The Jaguars have something in him with these deep crossing routes and corner routes.  Marqise Lee is good at running these underneath crossing routes, but Cole is great at running the deep ones, and he is catching the balls he dropped earlier in the year.  With his and Bortles' performance of late, teams should be less inclined to put eight in the box.
  

8.  Great to see Bohannon get not one but two TDs.

9.On the way home, I heard Clowney refer to Bortles as "trash."  Funny thing is, most people sweep trash.  This year, "trash" swept Clowney and the Texans.

10.  Fantastic!  Fantastic!  Fantastic!  We are playing well at the right time of year.  We are in the playoffs, and right now, the sky is the limit.  As I type this, Pittsburgh is beating New England.  If that score holds, we will be the second seed if we win out.  It is a great day to be a Jaguars fan.