Jacksonville Jaguars: 2018 Pro Bowl Recap
By Billy Long
Five Jaguars showcased their talents for the final time this season in the 2018 Pro Bowl.
It wasn’t the game we wanted to turn our attention to as the Jacksonville Jaguars came oh so close to punching a ticket to next week’s Super Bowl. But the Pro Bowl played on Sunday featured a handful of Jaguars superstars playing alongside the rest of the best talent the league has to offer.
Obviously the Pro Bowl doesn’t have the lure or excitement of a typical NFL game, but it gave us a look at Jaguars in a game environment for the final time until August. The AFC, after trailing the NFC 20-3 at halftime, stormed back in the second half to win in the final minutes, 24-23
Jacksonville had five players participating in the game, all on the defensive side of the ball: CB Jalen Ramsey, CB A.J. Bouye, DE Yannick Ngakoue, LB Telvin Smith, and DT Malik Jackson. On an assortment of seperate drives, particularly in the first half, all five were on the field at the same time.
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With the subdued and safety-first rules and regulations of the Pro Bowl, defense is hindered from giving the full effort put forth in games that matter, thus a tougher challenge to make an impact on the game. But nonetheless, the Jaguars defenders, like all season, were involved in the action.
Telvin Smith was credited with a game-high 8 total tackles, including six that were solo. Jalen Ramsey had three tackles, had a hand in returning an AFC interception after receiving a lateral, and also broke up a crucial pass attempt late in the fourth quarter. A.J. Bouye had the least amount of game action of the group, but did have a tackle. Yannick Ngakoue had three tackles, a pass defensed, and a quarterback hit.
Also of note, and mildly frustrating, Denver Bronco Von Miller was credited and praised for the game-sealing forced fumble on Jared Goff in the closing seconds of the game, when it appeared Ngakoue got home first and made the play. But so it goes.
With the conclusion in Orlando, the book has officially closed on the Jacksonville Jaguars’ on-field participation in the 2017 NFL season. Here’s to more Jaguars getting recognized as Pro-Bowlers next season, but not getting to play in the game due to a significantly more important obligation the following Sunday.