Jaguars rise in FanSided.com NFL Power Rankings
By David Levin
For a change, the Jaguars move up in the latest FanSided.com NFL Power Rankings thanks to a huge win on Sunday.
The win on Sunday by the Jacksonville Jaguars not only ended a five-game losing streak, but it also helped the team once again climb the ladder in the latest FanSided.com NFL Power Rankings by Russell Baxter.
Winning tends to solve many problems as the offense came to life in the final quarter on Sunday and the defense found a way to stop the Raiders from owning the field for three quarters at the Oakland Alameda Coliseum.
This loss proved to be the final memory Raiders fans have of their beloved team as the franchise will call Las Vegas home next season. The Jaguars were more than happy to spoil the festivities as Oakland moved the ball at will in the first half to jump out to a 16-3 lead. After that, the Jaguars found a rhythm on both sides of the ball. With 31 seconds left in the game, Gardner Minshew hit Chris Conley for the game-winner.
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"“It was definitely an awesome experience to be here and play in the last game,” Minshew said after the game. “Probably saw more middle fingers today than I have in my whole life. They have a good time. It was fun to ruin that for them.”"
The Jaguars were ranked 30th last week by Baxter on the heels of their fifth-straight loss by 17 points or more. Now, Jacksonville moves up five spots to No. 25. He praised the team for shutting out their opponent in the second half of the game to earn the victory.
"“The reeling Jaguars made their way to the Bay Area to take on the equally-struggling Oakland Raiders. Both clubs have had their issues as of late, losing their share of lopsided games, Baxter wrote.“And it looked like it was going to be another long day for Doug Marrone’s club as the team was down 16-3 at intermission. But Jacksonville blanked the Raiders in the second half and rookie quarterback Gardner Minshew got hot in the fourth quarter and would throw a pair of touchdown passes in the last five-plus minutes – both to wide receiver Chris Conley – and the Jaguars ended a five-game losing streak. The promising prospect threw for 201 yards in the come-from-behind victory.”"
Now, with two games left in the season, the team travels to Atlanta this weekend to face the Falcons, who upset the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday. Minshew has been under center in all five the Jaguars win this season.
"“The Jaguars make their way to Atlanta to clash with the Falcons in the regular season for only the seventh time in an interconference series that dates back to 1996,” Baxter added. “It’s all even in the standings between these clubs (3-3), but it’s worth noting that the Jaguars have dropped the last two meetings in this infrequent gathering.”"
It’s worth noting that the Falcons also made a significant jump in the FanSided.com Power Rankings with the 29-22 win at San Francisco. Both Jacksonville and Atlanta are 5-9 this season. A win this Sunday does not help them in the standings, but it will affect their positioning in the NFL Draft.
Like Marrone, there has been speculation about the status of head coach Dan Quinn and his job security with the Falcons for next season.