Make no mistake...I love watching Jaguars football. But this is my first time watching them with glasses. It took some getting used to. UGH! Anyway, this is what I saw-a little more clearly than before....
1. One of the main reasons football fans hate preseason is the risk of injury-especially catastrophic injury-to top players in games that do not count. We were pretty lucky last year and the first two games this preseason. Tonight? Not so much. Lee went down with what looks like a torn ACL. Dareus took himself out of the game with a pectoral injury. Finally, a DB had a scary injury, but fortunately he was not paralyzed. He walked off on his own power, and is likely concussed. I am not holding out much hope for Lee at this point, but I wish all three of these players speedy recoveries.
2. Sometimes I think the criticism Bortles gets from observers around the country is gratuitous and undeserved. But then we see performances like the one he had tonight where he threw two INTs, and I am left dumbfounded and dismayed. I don't know exactly how the receivers were supposed to run their routes (although Moncrief seemed to take criticism from FT and Marrone for not clearing out properly on the 2nd INT), but in the absence of any other informed opinion showing otherwise, I'm left to wonder what the heck happned on that INT in Minnesota, and the first INT tonight. If the Jaguars are to reach the Super Bowl, plays like these cannot continue. Plays like this will not silence the Bridgewater talk. Bortles may be able to brush it off, but it's aggravating for me to hear people want to impose mediocre QBs on us all the time. Furthermore, it can be demoralizing to think we could have two Super Bowl caliber defenses (2006 and 2018) wasted due to bad QB play (yes I know we are in preseason and not all is as bleak as it appears). The second half of last season and the post season showed that Bortles can play at a high enough level for us to be able to play with anyone. He needs to get back to that level of play.
3. I know the Falcons did not play Julio Jones and Devonta Freeman, but man I love our defense! After a shaky start, the defense clamped down, recording three sacks on Ryan and missing out on one more.Ngakoue, Malik Jackson, Calais Campbell, Dareus, Jack, Telvin Smith, JR20, and Patmon all showed up big time. The only completion Ramsey allowed was on a perfectly thrown back shoulder fade the receiver had to one hand while falling out of bounds. When the Falcons got into our territory, we shut em down. Good job, guys!
4. When most people post on message boards about offensive coordinators, they are usually complaining about playcalling, wanting him to be fired, or talking about prospects to replace the guy we have either as HC or off. coord. This is not one of those posts. I don't know if this is borne more out of necessity here or what, but Hackett is an imaginative play designer-caller. He had some nifty plays to get Grant out in the open field, continuing the play calling that kept the Steelers off balance all game long, and had the Patriots down in the first half. Yes, he and Marrone can take some heat for going conservative in the AFCCG, but overall, I'm glad we have him here. That combo is capable of keeping an opposing defense off balance more than most.
5. there were a couple of interesting plays by Fournette that either indicates a change in running style, or an exhibition of skills that some felt he did not possess. There was a run to the left (or maybe it was a catch in the flat) where LF was one on one with a DB. I think last year, Fournette might have lowered his head and run over him. But now, perhaps due to the new rules, Fournette tried running through him without lowering his head. The other play was his TD, that featured him making cuts completely against the grain to weave his way into the end zone. His performance tonight gives me hope for a big year from him. While I am on the subject of RBs, Yeldon and Grant gave us some quality runs tonight. If that continues, not only will it save some wear and tear on LF, but it will help to keep opposing defenses off balance.
6. Weird to see Lambo actually miss a FG when he bounced one off the upright. Similarly, it was comforting to see him nail one later.
7. Rookie Watch:
- Taven Bryan-This is the first real extended look at him in a game. His strengths and weaknesses were on display. He showed excellent hustle in pursuit on plays run away from him, and got a couple of solid hits on some ball carriers. There were a couple of plays where, while he was not in on the tackle, was disruptive enough by collapsing the side of the OL to ruin the play. The personal foul called against him was complete horse [BLEEP]. He was blocked into the guy. On the down side, there were some plays where he seemed slow off the snap, and there were other plays where his strength and pad level enabled him to get under a guy's pads and get him off balance, but whether through the lack of leg drive or for some other unknown reason, he was unable to exploit the advantage. I see why he was considered a first rounder, I see why it made sense for the team to take him, and I see why people said he is a project. He may or may not rank with the Jaguars all time great DLs by the time all is said and done, but I already like him better than guys like Alualu and Renaldo Wynn.
- DJ Chark-was quieter today than he was in the first two games. He had a decent kickoff return. There were passing plays where he was open. On the first, Blake was inaccurate with his pass. On the latter, in the red zone, Chark appeared open but for whatever reason Blake didn't get it to him. If Lee's injury is as bad as feared, Chark will need to step up more quickly.
- Ronnie Harrison-DNP
- Will Richardson-Played RT in the second half, and there didn't seem to be much chaos or pressure coming from that side. As it stands now, he has not provided a wow moment to me, but seemed pretty stable tonight.
- Tanner Lee-DNP...thankfully
- Leon Jacobs-Started at SAM and played decently. One play in particular stand out as particularly impressive. Ryan and the Falcons faked a run to the left and bootlegged Ryan out to the right, with a full back flaring out to the right flat. A less instinctive and disciplined player would have pursued the RB who didn't have the ball, leaving the FB wide open for a huge gain. Although Jacobs did take a couple of false steps, he saw the play developing, had enough athleticism to change directions and cover the FB to the flat, and the play, IIRC resulted in a sack. That play seems to encapsulate all of the praise for his smarts and overall ability that so many have given him.
- Logan Cook-had a pretty good game. It seems since that first padded practice where it seems he produced bad wobbly punts, he has been on point, and appears to have been another quality pick.
- Tony Adams-This is the first really extended look I had of him. He played C, and my overall impressions are that he played well, but just as I had formulated that thought, he gave up the sack by a guy who out quicked him and got under him,. I don't know if he makes the final 53 or not. His ability to play all three interior positions will help his cause, but given his circuitous route to get here, will that have set him back enough to make him more a PS candidate?
8. Good to see Norwell in there. By the time he left the game, I was impressed. Counter to the guy we signed from Denver and went to SF, he actually seemed to provide some push in the running game. There were runs where the POA moved from the LOS to a few yards forward. On passes, IIRC, he gave up a sack late in a play, but generally he did a very good job keeping his guy away from Blake. He had a great pull to the right and laid a block that enabled Fournette to score. I am excited to see what he brings to the team.
9. I have a hard time seeing Jarrod Wilson not making this team. As deep and as talented as this defense is, anything's possible, but he seems to make plays when he gets in the game, and he did the same tonight. He had that PBU in the end zone late in the first half.
10. Good to see Fowler back, though he didn't seem to have too much impact in the game. The off sides against him was bogus. Also nice to see Moncrief and ASJ finally make some impact in the passing game. We will need more of that from them.
11. Still not sure who the 5th/6th WR/PR will be. I still think it may be Mickens, but I'm left to wonder how Lee's injury will change the dynamic. Would there now be room for two out of the three of Mickens, Greene and Wynn?
12. Bottom line: Even though the injury to Lee sucks, I think as long as Dareus' pectoral injury does not linger on throughout the season (or worse is a season ending one), we are in decent shape from an injury perspective. Not to throw Jones under the bus, but it seems when we have been gashed in the running game this preseason, it's been when Jones was the DT, just like the pre Dareus part of last year. Now, we have to get as healthy as possible, figure out the bottom of our roster, figure out how to eliminate the QB INTs, and prepare to stomp the Giants in week one.
Worst to 1st. Curse Reversed!
