In 2015 the Jaguars offense took a massive step as a unit. The team saw their points per game jump from 15.6 in 2014 (the league's worst) to 23.5. An 8 point per game improvement from one season to the next is pretty remarkable and I am in no way predicting that the Jaguars are capable of having another 8 point jump in PPG, but I am saying the Jaguars offense could and likely will be much better in 2016 than it was in 2015.
While 23.5 points per game is pretty respectable (14th in the NFL) the Jaguars offense had some major flaws. One of those flaws was the Jaguars run game. The rushing attack left a lot to be desired finishing 27th in league in total rushing. The good news for Jaguars fans is the Jaguars made moves this offseason to help address the rushing attack. While the Jaguars relied primarily on a rookie running back in 2015, and other unnamed running backs that were incompetent, this year they will have a two headed beast at running back. The Jags added Chris Ivory in free agency. Ivory rushed for over 1,000 yards in 2015, lead the AFC in rushing and was named to the NFL Top 100 Players List. Not only that, but he has a physical, violent running style that will bring fans to their feet. While the addition of Ivory could be huge for the Jaguars rushing attack, there are some other factors that should help too. T.J. Yeldon is a year older and will not have to carry the load so much. Despite the running game as a whole being bad in 2015, Yeldon was actually quite impressive for a rookie. He averaged over 4 yards per carry and was able to manage 751 rushing yards on only 182 rushes. Not only does having two good running backs help the Jaguars, but they compliment each other well. Yeldon is a smooth patient runner, while Ivory is a violent downhill runner that wastes no time finding the hole. While the maturation of T.J. Yeldon and the addition of the AFC's leading rusher Chris Ivory are sure to make the Jaguars rushing attack better in 2016, what could have the biggest impact on the rushing attack is the improvement of the offensive line. The Jaguars will see the return of their best offensive lineman Brandon Linder in 2016 and with the maturation of second year guard A.J. Cann and another new offensive guard who is yet to be named the starter, the Jaguars rushing attack could see a major jump in 2016. |
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