Jacksonville Jaguars’ O-Line Redeems Itself

The Jacksonville Jaguars’ offensive line has struggled all season long. Yet agains the Cleveland Browns on Sunday they managed to redeem themselves at least a little bit.

The Jacksonville Jaguars put together the most complete game so far this season and a big part of that is because of the offensive line. The offensive line entered the game against the Browns with the same lineup for three weeks in a row, providing some much needed stability to the unit. They responded by proving that they could be quality run blockers for the first time this season.

The 185 rushing yards the Jaguars put up was the most the team has managed since 2012 against the Indianapolis Colts in week three, when they managed the exact same number. The last time the Jaguars managed more than 185 rushing yards was in week 17 of 2011, also against the Colts, with 190 yards on the ground. (Per Pro Football Reference)

This tells us that the Browns either have a terrible rushing defense (they don’t) or the Jacksonville Jaguars have finally managed to find a winning formula along the offensive line.

Don’t expect 180 yards on the ground in every contest, but the ability to do so is important for the team as it teaches everyone that they can rely on the run and that no matter what the temporary setbacks may look like, it is a viable option. This allows the offense to at least attack each game in a balanced fashion rather than becoming one-dimensional from the first snap.

The offensive line cannot be overlooked in Denard Robinson’s big day, either. The running back managed an impressive 127 yards on 22 carries with one score. That’s an indication that the offensive line is doing its job correctly after failing to do so pretty much all season long. If the offensive line can do it for the apparently hapless Toby Gerhart as well, then they will have truly redeemed themselves and the team should be in good shape going forward.

Good job offensive linemen. Good job.