Miami Dolphins vs Jacksonville Jaguars: 3 keys to the game

Sep 13, 2015; Jacksonville, FL, USA; Jacksonville Jaguars running back T.J. Yeldon (24) takes the field to face the Carolina Panthers at EverBank Field. The Panthers defeat the Jaguars 20-9. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

The Jacksonville Jaguars are coming off a disappointing performance in week 1 against the Carolina Panthers. The offense showed flashes of what it could do but failed to move the ball consistently, and the performance of the offensive line really started to decline in the second half. Blake Bortles looked solid in the first half and he really showed command of the offense during the Jaguars late touchdown drive at the end of the first half. However the pick six thrown by Bortles to Josh Norman in the second half really shifted the momentum to Carolina and the Panthers never looked back.

Despite the Jaguars dropping their first regular season game there were still some positives that the team could build on. Jacksonville Jaguars rookie running back T.J. Yeldon showed off his lateral quickness and his advanced footwork in his debut and rookie receiver Rashad Green was a security blanket for Blake Bortles all game long. The Jacksonville Jaguars now enter their second game of the season against a Miami Dolphins team that didn’t look that dominant against the Washington Redskins. Here are 3 things to key in on to ensure a win:

1. Run the ball effectively

As I said earlier, T.J. Yeldon looked impressive in his rookie debut, despite only rushing for 51 yards he still averaged a solid 4.2 yards per carry.  He displayed the ability to make defenders miss in open space as well as the ability to fight for extra yards. Granted he has only played 1 game but if last week was any indication of what Yeldon can do with the ball in his hands, then the Jacksonville Jaguars will be very pleased with their draft pick.

The Jaguars are hosting a Miami Dolphins team that struggled heavily against the Redskins rushing attack. Redskins running back Alfred Morris ran the ball 25 times for 121 yards and rookie running back Matt Jones had 6 carries for 28 yards. The two rushers combined for a very impressive 4.8 yards per carry but unfortunately neither rusher was able to get into the end zone.

The Jags have made it known that they want to lean on the running game and if they are able to get a solid game from T.J. Yeldon and Denard Robinson then this should open up passing lanes for Blake Bortles.

Next: The Defense must force pressure