Just like anyone else who was in the same position, Urban Meyer deserved the benefit of the doubt when the Jacksonville Jaguars hired him as their head coach earlier this year. But from the moment he arrived, critics wondered if he was the right man to oversee the Jags’ rebuild. After all, he had never coached in the NFL and it was unknown if he was going to make the transition from college.
So far, the results on the field haven’t been great. The Jaguars are sitting on a four-game skid after getting soundly beaten by the Los Angeles Rams in Week 13. This was the third time in six weeks the Jags have lost by 20 points or more. Some of the team’s woes are due to the dearth of talent on the roster. Injuries to key players such as wide receivers DJ Chark Jr. and Jamal Agnew have also played a role but Meyer and the coaching staff need to shoulder some of the blame.
Meyer told the media there were some positives in Week 13 but it’s difficult to get pumped about the team winning just two games this season. The Jaguars could very well end the season on a strong note but that doesn’t seem likely based on their performance over the last four weeks. Also, the organization needs to start assessing its roster and the coaching staff from top to bottom, so they can make the necessary changes in the offseason. Without further ado, here are the studs and the duds from the embarrassing loss to the Rams in Week 13.
Here are 2 Jaguars that played well in the loss to the Rams.
Quarterback Trevor Lawrence nailed it when he told the media he doesn’t want to hear about the positives when the Jaguars aren’t winning. Then again, there are a couple of players that did perform well against the Rams who deserve recognition.
1. Laquon Treadwell, wide receiver
Injuries to DJ Chark Jr. and Jamal Agnew have helped Laquon Treadwell move up the depth chart. the 2016 first-round pick has seen a spike in playing time over the last three weeks. Although he’s far from a bonafide wide receiver, he hauled in four receptions, including a 28-yard grab, for 62 yards in Week 13.
The Jaguars will still need to address the wide receiver position in the offseason but it looks like they have a solid depth piece in Treadwell.
2. Tyson Campbell, cornerback
Once again, Tyson Campbell had another solid outing. The 33rd overall pick in the 2021 draft allowed three receptions on four targets but only gave up 21 yards. Moreover, his Pro Football Focus grade of 74.7 was the highest among Jaguars’ defenders. He had to leave the game with an abdominal injury but hopefully, he’ll be ready to go against the Tennessee Titans in Week 14.
As it is, the Jaguars are thin at cornerback with Shaquill Griffin dealing with a concussion, and losing Campbell for an extended period of time would be a big blow to their defense, especially after becoming a key cog in the secondary over the last few games.
Here are 3 duds from the Jaguars’ loss to the Rams.
1. Urban Meyer, head coach
For the second straight week, Urban Meyer didn’t know why running back James Robinson was on the sidelines after fumbling the ball. Sure, players must be held accountable when they make mistakes but it feels like the coaching staff is singling the sophomore out.
Right tackle Jawaan Tayor hasn’t been benched even though he’s been flagged at a high rate this year. Rayshawn Jenkins return to the lineup after being disqualified in Week 13. The coaching staff has most likely talked to both players but neither has seen a dip in playing time the way Robinson has.
Meyer said after the game injuries have been a factor in Robinson’s decreased role in the last two weeks but then went on to say the running back would have been on the field if he hadn’t fumbled the ball. Confusing, right?
2. James Robinson, running back
Robinson is a class act and would not call out the coaching staff for getting fewer carries than Hyde. But he has to wonder why he wasn’t on the field after his last two fumbles. He shouldn’t get a pass but the decision to go with Hyde is puzzling. Robinson is the better player of the two and even if he isn’t 100 percent, the offense is better with him than without him.
Robinson needs to work on securing the ball moving forward and the coaching staff can’t keep taking him off the field when he makes a mistake.
3. Damien Wilson, linebacker
Cooper Kupp had a quiet first half against the Jaguars but caught fire in the second half. The Rams’ star wide receiver finished the game with 129 yards and one touchdown on eight receptions. Linebacker Damien Wilson allowed two of those catches for 50 yards and posted a 28.6 PFF coverage grade.
In Wilson’s defense, he had no business covering one of the best wide receivers in the NFL. That falls on the coaching staff. How did they think it was going to play out?