It’s been tough being a Jacksonville Jaguars fan for the past few years. The Jaguars have only won seven games in the past two seasons—both resulting in third place finishes in the AFC South division—under the Gus Bradley era. But with the new changes in their coaching staff and new additions into the roster during the off-seasons, will the upcoming 2015 NFL season finally be a building block for the Jags? Read on below for an overview of Jacksonville’s key players, key games, best/worst case scenarios and a complete list of their 2015 schedule.
And for more about the 2015 NFL season, click on the following team names for their respective previews: St. Louis Rams, San Francisco 49ers, Arizona Cardinals.
[sc:”Football Articles” ]2015-16 Jacksonville Jaguars Preview
Overview
[sc:NFL240banner ] More wins. These two words basically describe what’s expected this coming season for the Jacksonville Jaguars, who’ve gone 4-12 and 3-13 over the past two seasons. But before they can even start garnering some wins, they’ll need to score more points, which is what they haven’t been able to do for quite some time. Last season, the Jaguars offense was terrible, ranking dead last in the NFL in scoring (15.6 ppg). They also couldn’t protect their quarterback, as they’ve allowed 71 sacks, the most in the league.
This problem is going to be difficult, but not impossible as the Jaguars do have a promising offensive line, highlighted by their quarterback Blake Bortles, who’ll lead their offense. Bortles has proven himself to be a very capable playmaker for the team in his rookie season and that year of experience has surely given him the confidence he needs to reach success. Together with the former Central Florida star, receivers Allen Robinson, Allen Hurns and the returning Marqise Lee are all expected to take the next big step after terrific rookie stints as well in resurrecting their offense.
On defense, the Jaguars were almost just as bad, ranking 27th against the run and 26th in total defense (25.6 ppg). But their defense just got a huge upgrade with the key additions of DE Jared Odrick, LB Dan Skuta, CB Davon House and FS Sergio Brown, who are expected to become starters.
Offseason Review
As most expected, the Jaguars were pretty busy during the off-season. They immediately made some noise with a bunch of major additions and changes.
First was in their coaching staff, signing Greg Olson as their new offensive coordinator. Olson’s acquisition is a no brainer, as he’s gotten extensive experience in handling young quarterbacks and Blake Bortles will be his new project. It’ll be very interesting to see how much of a positive effect Olson can have on the quarterback.
Second was in their offensive unit, highlighted by the signings of tight end Julius Thomas, center Stefen Wisniewski and slot receiver Rashad Greene. Thomas looks to be the biggest move they had this offseason, as the ex-Denver Broncos finally gives the Jaguars someone very reliable to pass to at the red zone and the new partner for Bortles. He also had 24 touchdown catches in his last two years with Denver. Wisniewski, meanwhile, provides them a top-15 center in the middle of their offensive line as long he stays healthy. Then there is Greene, who played very well at Florida State by setting a school record of 270 catches.
Lastly, it’s worth noting the name of right tackle James Parnell and running back T.J Yeldon who is also a newcomer that will bolster Jaguars’ offense immensely. Parnell didn’t get much playing time with Dallas, but always manages to deliver the goods given the opportunity. Now, he’ll have more than enough playing time being most likely the starter next season.
Key Player – Blake Bortles
If the Jaguars are going to do much better this year, Blake Bortles has got to improve. He did okay during his rookie season, passing 2,908 yards (58.9%) but had 17 interceptions and just 11 touchdowns. That’s really nothing to be too proud about, though. What’s going to be crucial for the quarterback is how he matures entering his second year in the league.
So far, Bortles is moving the right direction, as he’s reportedly been working on his game with the help of quarterback guru Tom House and has drastically improved because of it. As long as the 23-year-old keeps this up and stays patient with the process, he’s bound to be the legitimate star that everyone hopes he will be in the near future.
For this coming season, expect a more polished version of Bortles that can most definitely help the Jaguars end on a better note.
Key Game – @ Indianapolis (Sept. 20)
This would be the perfect game for the Jaguars to find out how much they’ve improved with all the efforts they’ve made during the off-season. If they prove that they can at least compete with their division rivals and the defending AFC South champion Indianapolis Colts, then there seems to be strong chance for them to finish a seed higher than last year and hence, maybe head coach Gus Bradley gets to keep his job for one more year.
Best/Worst Case Scenario for the Season
Best Case
The Jaguars finally find the offensive rhythm that they’ve been searching for over the past few seasons that is spear-headed by a much-polished Blake Bortles. The addition of Julius Thomas proves to be of huge benefit as he blends perfectly well with Bortles to form such a fearsome duo. Lastly, the receiving trio of Allen Robinson, Allen Hurns and Marqise Lee mature further and produce better averages than they did in the previous year.
Worst Case
Despite all the major off-season moves, the offense of the Jaguars somewhat fail to click due to the lack of understanding the offense and experience. Chemistry also becomes an issue with everyone in the roster still adjusting to their new teammates. These reasons alone could possibly even cause the Jaguars to falter behind the Titans and finish as the worst team in the AFC South division.
Complete Schedule
| WEEK | DATE | OPPONENT | TIME (ET) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sun, Sep 13 | vs Carolina | 1:00 PM |
| 2 | Sun, Sep 20 | vs Miami | 4:05 PM |
| 3 | Sun, Sep 27 | @ New England | 1:00 PM |
| 4 | Sun, Oct 4 | @ Indianapolis | 1:00 PM |
| 5 | Sun, Oct 11 | @ Tampa Bay | 1:00 PM |
| 6 | Sun, Oct 18 | vs Houston | 1:00 PM |
| 7 | Sun, Oct 25 | vs Buffalo | 9:30 PM |
| 8 | BYE WEEK | ||
| 9 | Sun, Nov 8 | @ New York | 1:00 PM |
| 10 | Sun, Nov 15 | @ Baltimore | 1:00 PM |
| 11 | Sun, Nov 22 | vs Tennessee | 8:25 PM |
| 12 | Sun, Nov 29 | vs San Diego | 1:00 PM |
| 13 | Sun, Dec 6 | @ Tennessee | 1:00 PM |
| 14 | Mon, Dec 14 | vs Indianapolis | 1:00 PM |
| 15 | Sun, Dec 20 | vs Atlanta | 1:00 PM |
| 16 | Sun, Dec27 | @ New Orleans | 1:00 PM |
| 17 | Sun, Jan 3 | @ Houston | 1:00 PM |
Writer’s Prediction
Jacksonville finishes as the third-best team in the AFC South Division with a 6-10 record, while just a few games behind the Texans for second place.
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