Blake Bortles and the Jaguars Prepare for the Houston Texans
By David Levin
The Jacksonville Jaguars hope to return to their winning ways when they host their AFC South division rival, the Houston Texans on Sunday.
The Jaguars went back to the basics on Wednesday. As the team turned the page on last week’s loss to the Dallas Cowboys and looked toward an AFC South contest with the rival Houston Texans, the team worked on the basics that they focused on in training camp. Head coach Doug Marrone pushed his team a little harder, looking to find the same kind of grit the roster showed in the hot summer months.
The past two weeks have been anything but enjoyable as the Jaguars as they have taken a dip in the standings and a bit of a hit from the national media. Questions continue about whether this team will become one of the contenders for a berth in the Super Bowl or will injuries and inconsistency define their 2018 season.
"“I think [Head Coach] Doug [Marrone] and the coaches did a good job of pushing us and making sure we are getting the quality work that we need to get done at this point in the week to be ready to go on Sundays,” quarterback Blake Bortles said when he met with the media on Wednesday. “It is all part of our weekly preparation and Coach Marrone felt as those we needed to push that a little bit and that is what we did today.”"
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While the Jaguars are 3-3 and tied for the lead in the AFC South, it does not feel like a contender at this moment. Lack of production on offense (21 points in the last two games) and a defense that was partially exposed (70 points in the two losses) led to the renewed emphasis on the gameplan implemented a few months ago.
The hope is that this team can overcome the injuries it has dealt with and play four quarters of football on Sunday. Bortles, maybe more than anyone, needs a solid performance at TIAA Bank Field. After being lauded for his performances against the New England Patriots and New York Jets (both wins), he has fallen back into a song and dance that screams mediocrity.
This week gives him and his teammates a chance to wipe away some of the criticism even the local media has talked about this past week.
"“I think every time you play a division game, regardless of what the situation or the surroundings are, I think it’s a little heightened. Each game in the NFL on a weekly basis … All of them feel big is what I’m trying to say,” he said.“When you play a division game, you’re definitely that much more tuned in, I think. We have talked about wanting to win the Super Bowl and the best way to do that is by winning your division first off. Those games definitely require the utmost attention to detail and execution in everything that we do starting really today in practice. I think we are off to a good start on that.”"
Next. The Jaguars are not going to London. dark
Something must change. The Jaguars are currently ranked 29th in points per game with 18.7 and ninth in points given up per contest (21.0). They rank 17th with 371 yards per game. On defense, they still rank second in the league in giving up 306.5 yards a contest.