3 observations that Jacksonville Jaguars fans will find encouraging

Not everything is doom and gloom for this Jacksonville Jaguars.

After seven weeks of football, the Jacksonville Jaguars find themselves with a 1-6 record. As a whole, the team doesn’t have much to be proud of after dropping six straight games. Duval fans knew the ‘Jags’ would go through some rough stretches when they parted ways with veteran defensive end Calais Campbell, cornerback A.J. Bouye, and defensive end Yannick Ngakoue in the offseason. However, they didn’t envision the team struggling as much as they have in 2020.

To add to their troubles, the Jaguars are currently without quarterback Gardner Minshew II, who’s been diagnosed with a thumb injury and is out for an indefinite amount of time. This all sounds demotivating but as bad as the situation looks, there have been some bright spots for the team this season.

Here are some stats that should pump up Jacksonville Jaguars fans.

1. The Jags rookies are getting steady production from their rookie class.

The Jaguars’ draft record this past decade was less than stellar. Nevertheless, things are different this year. While the team’s brass is still waiting on defensive end K’Lavon Chaisson to make an impact, fellow first-round selection C.J. Henderson has been solid at cornerback. Their second-round pick, wide receiver Laviska Shenault Jr. is leading the team with 29 receptions and is second in receiving yard with 374.

Undrafted free agent running back James Robinson has racked up 107 yards and four touchdowns in 107 carries and is averaging 4.5 yards per carry. Moreover, defensive tackle DaVon Hamilton, whom the Jaguars chose in the third round, had a sort of breakout game against the Los Angeles Bolts and finished the matchup with eight total tackles, one of them for loss.

2. Linebacker Joe Schobert has been as good as expected.

Linebacker Joe Schobert didn’t perform well against the ‘Bolts’, but that is true for most Jaguars players on defense. Putting that subpar game aside, the team’s free-agent acquisition has started all seven games and registered 53 total tackles, one pass defensed, and one interception.

The Jaguars should be pleased with Schobert’s signing so far. While he won’t be confused with an All-Pro linebacker any time soon, the 2017’s NFL leading tackler has produced according to expectations.

3. The Jaguars are getting healthier and are getting reinforcements.

Injuries are part of football, but they aren’t a nice one. The injury bug has hit hard the Jaguars this season and have exposed their drought of depth. However, they should get back some of their key contributors back.

Guard A.J. Cann missed Week 7 with a shoulder injury but should be back in the lineup soon. The same is true for linebacker Myles Jack who was out with an ankle injury. The ‘Jags’ Bye Week should provide plenty of rest for safety Jarrod Wilson and defensive end Josh Allen. Both of them have been dealing with injuries throughout the season and the extra time will surely help them recover.