Quote:What you're actually pointing out is, we are actually starting to have a personality on offense.   Something to hang our hat on.   Something that works.  We've become a team that throws the ball down the field a lot and asks our WRs to make plays on the ball.  It's really Bortles and the Allens and then everyone else.  For the past few years, we've had nothing.  No offense at all.   After that, one dimensional is a big step up.   

 

What you say about Thomas and Lee is true.   If and when they get involved, it will juice up our offense that much more.   Especially Julius Thomas.  One thing Blake needs is someone to check the ball down to, a safety net, because now, he holds the ball too long and persists in throwing it down field even when the play is not there.    Remember when we used to complain about Gabbert checking it down all the time.  Now, I'm complaining about Bortles not checking it down.  There's a balance to be had there. 

 

But that said, I do like having a QB who will keep dropping back and aggressively throwing the ball 20 yards down field, no matter what happened on the play before.   It's refreshing after what we've had the last 4 or 5 years. 

That may have been an unintended consequence of my post, but yes, we have something of an offensive identity.

 

That said, for the remainder of the season, the effectiveness of that identity has a limited shelf life unless the Jaguars can establish some more consistency in the running game.

 

Given the youth on our roster and our record, a not uncommon reference is to the 1996 playoff run.

 

If you go back and examine that run, you will see something remarkable.

 

The first two games of that stretch, from 4-7 to 6-7, the team didn't run the ball particularly well.  The first 11 games that year, the team averaged 115 yards per game.

 

However, from game 14 to the AFC championship game, here were the rushing totals.

 

35-114

31-133

32-143

**35-184 vs. Buffalo

**36-203 vs. Denver

 

**-Denotes playoffs

 

That was an average of 155 yards per game during that stretch.

 

Now that 1996 team was very talented and could throw the ball all over the place.

 

But they didn't start really winning the games that made for the exciting run until they ran the ball more consistently.  But for the running game, I don't think Jacksonville beats either Buffalo or Denver that year.

 

In fairness, I don't think this team is anywhere near as talented as the 1996 team, and for that matter, I don't think Bradley is anywhere near as good a coach as TC is/was.  But if this team is to have any hope of making a similar run, they will have to improve the running game.

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