Jaguars’ Offense Has No Margin for Error As Defense Struggles

The Jacksonville Jaguars defense has infamously struggled through the first four games. With an offense proven capable of putting up points, they now have little room for error.

All week, the Jacksonville Jaguars (1-3) preached getting off to a fast start against the Cincinnati Bengals (1-2-1). The most effective way of doing that, according to head coach Doug Marrone, was to change his philosophy on taking the ball at opening kickoff, after three straight weeks of the Jacksonville defense giving up touchdowns on the opening drive. The Jags won the toss and were able to do just that.

Then the offense turned it over. A tipped pass from Gardner Minshew II to Tyler Eifert landed in the hands of the Bengals defense and that fast start took a skid. But the defense stood up, forcing a three-and-out on the Bengals' first drive led by quarterback Joe Burrow. An Aldrick Rosas' missed field goal on the next drive led to a made field goal by the Bengals and the score became 3-0.

Yet by halftime, the Jags and Minshew had found the endzone once, knocked through two field goals and led 13-10.

“I wouldn’t necessarily say a strong start because I feel like we can be better. I think we didn’t do bad at all,” reflected receiver DJ Chark (8-95 yards, 2 touchdowns) following the 33-25 loss.

DJ Chark catches one of his two touchdowns versus the Bengals. © Sam Greene via Imagn Content Services

“We moved the ball up and down the field. We have to capitalize on some of the plays, but with this offense, I feel like we have the ability to move the ball up and down field whether it’s the first drive or last drive. We just have to figure out how to do it more consistently and do it every time.”

The consistency is the rub, at least on this team. The Jaguars came out in the second half and the first two drives on offense (the only drives they had in the 3rd quarter) ended in punts.

“I think in the second half we come out, we don’t really start fast and that’s where we want to do a good job. I think the whole goal was to go ahead for four quarters and really do a good job and try to put a full game together. I think that’s what our goal is,” said Marrone.

Yes, in theory, every team wants to put together a full four quarters. But there are slips and moments in tough games that will happen. Yet at this point, it seems like the Jaguars offense has no choice but to put together a full four quarters. They’ve yet to receive any real help from the defense. The biggest issue is glaringly the lack of pressure.

“I think we have tremendous talent on this d-line, I mean first round talent year in and year out that’s on this team right now and we’re not getting enough [pressure]. I think we have to look at ourselves and really see that there are a lot of problems, but there are some things that start with us upfront and definitely pressure is one of them.”

More than just a lack of pressure, there’s been a lack of production on the defensive side to set the offense up with time and opportunity.

On the 36 defensive drives thus far in 2020 (not counting victory kneel downs), there have been eight that have ended in punts, three in turnovers, three in turnover on downs and 22 that have ended in a score (either touchdown or field goal). Opponents have held the ball for an average of 31:53 of game time.

That means an offense that has done well when they are on the field now has to perform knowing the other team will likely answer. They have this assertion not from assumptions in a professional league, but their own defense.

Quarterback Gardner Minshew (27-40, 351 yards, two touchdowns, one interception) says when they get their opportunity, it’s the offense’s job to make every drive productive.

“It’s one of those things that we set out every drive to go score seven points. We fall short sometimes, we score sometimes. No matter what, I think we each have to take a one play at a time, one drive at a time mentality. That’s our best recipe for success.”

On the Jaguars 37 offensive drives this season, they’ve punted 10 times, turned it over five times, had one missed field, three turnover on downs and 18 drives ended in a touchdown or field goal.

As mentioned, Sunday against the Bengals, the first drive ended in an interception and the first two drives of the second half finished with a punt. With the current defensive production, that margin of error simply doesn’t exist for the offense.

Said Minshew, “the start of the first half was pretty bad and the start of the second half was pretty bad. We’re going to have to go back and look at it and see what we are doing wrong. Just have to make sure we are getting into the right mindset every time we step out there.”

Defensive lineman Abry Jones told reporters he was concerned as the second half began that this would be the case for his side of the ball yet again.

“I’m going to tell you honestly, it was already a drop a little bit. We didn’t really come focused in that second half.”

Joe Mixon runs through an open lane in the Jags defense. © Sam Greene via Imagn Content Services, LLC

While in search for a championship balanced roster, the pendulum of production typically swings from one side of the ball to the other. When it steadies in the middle is when a team is ready to make a run. Right now, the Jaguars aren’t there. But as linebacker Myles Jack told reporters a week and a half ago, those on the 2020 Jacksonville Jaguars roster know there will be teams each side of the ball needs to depend on the other. The key is being there for each other in the interim.

“Teams in the past that I’ve been on, it kind of gets ugly once we get down, but this team, we just know that, ‘Okay we’re a team, we can depend on the offense a little bit and the offense can eventually depend on the defense.’ We’ve got to give them a little bit more, but they can depend on," Jack said.

"So, it’s really like we get in at halftime and everybody’s just like, ‘Okay tighten up.’ Because we just don’t want to disappoint—not only the guys next to us on defense, but the guys on offense, the guys on special teams…even when things go bad, we’re still in it, we’re still throwing punches and still fighting.”