Jacksonville Jaguars Week 6 stock up

The Jacksonville Jaguars fell to 1-5 after imploding against the Houston Texans. There’s a lot of negativity right now (particularly aimed at the head coach) but, like every game, the entire team didn’t collapse.

There are still shining moments in each game and while it may be tough to discern sometimes, players do rise. This week was no exception.

A number of players saw their stock rise in this week’s game. It was nice to see some returning faces to this weekly list and it is important to note that some players are getting increased opportunities because of past strong play.

Let’s dive in.

Oct 18, 2015; Jacksonville, FL, USA; Houston Texans free safety Rahim Moore (26) tackles Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Bryan Walters (81) during the fourth quarter at EverBank Field. The Houston Texans won 31-20. Mandatory Credit: Logan Bowles-USA TODAY Sports

1) Bryan Walters, wide receiver, Jacksonville Jaguars

Bryan Walters keeps his spot on our stock risers list secure with a stellar performance against the Houston Texans. In a game that saw him get far more involved, Walters played the role of sure-handed, reliable receiver that Allen Hurns was doing through most of the season.

Walters’ play on Sunday was a continuation of the play he has been providing all season, but with greater volume.

Blake Bortles targeted Walters 12 times on Sunday and he came down with eight passes for a team-high 87 yards. He bailed Bortles out on numerous occasions and showed why possession receivers can be incredibly valuable in the NFL.

Perhaps the most striking thing about seeing Walters continue to make an impact with his sure hands is that he makes the plays look natural. The passes to Walters seem to flow. He has excellent body control (mostly on display in other weeks) and is the grittiest skill position player on the team, making sure he is in a position to catch ball.

Bortles looked to be forcing passes all day to tight end Julius Thomas, but when he passed to Walters it just seemed to click. Well played by the receiver.

Oct 18, 2015; Jacksonville, FL, USA; Jacksonville Jaguars defensive end Jared Odrick (75) and middle linebacker Paul Posluszny (51) tackle Houston Texans running back Arian Foster (23) during the fourth quarter at EverBank Field.The Houston Texans won 31-20. Mandatory Credit: Logan Bowles-USA TODAY Sports

2) Paul Posluszny, middle linebacker, Jacksonville Jaguars

The captain of the defense, Paul Posluszny showed his value again for the Jacksonville Jaguars. He has his faults and they are well known, but he puts on a tackling clinic each game and he can inspire when needed.

Posluszny finished Week 6 with 10 tackles, two for a loss. Those were both team highs for a defense that looked lost and couldn’t seem to make plays even when they had the offense on the ropes.

Posluszny is usually a noticeable liability when something bad breaks down (partly because he does a lot of things well and it’s easy to notice when things aren’t done well) but when everything seemed to fall apart around him, Posluszny stood like a rock for the defense.

Of course, his side of the ball did surrender 24 points to a Texans offense led by Brian Hoyer, but that goes well beyond just the middle linebacker.

I came away impressed by Poz again, even though it was not a particularly stellar “play making” day for the linebacker or for the defense.

While some other players had “ok” days statistically, I did not come away particularly impressed by anybody else. This week’s stock risers is a short list and that’s for a good reason. Very few players played well on Sunday for the Jaguars.

Next: T.J. Yeldon's absence clearly hurt

More from Black and Teal

Home/Jacksonville Jaguars News