Jaguars: Okay … Maybe Not This Year

The Jacksonville Jaguars began the 2018 NFL season with back-to-back wins against the New York Giants and the New England Patriots. Going into Week 3, the Jaguars were sitting at second place in the NFL power rankings behind the St. Louis Rams.

Some thought a black and teal Super Bowl ring was a real possibility in 2018. They were feeling confident after the Jaguars trounced the Patriots in Week 2, and I was one of those people. However, many others still would not buy into the hype.

Six weeks later, it looks like the others may be right.

The Jaguars have lost six of their last seven games, leaving them with a 3-6 record which is good enough for last place in the AFC South division. As optimism fades to realism, a trip to the Super Bowl seems to be out of the question for the Jags.

Do not mistake this article for a “Jumping off the S.S. Jaguars” piece. We are not giving up on you, Jacksonville! This article simply serves as a reality check for the DUUUVAL die-hard fans.

What happened?

Several key players on offense suffered injuries this season. WR Marqise Lee, OT Cam Robinson, and RB Leonard Fournette all suffered major injuries. Lee and Robinson are lost for the season. While Fournette made his return against the Colts this past Sunday after missing 4 games.

To put things into perspective; what was once a reliable and respectable brand-new Ford F-150 pickup truck, is now a beat-up Ford Ranger with an odometer that eclipses 500,000 miles. The F-150 was not always the flashiest car on the road, but it got the job done and occasionally it would turn some heads. The beat-up Ranger barely gets from Point A to Point B and rarely does so when you need it most.

In addition to poor offensive performance, the hermetic Jaguars defense has been less than superb since Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs beat the Jaguars 30-14 in Week 5. Since that loss, the Cowboys, Texans, and Eagles have combined to score a whopping 114 points against the Jaguars, an average of 28.5 points per game. That number is up 12 points per game from their average points per game given up last season. The Jaguars then saw the Colts put up another 29 points against them this past Sunday.

It’s almost as if the Monstars have stolen the Jaguars’ mojo… the only way to salvage this season would be to get a hold of “Mike’s Secret Stuff.” In other words (for those of you who have not been graced with the opportunity of watching the movie, Space Jam) the Jaguars defense is playing without confidence and they will not be able to perform like they did last year without regaining it.

Many also blame QB Blake Bortles for the disappointing Jaguars season thus far. Bortles has had his struggles but he has also performed in big games when he needed to. Could he be better? Yes. Should the Jaguars have traded for a different quarterback? No. Bortles is far from the best quarterback in the NFL, but he is also far from the worst and he is not the reason why the Jaguars have disappointed their fans this year.

The 2018 NFL season is far from over. With seven games remaining on the schedule, the Jacksonville Jaguars have a chance at turning it around.  However, while it is possible, it is highly improbable that the Jaguars will win the Super Bowl in 2018.

Don’t worry though, there is always next year, Duval!