Jaguars vs. Texans: Five observations
After a back-and-forth game that was a defensive struggle until the final few minutes, the Jaguars (0-2) lost 13-12 in their 2019 road opener against the Houston Texans (1-1) at NRG Stadium on Sunday.
After a week that centered around rookie quarterback Gardner Minshew's first career start, the game ended up being decided on a failed two-point conversion, a run up the gut of the defense, in the game's closing moments. Between Minshew, the decision to go for two and more, what can we takeaway from the Jaguars loss?
1. Going for two wasn't a bad decision, but giving the ball to Leonard Fournette was
Jaguars head coach Doug Marrone will be ripped until Thursday for deciding to go for a two-point conversion instead of kicking a PAT to make the game 13-13 with 00:30 left. When the result is what it was, that is just what is going to happen. But all in all, it wasn't a bad decision to go for two.
It might seem simple to think Marrone should have gave his defense another shot to hold the Texans and Deshaun Watson in overtime, but giving Watson three timeouts to kick a field goal to win the game isn't exactly an easy call either. Instead, Marrone wanted to end the game then and there, sneaking away a road win despite an injury riddled roster.
Where Marrone did make a definite mistake though was in deciding to give Fournette a shotgun carry on the two-point attempt. Minshew had just shredded the Texans defense with his arms and legs and Fournette was getting stuffed on his carries the entire game.
I get going for two. I really do. But I don't get running the play that they did.
2. Gardner Minshew came up big when the Jaguars needed him the most in his first career start
Up until the fourth quarter, Minshew was having an almost boring performance. He was hitting passes with accuracy but was struggling to connect on big plays due to constant pressure. And when he did make a play happen, it was typically negated by a holding or false start along the offensive line.
But when the Jaguars needed big plays in the fourth quarter, Minshew was there. In the last two drives, he led a 9 play, 61-yard field goal drive and then a 14 play, 68-yard touchdown drive that was capped by a four-yard touchdown pass to DJ Chark with 00:30 left.
On that final drive, Minshew converted three third downs and picked up a crucial 4th and 10 with his legs after Chris Conley dropped a would-be first down. He showed poise, toughness, accuracy and enough play-making ability give the team a chance to win. And with a sixth round rookie in his first start, that is all you can ask.
3. The defense still has issues, but it did its job
If anyone said before the game that Jacksonville would hold Houston to 13 points, keep DeAndre Hopkins under 41 yards and hold Deshaun Watson to only 159 yards passing, it would have been safe to assume Jacksonville would walk away with the win.
Despite this, penalties and poor executions on third down kept the offense out of the end zone and wasted a good defensive performance. Sure, the Jaguars struggled to stop the run (allowed 4.2 YPC) and defensive end Calais Campbell (failed to recover a fumbe) and cornerback Jalen Ramsey (dropped interception) each missed out on turnovers. But the defense did what it had to do.
Jacksonville still has a few issues to iron out on defense, but after giving up 40 points against the Kansas City Chiefs in week 1, a defensive performance like this was a gift.
4. After a strong week 1, the offensive line took a big step back in Houston
Maybe the most concerning aspect of Sunday's game was the regression of Jacksonville's offensive line compared to a great performance against the Chiefs last week. After allowing only 1 sack against the Chiefs and opening up running lanes with ease, the line was what doomed the offense against the Texans.
Left tackle Will Richardson played well against Frank Clark in week 1, but veteran pass rusher Whitney Mercilus dominated him on Sunday, notching two sacks, a forced fumble and countless pressures. Left and right guards Andrew Norwell and A.J. Cann struggled to get movement in the run game and allowed several pressures each, as well.
And when the line wasn't getting beaten in pass protection, it was committing drive ending penalties. Brandon Linder and Jawaan Taylor were each hit with holding calls late in the game, wiping out big gains in a game where the Jaguars struggled to move the ball.
5. Yannick Ngakoue's absence was felt
Somehow, Ngakoue has become the most underrated player on the team through two games. He was the defense's best player in week 1 but was still criticized for his lack of sacks, and then when he was ruled out of Sunday's game with a hamstring injury, some saw it as a chance for rookie Josh Allen to unseat him as Jacksonville's top pass rushing dog.
Instead, the Jaguars were forced to get creative with blitz packages and stunts to pressure Watson. Without Ngakoue, the team struggled to threaten Houston with only four to five rushers, and Allen had his own ups and downs as a rookie. Whenever Watson was able to comfortably sit in the pocket against a four man rush, it was easy to tell it was a game without Ngakoue.
