Jacksonville Jaguars vs. Houston Texans: Friday Fact or Fiction

Leonard Fournette will average 4+ yards per carry: FICTION

I didn’t want the Jaguars to draft Leonard Fournette with the fourth overall pick.

I do think he’s going to be an great running back, but I was on the new-QB or trade down train. The Jaguars were thinking differently, as they are clearly planning on letting Fournette drive the offense.

Fournette will (and should) get a lot of carries this week. He was selected in the top 5 and running backs are expected to contribute right away. Kareem Hunt of the Kansas City Chiefs set the bar pretty damn high after a monstrous performance last night in a win over the Super Bowl champion New England Patriots and it will be hard for Fournette to match it. He’s facing a Texans front that allowed less than 100 yards on the ground per game last year and now they have J.J. Watt back.

Fournette will look good but I don’t think his stats will.

Next: Five Keys to Victory for the Jags

It’s asking a lot for the Jaguars to win this game. Houston is going to be super motivated to win for their home crowd and history is behind them. Blake Bortles has never defeated the Texans and he’s never looked even decent against them. Bill O’Brien has shown a penchant for outcoaching the Jags and I have no reason to believe it’ll change against Doug Marrone. Again, I want Marrone to show me before I believe it.

If the Jaguars don’t establish a good running game early, it can and will get away from them.

PREDICTION: Texans 23 – Jaguars 6