The Jacksonville Jaguars looked sloppy in their Week 1 loss to the Houston Texans. Things got a bit better against the Denver Broncos but not nearly enough to win. The Jags cleaned up the penalties and run the ball more than they did in the season opener. Also, their special teams scored and the defense made several stops.
The Jaguars started the game with a bang. Quarterback Trevor Lawrence capped an 11-play, 83-yard drive with a 25-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Marvin Jones Jr. For a moment, it looked like the Jags’ offense was going to put a lot of points on the scoreboard. However, the unit quickly cooled down and didn’t reach the end zone once again. Had specialist Jamal Agnew not returned a kickoff 102 yards for a touchdown, Jacksonville would have finished the game with a measly seven points.
Running back James Robinson got more carries in Week 2 but not nearly enough to make a difference. The coaching staff needs to look for ways to make him a bigger part of the offense and get more positive yardage from the running game. The former Redbird racked up 47 yards on 11 carries.
After the game, head coach Urban Meyer attributed the team’s loss to an ‘us’ issue, and he’s right. The coaching staff needs to get the most out of their players and put them in a position to succeed while the players have to perform to the best of their capacities. So which Jaguars shined and which ones faltered against the Denver Broncos? Here are the studs and duds for Week 2 of the 2021 regular season.
These players played a big role in the Jacksonville Jaguars’ Week 2 loss.
1. Trevor Lawrence, quarterback
As talented as quarterback Trevor Lawrence is, the Jaguars know that he’s a work in progress. They know that the former Clemson Tiger will go through a learning curve during his rookie campaign, and will have bad days. Thus, it wasn’t surprising to see him have a game to forget against the Denver Broncos, completing 14 of 33 passes for 118 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions.
Keep in mind that Lawrence wasn’t the only rookie quarterback that struggled in Week 2. He will have the chance to bounce back in Week 3 against an Arizona Cardinals defense that gave up 33 points to the Minnesota Vikings in Week 2.
2. Josh Lambo, kicker
Kickers only have one job, and Josh Lambo failed at his in Week 2. He attempted two kicks and failed both. So far, he’s 0-3 in 2021. Head coach Urban Meyer told the local media that he’s concerned about the Texas A&M product but he’s not ready to give up on him just yet.
Still, it wouldn’t be surprising to see the Jaguars bring in a couple of kickers in the upcoming days to push Lambo.
3. Laviska Shenault Jr., wide receiver
Lawrence played a big role in the Jags’ loss to the Broncos but he didn’t get much help either. The coaching staff needs to keep looking for plays that will enhance his strengths and his receivers have to make plays. In Week 2, Laviska Shenault Jr. didn’t help much.
On a day when the Jags needed their skilled-position players to make plays, the 2020 second-round pick was a non-factor, dropping to passes and finishing the day with -3 receiving yards. In his defense, some of the passes Viska hauled in were near the line of scrimmage and he had Broncos defenders on his face by the time he come down with the catch.
Shenault can’t keep dropping passes and the coaching staff needs to put him in a better position to make plays.
These three Jacksonville Jaguars showed out versus the Broncos.
1. The Jaguars defensive line.
The Jaguars also had bright spots in Week 2, not as many as the duds but they’re still worth recognizing. In particular, the defensive front stood out. The defense logged three sacks and 21 total pressures.
Moreover, outside linebacker Josh Allen wasn’t the only source of pressure. The 2019 first-round selection posted one sack and two pressures. Dawuane Smoot also tallied four pressures and a Pro Football Focus overall grade of 79.0, the highest among Jaguars defenders in Week 2. Defensive tackle Adam Gotsis and safety Andrew Wingard registered the other two sacks.
2. Marvin Jones Jr., wide receiver
The Jaguars failed to get their offense going against the Broncos but wide receiver Marvin Jones Jr. did his part, hauling in six receptions and a touchdown. The 2012 fifth-round pick has proven to be someone his quarterbacks can trust and Week 2 was no different. The Jaguars signed him precisely for days like this.
3. Jamal Agnew, return specialist
Here’s another player the Jaguars’ brass brought in during the offseason. Jamal Agnew is listed as a wide receiver but the team signed him because of his return skill. Against the Broncos, he showed how much of an impact he can have in the game, returning a kickoff 102 yards for a touchdown. The Jaguars’ attempted a two-point conversion after Agnew’s return but it wasn’t successful.
The Jaguars’ got help from their defense and Agnew in Week 2. They now need to get their offense going to become a well-rounded team.