Jacksonville Jaguars backfield much improved in 2016
By Daniel Lago
The Jacksonville Jaguars were ineffective at running the football consistently in 2015, but things should be different this season.
When the Jacksonville Jaguars took the field last week for their first preseason game against the New York Jets, they did something they couldn’t do at all throughout the 2015 regular season – they ran it down the defense’s throat.
On the first two drives, T.J. Yeldon and Chris Ivory combined for 52 yards on 10 carries and a touchdown before calling it a night. Those numbers don’t really do justice just how dominant the two backs were at gaining chunk yardage and moving the chains. If the rushing attack can put Blake Bortles in manageable down and distances, this offense could ascend into the top of the rankings.
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Chris Wesseling of NFL.com noticed the increase in production,
declaring the Jaguars will have one of the most improved backfields in the NFL
.
"4) Jacksonville JaguarsT.J. Yeldon might have drawn comparisons to Le’Veon Bell as a rookie in 2015, but his game lacked the dynamic playmaking ability of the Steelers’ All-Pro-caliber back. Perhaps more disconcerting, the Jaguars were especially reluctant to use Yeldon near the goal line. Enter former Jets bruiser Chris Ivory, who has long inspired comparisons to Marshawn Lynch for his reckless, tackle-breaking style.Whereas Lynch was an improbable picture of durability for a half-decade in Seattle, Ivory tends to wear down under the weight of nagging injuries deeper into the season. Landing in Jacksonville with a limited workload as Yeldon’s between-the-tackles sidekick should increase his efficiency as well as his durability. Throw in an up-and-coming aerial attack featuring one of the NFL’s best young receiver duos, and Blake Bortles could be directing a pick-your-poison offense in 2016."
Wesseling is pragmatic about Yeldon’s upside but he also acknowledges that this is an almost perfect combination of skill sets between the two running backs.
What’s intriguing is how the Jaguars used the two backs in the first drive – Yeldon started the game but rotated in and out frequently with Ivory. While most assumed Ivory would start and Yeldon would spell him as the third down back, this rotation is looking like it will be split evenly.