Jacksonville Jaguars: 3 ways to beat the Vikings
The 1-10 Jaguars don’t have a huge chance to beat the 5-6 Vikings.
The Vikings aren’t having a great season but it is still better than the season the Jaguars are having. Unfortunately for Jacksonville, three of their last five games are away games, and visiting Minnesota is the first stop. Typically, there would be a concern about playing in Minnesota in December but don’t forget that the Vikings have an indoor stadium now.
There are three ways the Jaguars can beat the Vikings in week 13, and here’s how:
Attack the Vikings weak defense
The Vikings pass rush and secondary have struggled this season, which leaves the door wide open for the Jaguars offense to attack the intermediate and deep areas of the field. Jacksonville has felt very conservative in the passing game this season, attacking really within the first 15 yards.
It’s currently unknown which quarterback Jacksonville will decide to start for Sunday’s game (Dec. 6th) in Minnesota but best guess says Mike Glennon will take the helm again. He did well enough last week to earn the spot again this week. If the Jaguars can get creative with the play-calling, allowing more room for play-action passes, they can allow more time for Glennon to get the ball out while staying in the pocket.
Ground and pound
The Vikings don’t have a very good run defense and are 13th-worst in the league. James Robinson—remind you, an undrafted rookie— is a top 10 running back in the league currently. He has 890 rushing yards and six touchdowns on the year and has set multiple records. It will be crucial for Jacksonville to prioritize the run against Minnesota.
James Robinson ranks among rookies:
— PFF (@PFF) November 29, 2020
🔹 81.7 Rushing Grade (2nd)
🔹 762 rushing yards (1st)
🔹 529 rush yards after contact (1st) pic.twitter.com/xszQgsb5e0
Next. Jacksonville Jaguars: 6 worst draft picks under former GM David Caldwell. dark
Jaguars must stop the Vikings run game
The Vikings have the sixth-best running game in the league thanks to Dalvin Cook, who is first in the league in rushing touchdowns and second in rushing yards. The Jaguars haven’t been very successful against the run this season, allowing an average of 136.2 yards per game (fourth-worst). It’s going to take a lot of effort for the Jaguars to stop the force that is Dalvin Cook. But if they somehow can, they can handicap the Vikings’ offense for the rest of the game.