Statistics behind Jacksonville Jaguars disappointing Week 3 loss

Another week, another disappointing home loss. The Jacksonville Jaguars drop to 1-2 at the hands of the Houston Texans, while also conceding the No. 1 spot in the AFC South to the Indianapolis Colts.

Before panicking too much, and before calling for Press Taylor’s job, here are some of the key statistics behind this loss.

Key Stats from the Jaguars loss to the Texans

Well, turnovers and mistakes were the story of this game. An interception, fumble, missed field goal, and failed fourth down attempt ultimately led to only 17 points scored. While the Jaguars offensive line prevented any sacks, the Jaguars pass rush disappointed against a hampered Texans offensive line.

The Jaguars were, again, disciplined in the penalty category. In fact, the Jaguars’ defense did not have a single penalty in the game.

Offensive Breakdown from the Jaguars Week 3 bout vs. the Texans

Travis Etienne again took over 70 percent of the rushing attempts, averaging 4.6 yards per carry. And while the right side of the offensive line is starting to see more of the rushing share, the Jaguars are still heavily relying on rushing up the middle.

Jaguars wide receivers saw their lowest target share of the season. While Zay Jones’ injury and early drops contribute to this, I am still surprised. With all the injuries in the Texans’ secondary, the Jaguars' reluctance to test the deep ball was surprising.

Jaguars Offensive Trends to Watch

Despite all of the drops, the Jaguars remain above average in both adjusted net yards per pass attempt as well as yards per rush attempt. This provides an optimistic view that, despite the disappointing results the last two weeks, the Jaguars remain effective at moving the ball.

The Jaguars did improve in third-down situations, converting nearly forty percent of their attempts. However, their average yards to go on third down is still a daunting 5.3, leading to obvious pass situations.

Jaguars Defensive Stats That Stand Out

This game was about as far from expectation as possible on the defensive side of the ball. The Jaguars limited the Texans to 3.3 yards per carry and forced a third down on 75 percent of the Texans' reset of downs.

However, the Jaguars ranked 29th in adjusted net yards per pass attempt allowed and allowed a 60% third-down conversion rate. While the Jaguars secondary certainly shares some blame, the Jaguars pass rush was particularly disappointing in this game.

Field Position

The Jaguars also lost the field position battle, largely due to the four turnovers. However, this statistic does not consider the Texans' touchdown on the kickoff. Overall, a tough day for the Jaguars special teams.

There is no doubt that this loss hurts, especially on a week where several other AFC teams bounced back. However, this is not a time to panic, yet. With this game, as with the Chiefs last week, the Jaguars were several inches away on several plays from the result looking vastly different.

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