Jacksonville Jaguars vs. Indianapolis Colts: Pro Football Focus Recap

Dec 1, 2013; Cleveland, OH, USA; Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Kerry Taylor (13) against the Cleveland Browns at FirstEnergy Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Andrew Weber-USA TODAY Sports

The Jacksonville Jaguars finished the season with a thud this past Sunday as they fell to the Indianapolis Colts 30-10. The Jaguars looked more like the team that started the season 0-8 than the team that won 4 of 5 games, but that doesn’t discredit all the progress they made over the course of 2013. Head Coach Gus Bradley took the least talented team in the NFL and willed them to 4 victories despite atrocious quarterback play and a lack of playmakers on both sides of the ball.

Let’s take a look at the grades provided by our friends at Pro Football Focus. Here’s how the final game of the season played out according to PFF:

Best Overall Offensive Grades:  Cameron Bradfield (+1.3), Uche Nwaneri (+0.5), Kerry Taylor (+0.4)

There isn’t a lot of praise to go around on the offensive side, but Cameron Bradfield did a good job at left tackle holding Robert Mathis in check. Bradfield only gave up 1 sack, 1 QB hit and 2 QB hurries against one of the most productive pass rushers in the league. Uche was so-so but he got a boost thanks to a good screen blocking grade. Kerry Taylor saw a lot of action thanks to injuries, and he made the most of his play time by catching 8 of the 9 balls thrown his way for 75 yards and a touchdown.

Best Overall Defensive Grades:  Jason Babin (+3.9), Drake Nevis (+3.1), LaRoy Reynolds (+2.5)

The Jaguars had more to be happy about on defense, starting with oft-maligned defensive end Jason Babin. In 47 snaps, Babin had 1 sack, 3 QB hits and 4 QB hurries for a (+4.8) pass rush grade. Drake Nevis only played 17 snaps, but he earned a very good run defense (+2.3) grade. LaRoy Reynolds finally saw a decent bit of action and he performed well in every facet. He only allowed 2 receptions for 7 yards, both of those being caught by T.Y. Hilton.

Most Disappointing Grades:  Marcedes Lewis (-2.0), Maurice Jones-Drew (-1.8), Austin Pasztor (-1.7), Paul Posluszny (-3.9), Sen’Derrick Marks (-2.8), Tyson Alualu (-2.5),

Despite a couple nice catches, Marcedes Lewis ended up on the wrong side of the PFF grades. In what has become a trend this season, his overall grade was dragged down by a poor run blocking grade (-1.4). Maurice Jones-Drew did not leave 2013 on a good note, only getting 39 yards on 13 carries. He certainly didn’t show enough this season to warrant a long-term contract in the offseason. Austin Pasztor did well pass blocking, but he also suffered from a poor run blocking grade (-1.9).

Paul Posluszny had one of his worst performances of the season in coverage. He was credited with 4 missed tackles on the day, some of those coming on receptions he also allowed. Marks, who recently signed a contract extension, had a poor day thanks to 2 penalties and a lack of an interior pass rush. Tyson Alualu also got dinged for his inability to rush the passer, but he’s not expected to anyway.

Other notes:

• Johnathan Cyprien ended the season on a high note with arguably his best performance (+1.6). His massive improvement in coverage over the course of the season is something we will cover extensively in the offseason.
• Ace Sanders is one of the few players from Sunday’s game who is expected to play a big role on offense next season. He was targeted 12 times in week 17 and only managed 6 receptions for 50 yards. He got quite a bit put on his plate as a rookie, but he’ll be a lot more effective next year with a narrower role.

– Daniel Lago

Yell at me on Twitter @dlago89