What We Learned : Jaguars @ Giants

The Jaguars lost to the Giants 22-12 on Saturday night. The final score did not leave fans smiling, but a closer inspection of the game shows some positive signs for this young team.

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BY Jordan de Lugo

          The Jaguars defense desperately needs the return of both, Sen’Derrick Marks and Chris Clemons. The pass rush was seemingly non-existent against a Giants offensive line that struggled mightily just the week before. Not only did the Jags struggle to get to the quarterback, but they gave up several big running plays. If this defense is going to be as good, or better, than they were last year, then they will need a healthy Sen’Derrick Marks.

          While the struggles of the defensive line were not very encouraging, there were some very positive things to take away from the offensive performance. The Jags offensive line, which was one of the worst in the league last year, appears to be much improved. They are getting push on run plays and allowing Blake Bortles the time he needs to scan the field and manipulate the pocket. This leads to Bortles. He continues to look impressive. He went just 8/16 for 93 yards, but again there were several dropped balls and 50/50 balls that the receivers couldn't come up with. Bortles manipulation of the pocket continues to be impressive, while he is steadily showing that his new footwork and release of the ball are here to stay. 

          Not only did Bortles and the offensive line look impressive, but the running backs did too, despite not having T.J. Yeldon.  It’s clear though, that even if the Jags didn't have Yeldon, that they would be okay on the ground. Between Denard Robinson, Toby Gerhart, and Bernard Pierce, the Jags have a ton of depth at running back. The only true cause for concern on the offensive side of the ball came in the form of apparent miscommunications between Bortles and the receivers. There were several plays where it appeared the wrong route was run, or the timing was off. Add that to the fact that there were a few drops, and it becomes clear that the passing game has some things to work on. 

 On special teams, Rashad Greene continues to shine. He looks like he will win the punt return job and could provide some consistency to a Jags punt return game that desperately needs it. Corey Grant continues to fight for a spot on this team with the speed and kick return ability he showed in this game. He averaged 38 yards per kick return and truly showed off his 4.2 speed. The kicking game was strong, with Josh Scobee making his only attempt from 52 yards, and back up kicker, Jason Meyers, making 3 of 3 field goals, including a 55 yard kick. The Jaguars special teams looks like a unit that will be able to help the Jaguars in close games this year, something that should excite the coaches, and fans of this team, alike. 

View image | gettyimages.com

View image | gettyimages.com

          The Jaguars backups got beat by the Giants backups handily, which shows that despite the improved depth in many areas on this roster, there are stills holes to fill. The final score was 22-12. Even though the final outcome didn't give fans cause for excitement, there were some really good things that this team was able to accomplish in their second preseason matchup. In addition to the positive play of the team, individuals like Sergio Brown continue to show the fire and passion on the field that the Jags have lacked in recent years.