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ARLINGTON, Texas – Two weeks ago, the Jacksonville Jaguars looked like championship contenders.
They won on the opening road of the season and took brilliant victories against the Patriots and Jets around a home defeat against the Titans. They did most of this without their best offensive player and got big performances from their quarterback.
All of this has collapsed in the last two games – the most recent of which was the 40-7 loss to Dallas at AT & T – and now a team that many thought they would play in the Super Bowl could end up outside. the AFC South race. if things do not turn fast.
"The only thing we can do is bounce back," defensive tackle Malik Jackson said. "It's the NFL, it's hard to win here, at the end of the day, if we want to be where we want to be in January or February – damn it, December – we have to start working now, just bring together . "
The Jaguars were also in this situation last year. They also had a 3-3 record after six games, but that seems worse. Much worse.
Perhaps this is due to the fact that no team of this type was expected last season and that in October, the Jaguars were not convinced to be 10 minutes from the Super Bowl three months later. After what the franchise had put on the field over the past 10 years, being above .500 in the season seemed like a progress.
He was an optimist 3-3. The 3-3 of this year promises to be a disaster, especially since Sunday's misfire came after a 30-14 loss to Kansas City the week before.
It's definitely what it was Sunday against the Cowboys. On both sides of the ball.
The offense produced only 204 yards and 10 first attempts, conceded three sacks, returned the ball twice (an interception of Blake Bortles and a fumble from Keelan Cole), and never made a trip to the red zone. The defense conceded 206 yards on the ground (Ezekiel Elliott scored 106 and a touchdown) and quarterback Dak Prescott did what he wanted (82 yards and one TD in running, 183 yards and two TDs going) .
Cole Beasley – Cole Beasley! – decimated the secondary Jaguars. He tied a career high with nine catches and his 101 rushing yards scored only the second time of his career in 93 games that he passed 100 yards.
Even the special teams had problems. The Jaguars were sentenced to a penalty of 12 men on the field that eliminated a Cowboys punt. He extended a player that lasted 16 games and ended with the second touchdown of Beasley late in the first half.
Yet, despite the second consecutive bad performance, there does not seem to be panic or desperation in the Jaguar locker room. The season may begin to pass between their fingers but no one is worried.
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"I said that at the beginning of the season, when you believe so much in this room and the group of guys around you … we'll let you all have doubt," said linebacker Telvin Smith. "We'll let you all have the doubt, we're fine, we're fine.
It consists of either having a brave face, whistling in the dark, or categorically denying it, because the Jaguars are NOT doing well.
The offense is on the verge of malfunction. Injuries have a lot to do with this: Leonard Fournette (hamstring), Austin Seferian-Jenkins (central muscle) and Corey Grant (foot) are players that would definitely help. Being on their left tackle at the third rope (Josh Walker) because the first two are in IR's not ideal either.
It seems that everything must go perfectly for that a play works. This is not just a domain that breaks down either. Bortles is erratic, misreads, forces a pass and / or is intercepted. The blocking of passes and passes is mediocre and the guys miss their homework. The receivers do not open. Drops. Fumbles The staging is sometimes confusing (tight end to end, Niles Paul, in second and fourth position?).
A combination of everything that seems to happen at every game.
There are many communication failures in high school, which should not happen since it is the same group of players and the same coordinator of the elite unit of last season. The Jaguars have fired Prescott three times, but have not been under constant pressure and he has done significant damage outside the pocket all afternoon.
They have not forced a single turn against the Cowboys and have only forced five of them this season. The sacks and turnovers have been the driving force of the defense in 2017 and have made it one of the best in the NFL.
"We do not play like that", corner half Jalen Ramsey said.
The Jaguars are not doing very well right now. That must change or they will not stay long in the AFC South race.
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