Jacksonville Jaguars Final Power Rankings: A familiar spot
By Daniel Lago
The 2015 regular season is finally over for the Jacksonville Jaguars which means it’s time to look back and start evaluating the roster and the coaching staff. After one of the worst defensive seasons in the history of the franchise, head coach Gus Bradley needs to look in the mirror and seriously consider some dramatic scheme and staff changes this offseason.
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For most people, the Jaguars didn’t have great prospects heading into the season. They had a 2nd year QB coming off a horrific rookie seasons and they had absolutely no star power to speak of. Now, the Jaguars have a handful of recognizable weapons on offense and some building blocks. Still, the defense failed to show up in almost every contest and the pass rush was pathetically bad.
Here’s where the Jaguars fell in some of the power rankings around the web at the end of the year:
"28. Jacksonville JaguarsWith their loss to the Houston Texans on Sunday, the Jacksonville Jaguars finished their season at 5-11, which some people will see as kind of a disappointment.Coming into the year, there were some hopes that maybe this young team could contend for a playoff position, but obviously that never really came to fruition. While the hopes were indeed there, we learned that this team still has a lot of growing up to do and there are still some pieces that have to be put into place to be successful, especially on the defensive side of the ball.One positive that people can take away from this Jaguars season is the fact that Blake Bortles did show some progression, and with Allen Robinson getting better and better, this passing game will only get better as time goes on. That’s a scary thought for all future opponents, because again, this is a really young group.But, again, there is still a lot that has to be filled in on this team, and while this 6-10 finish might be accepted by some because of the youth, you can bet that another season like this in 2016 is not something that will be accepted. More or less, 2016 might be playoffs or bust for the Jaguars."
"27. Jaguars The Jaguars scored their most points (376) since 2007 (411), when they last made the playoffs. However, they also allowed the second-most points in franchise history (448)."
"29. JaguarsThe last two weeks were not a good look for coach Gus Bradley. They have to fix the defense."
"27. JaguarsGus Bradley = back. Thus, the main components of the 5-11 Jaguars will be the primary parts in 2016. Tantamount to any success this franchise could enjoy next season will be Bradley fixing the side of the ball that got him the Jacksonville job in the first place. The Jags finished 31st in points allowed, 31st in third-down conversions allowed, 29th in pass defense, 29th in first downs allowed and 28th in the time-of-possession battle."
Next: Jags v. Texans prediction recap
My take:
The Jaguars ended the season in typical fashion, losing to a mediocre team by a disturbing margin. As Harrison mentioned, Bradley is coming back despite only posting 5 wins in a season that saw the Jaguars have one of the easiest schedules in recent memory.
Looking back and evaluating all the teams, I really don’t think there are many teams the Jaguars would be favored against on a neutral field. The Browns, the Titans (without Marcus Mariota), maybe the 49ers, but there isn’t much beyond that. There was some progress this year, but there is a long way to go for this franchise to be a legitimate contender in 2016.
My ranking for the Jaguars after week 17: 30