Jaguars: 3 stats that explain bewildering loss to Cardinals in Week 3

2. The Jacksonville Jaguars couldn’t fully stop the Cardinals’ passing game.

Cornerback Shaquill Griffin did a good job of shutting down All-Pro wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins, limiting him to just three receptions for 21 yards on six targets. The 2019 Pro Bowl nod says it’s the first time he travels shadows a wideout the whole game, which makes the feat even more impressive.

However, the rest of the Jaguars’ back seven wasn’t as successful at slowing down the Cardinals’ passing attack. Despite the fact that quarterback Kyler Murray didn’t score, he often found open receivers in the second half. Rookie cornerback Tyson Campbell lined up out wide and gave up five receptions on six targets for 77 yards. Also, sophomore Chris Claybrooks surrendered six completions on seven targets.

Meanwhile, Cardinals wide receiver A.J. Green and Christian Kirk went over 100 yards each. While the Jags’ defense contained Arizonas’ offense in the first half of the game, they didn’t put up much resistance in the last two quarters.  Tre Herndon has dealt with an MCL injury over the last few weeks but could join the starting lineup soon. His return could give the unit a boost.

On the other hand, the Jaguars just traded CJ Henderson to the Carolina Panthers. As head coach Urban Meyer recently told the media, the team’s brass felt comfortable with Campbell moving forward. It will be interesting to see how the unit fares in Week 4. After all, they were off to a solid start against the Cards but faded as the game went on.