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Jacksonville Jaguars; Bold Predictions for a Bold City

By Jacob DeFee

Apr 28, 2017; Jacksonville, FL, USA; Jacksonville Jaguars general manager Dave Caldwell (left), running back Leonard Fournette (center) and head coach Doug Marrone (right) pose for a picture during a press conference at EverBank Field. Leonard Fournette was the 2017 first round pick of the Jacksonville Jaguars. Mandatory Credit: Logan Bowles-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 28, 2017; Jacksonville, FL, USA; Jacksonville Jaguars general manager Dave Caldwell (left), running back Leonard Fournette (center) and head coach Doug Marrone (right) pose for a picture during a press conference at EverBank Field. Leonard Fournette was the 2017 first round pick of the Jacksonville Jaguars. Mandatory Credit: Logan Bowles-USA TODAY Sports /
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As we head into the end of May here are five bold predictions for the 2017 Jacksonville Jaguars.

As we enter the longest part of the off season there isn’t much to analyze or talk about until training camp gets under way. To help ease the pain of the off season I bring you bold predictions for the 2017 season. Once again these are all opinions and I do not necessarily believe that all of these will come true, but it wouldn’t surprise me in the least if some of them did.

  1. Blake Bortles commits less than 15 turnovers.

This would be quite the accomplishment for Bortles as he has led the league in turnovers since he came into the league. However, with an improved offensive line and running game around him Bortles has no more excuses. If Bortles doesn’t take a big step forward in 2017 his career in Jacksonville is likely over.

  1. Allen Robinson returns to his 2015 form.

I’m not saying Robinson will have 1,400 receiving yards and 14 touchdowns. He may never do that again in his career, and that isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Stats aren’t everything in football, if Robinson can stop dropping catchable passes he would have been over a thousand yards again in 2016. Jacksonville needs Robinson to take the next step and show that he can thrive week in and week out as a number one receiver. If he can do this it will greatly help Blake Bortles and vice versa. I believe he will do just that in 2017.

  1. The Jacksonville Jaguars start the season 4-0.

This is one of the least probable to occur on the list, but it isn’t impossible. The Jaguars have a fairly soft schedule the first four weeks, with their biggest test coming in week one. If the Jaguars can steal a victory in Houston that could set them up very nicely for the next few weeks.

Week 1 –  at Houston Texans

Week 2 – vs. Tennessee Titans

Week 3 – vs. Baltimore Ravens (London)

Week 4 – at New York Jets

  1. Dante Fowler Jr. and Yannick Ngakoue each get 10+ sacks.

If there is something that can send this team to the next level other than better quarterback play it is a better pass rush. Ngakoue set the Jaguars rookie record in 2016 with eight sacks. If he can take another step forward and Fowler can live up to his potential, watch out for the Jacksonville Jaguars defense for years to come.

  1. The Jacksonville Jaguars defense won’t allow a single receiver to reach 100 receiving yards.

Jalen Ramsey is ready for primetime I don’t think there is any debating that, in his rookie year he showed he is already a top 10 cornerback in the NFL. Now the Jaguars add another top cornerback in A.J. Bouye, and a veteran safety in Barry Church. The Jaguars already had a very good pass defense in 2016, and now have all the pieces to have one of the best defenses in the league.

  1. Leonard Fournette will rush for less than 1,000 yards.

This doesn’t mean Fournette will be a bust, but I believe Jacksonville will take a RBBC (Running Back by Committee) approach. Chris Ivory and T.J. Yeldon are both very capable backs and will dip into Fournette’s touches a lot more than people think.

What are your thoughts? Have any bold predictions of your own? Let us know!

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