The Jaguars entered this season with many expecting them to show improvement due to making a splash in free agency and the draft. This was also the case last season but they ended up being yet again, one of the worst teams in the league. Would this year be any different? Would they show improvement? So far, they have.
Despite a week one trouncing on the road against their divisional rivals the Houston Texans, their first week had more doubt than optimism. Why? Their clear-cut best wide receiver Allen Robinson tore his ACL, ruling him out for the rest of the season. This was a team that was already expected to struggle to pass the ball largely due to the fact that Blake Bortles is their QB, without Robinson life will be harder for them.
Two weeks later, the Jaguars destroyed the previously undefeated Ravens 44-7. They scored 44 points on a Ravens defense that had allowed 10 points their first two games…… combined. Don’t look now, but the Jaguars lead the entire NFL in point differential.
The thing that should really draw your attention towards the Jaguars is their defense, despite the team winning just 3 games last season, the defense played well, and it will be even better this season. This past Sunday the Jaguars defense held Joe Flacco to just 8 completions on 18 attempts, held him to under 30 yards passing and zero touchdowns and forced him to throw two interceptions. AJ Bouye was one of the reasons why the Jaguars are expected to show improvement this season, he was one of the best cornerbacks in the league for the Texans last season, and the Jaguars signed him in the offseason. Jalen Ramsey and he were expected to be one of the best cornerback duos in the league, and they’ve played like it. Through the first three games, Jalen Ramsey has allowed just a 14.6 passer rating on passes thrown into his coverage, the best mark in the league. Bouye? He’s allowed just a 40.3 passer rating on passes thrown into his coverage, the 5th best mark in the league. Very impressive.
Given how good their defense should be, the Jaguars won’t need to put up 44 points every Sunday to win games. If Blake Bortles can limit his turnovers and Leonard Fournette lives up to his hype and establishes an effective running game, the Jaguars can absolutely be a dangerous team. Things will be getting easier for them as well, their schedule over the next 2 months or so is massively easy
Week 4 @ Horrible Jets team
Week 5 @ Steelers (Outlier game)
Week 6 v.s Bad Rams team
Week 7 @ Colts likely without Andrew Luck
Bye Week
Week 9 v.s winless Bengals team
Week 10 v.s winless Chargers team
Week 11 @ Winless Browns
Week 12 @ Cardinals likely without David Johnson
The Jaguars might not be a laughing stock for much longer.