Jaguars continue to rise in NFL Power Poll

Even with the loss on Sunday, the Jaguars are making some noise in the most recent FanSided.com NFL Power Poll.

The Jacksonville Jaguars may have suffered another loss on Sunday, but it did not prevent them from moving up in Russell Baxter’s most recent NFL power poll on FanSided.com.

The Jaguars jump two spots to 21st in the rankings, two spots ahead of where they were last week.

The Jaguars looked better on offense, scoring 27 points – their highest of the season – but it did not help the defense that surrendered 285 yards on the ground to the Carolina Panthers in a 34-27 loss. Christian McCaffrey proved to be a one-man wrecking crew by scoring three touchdowns, two via the run and one on a pass play.

The 2-3 record for the black and teal is an indication that the defense must play better moving forward. But if you read Baxter’s comments, you see he likes what the offense has to offer and thinks the team will improve as the season progresses.

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“This has turned into quite the exciting club and if [Jaguars Head Coach Doug] Marrone can get his run defense figured out (a problem area for more than a few seasons) the team could be even more of a factor when it comes to faring well against the league’s better teams. The Jaguars’ offense is one of the league’s more pleasant surprises,” Baxter offers.

Gardner Minshew once again proved to be the “Little Engine That Could,” throwing for 374 yards and two touchdowns without an interception. His kryptonite was holding onto the football he lost three fumbles. The running game didn’t have its best effort, but Leonard Fournette did eclipse the 100-yard mark for the second week in a row and he continues to lead the AFC in rushing yards with 512 yards. He also scored his first touchdown rushing this season on Sunday.

"“Doug Marrone’s team has rebounded smartly after a 0-2 start, handling the Titans and rallying to beat the Broncos at Denver, respectively,” Baxter wrote. “The Jaguars were on the road for a second straight week as they took on a Carolina Panthers’ team that also evened its record after dropping its first two games.”"

The march toward the postseason does not get any easier for the Jaguars this coming weekend as they host the New Orleans Saints. While McCaffrey offered a huge challenge to the defense with his dual-threat offense, the same can be said for Alvin Kamara who is used in the passing game often and should be the featured back for the visiting team.