Why Didn't the Jaguars Get Key Player Involved Against Eagles?

With the Jacksonville Jaguars facing so many injuries, why did they not get Brenton Strange more involved?

Jacksonville Jaguars tight end Brenton Strange (85) scores a touchdown during the fourth quarter of an NFL football matchup Sunday, Oct. 6, 2024 at EverBank Stadium in Jacksonville, Fla. The Jaguars edged the Colts on a field goal 37-34. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union] / Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

To call the Jacksonville Jaguars' usage of their skill players in Week 9 strange would be an understatement.

With a plethora of injuries at wide receiver, the Jaguars failed to get the ball to some of their top playmakers -- and they also failed to adjust for their injuries.

With the Jaguars down two of their top three receivers, the presumption of many on the outside was that the Jaguars would lean on two tight end sets and get second-year tight end Brenton Strange involved more than most weeks.

A week earlier against the Green Bay Packers, Strange had arguably the best game of his career -- and it came after the Jaguars faced so many injuries at wide receiver. Strange caught five passes (a career-high) for 59 yards (second-most in career), helping lead the Jaguars on two scoring drives without their top three receivers.

But a week later, Strange was on a milk carton. He played just nine snaps against the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 9, tied for the fewest snaps of his career and the lowest snap count percentage.

Instead, the Jaguars lived in 11 personnel. This saw practice squad wide receiver Austin Trammell on the field more often than not, leaving the Jaguars' former second-round pick on the sidelines while the offense gained just 31 yards and one first down in the first-half.

When asked about the lack of involvement from Strange on Monday, Jaguars head coach Doug Pederson put it on himself and the coaching staff. In short, they didn't do right by their tight end and their offense.

"In Brenton's case, I think it's probably more on us to not get him more involved. But I think, too, when you look at this game, some of the struggles of just staying efficient on first-down, some of the second-down stuff just kind of takes you a little bit out of rhythm and the flow of the game just a little bit," Pederson said.

"We had opportunities. We had, I think, four or five third-and-fours in this game, and we don't capitalize. I mean, those are things that have haunted us this season. So, it takes you away from getting to things in your game plan that can obviously help you.”

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