The Jacksonville Jaguars aren’t off to a great start in 2021, losing their first two games of the regular season. On one hand, they’re a young team in a development year, so this isn’t surprising. Then again, that doesn’t change the fact that they’re 0-2. While some fans realize this is a process and it will take some time before they see tangible results, others are (rightfully) frustrated with all the losing the Jags have undergone the last few years.
Neither side is right or wrong. There are simply two different ways to look at the same situation. Sure, head coach Urban Meyer needs time to turn the Jaguars around but that doesn’t exempt him from criticism. You can support the team and be critical at the same time. You can ask any player in the Jags’ locker room and you won’t find a single one who likes losing. They understand it’s a process even if they don’t like the early part of it, they are currently putting in the work to get better.
Not everything is gloom and doom in Jacksonville though. There have been bright spots and the first two weeks of the 2021 season. Here are three that have stood out.
1. The Jacksonville Jaguars’ offensive line has been a strength.
The Jaguars made additions to most position groups earlier this year. However, they kept the offensive line mostly intact, opting to bring back all the starters from 2020. At the time, the decision raised a few eyebrows. Instead of pursuing a top-tier free agent or using a first-pick on a left tackle, they used the franchise tag on Cam Robinson. The team’s brass believed that having the same group play together one more year would help them develop better rapport and more consistency. So far, it’s paid off.
Heading into the season, it was fair to wonder if the Jaguars were going to be able to protect quarterback Trevor Lawrence. It hasn’t been an issue in two games. The offensive line has allowed just two sacks, the second-lowest figure in the league, only behind the San Francisco 49ers, who have given up just one.
2. The Jacksonville Jaguars are pressuring quarterbacks at a high rate.
The Jaguars’ ranked 31st in points allowed last season. One big reason was their inability to generate pressure up front, which gave opposing quarterbacks plenty of time to tear their secondary apart. The team as a whole finished with 18 sacks. Thus, the team’s brass spent the offseason revamping the unit.
Besides bringing back Dawuane Smoot and Adam Gotsis, the team signed Roy Robertson-Harris and Jihad Ward in free agency. They also traded for Malcom Brown and drafted Jay Tufele and Jordan Smith in this year’s selection meeting. Moreover, Josh Allen is 100 percent after suffering a knee injury that limited him to eight games and 2.5 sacks in 2020. The Kentucky product is playing the way he did back in 2019, the year he earned a Pro Bowl designation.
After two weeks, the Jags have logged 33 pressures, the second-most in the NFL and only behind the Carolina Panthers’ 39. They have also registered four sacks. If they keep this pace, they should be able to double their totals from last year, which is something defensive coordinator Joe Cullen said was totally doable.
Smoot currently leads with teams with seven pressures and Allen and Ward have four each. This is still a long season, and the defensive front needs to start forcing turnovers but the early results are positive.
3. The Jacksonville Jaguars have a promising young quarterback.
It’s true that football is a team sport but no other position has as much impact on the field as the quarterback. That’s why signal-callers are the best-paid players in the NFL and why teams will go out of the way to get a good one.
The Jaguars believe they have a potential franchise quarterback in Trevor Lawrence, which they selected with the top pick in the 2021 draft. so how has the former Clemson Tiger fared in the first two games of the season? Not great, he’s completed 50 percent of his passing attempts for 450 yards with four touchdowns and five interceptions. At first, that kind of production could be a cause of concern but it doesn’t paint the whole picture.
Lawrence is a rookie and regardless of how talented he is, it will take him a while to fully make the adjustment to the pros. Also, he’s made several highlight throws. His 25-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Marvin Jones is one of them. The Tennesse native will be the first one to tell you he needs to play better and will hold himself accountable whenever he makes mistakes, which is remarkable when you take into account he’s just 21 years old.
Despite his age, Lawrence’s teammates deemed him worthy enough of being a team captain, and has repeatedly gotten praised from head coach Urban Meyer. That should be a sign of encouragement and a reason for optimism.