Jaguars finally get O-line back together

Dec 12, 2017 - 1:50 AM JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- For the first time since Week 4, the Jaguars' offensive line was intact. Tackles Cam Robinson and Jermey Parnell, guards Patrick Omameh and A.J. Cann along with center Brandon Linder finally started a game together.

That group opened the season with four consecutive starts and got the Jaguars ground game off to a strong start with 595 yards.

They were then able to overcome the loss of Linder for the next three weeks as the Jaguars ran for 588 yards in those three contests. But then the injuries started to mount.

Over the next five games, Robinson was the only starter to answer the bell for each of those five games. The other four players missed a combined eight games with the rushing game suffering because of the changes.

In the last five games, the Jaguars only managed 122 yards a contest. So with the starting five back in the lineup for Sunday's game against the Seahawks, the Jaguars were pleased with the 157 yards on the ground, including a team-best 101-yard effort by Leonard Fournette.

It marked just the second time since Week 6 that Fournette had hit the 100-yard mark. And as far as Fournette's health? He's doing what he can to help the offense move the ball and score points.

"Me, I'm alright," he said. "Running-wise, I'm doing what I need to do to keep my ankle healthy and stuff, making the right reads and helping the O-line out."

None of Fournette's 24 runs were bigger than his final carry. The Jaguars took over with 2:17 left in the game when Seattle couldn't convert a fourth-and-9 from its own 43. Fournette was held to minus-1 yard on the first two plays, leaving a third-and-11 situation. That's when Fournette turned the corner around left end and plowed ahead for a 13-yard gain and a first down with 54 seconds left in the game. From there the Jaguars were able to take a pair of kneel-downs, though not without some added excitement as there were five penalties and two ejections in those final two plays.

Fournette was asked if the Jaguars drafted him fourth overall last spring for his final run.

"Most definitely," he said laughing. "It was funny because Blake (Bortles) was like, 'We need this.' In the back of my mind, I was like, 'I can't let nothing stop me.' I got the first down and that was it."

--Three really good plays and three pretty bad plays. That sums up the work of the Jaguars secondary that came into Sunday's game against the Seahawks with the NFL's lowest average of passing yards allowed per game (167.1). First the bad plays. It only took three completions for Seattle to surpass the Jaguars' average of 167.1. Russell Wilson teamed with three receivers for big gains - Tyler Lockett (74 yards), Paul Richardson (61) and Doug Baldwin (43). That trio accounted for 178 yards on those three catches, with Lockett and Richardson grabs going for touchdowns.

Now the good plays. That would be the three interceptions, two by cornerback A.J. Bouye and one by the other corner, Jalen Ramsey. Those three picks got Wilson and Co. off the field and prevented any more long scoring tosses. And other than the three long completions, the secondary actually played fairly well, holding Wilson to a 50 percent completion average on 14-of-28 passing, good for just 93 yards and only one score.

"They were super game-changing," Ramsey said about the three picks. "I think we scored off of AJ's, maybe both (yes, touchdown and a field goal). Game changing because it stopped their momentum and gave us momentum."

Added Bouye, "It feels great to get a win against a playoff-caliber team that's won a Super Bowl. I was just in a zone. My dad told me all week that I always play good against Russell and that he feels that I'm about to get a good game. I'm glad I was able to help the team."

The secondary won't be celebrating a lot however, due to the three long completions and the total of 271 yards allowed through the air. While they had trouble containing the three wide receivers, the secondary did a much better job on the Seahawks' talented tight end Jimmy Graham who was tied for the team lead with nine touchdowns. Graham failed to make a catch in the game and was targeted just twice, one of which Bouye made one of his interceptions.

"It was great going out there matching blow for blow with one of the best teams in the league," said safety Barry Church, who got beat on Lockett's 74-yard touchdown reception. "We've just got to cut down on the mental errors because that cost us big plays."



REPORT CARD VS. SEAHAWKS

--PASSING OFFENSE: A - Back-to-back games of a 100-plus rating for Blake Bortles was just the second such occurrence in his four years with the Jaguars. His 123.7 rating was only the third best this season, but this may have been Bortles' best game. His pinpoint passing led to a 67 percent completion success, also third highest this season. Bortles seemed to be at his best when throwing the long pass, an area he's struggled with in the past. It was also the fourth time this year that Bortles was interception- and sack-free, a feat he had accomplished just once in his first three seasons. Receiver Dede Westbrook continued to shine with a season-best 81 yards on five receptions and his first NFL score.

--RUSHING OFFENSE: B-plus - Leonard Fournette ran for 101 yards on 24 carries for a 4.2 average per attempt, the first time since Week 6 that he's averaged better than four yards a crack. Fournette has been hampered with an ankle issue the last several weeks but he ran with authority against the Seahawks and it didn't appear to be an issue. It was just the second time since Week 6 that Fournette had topped the century mark. His success undoubtedly helped the passing game as Bortles consistently found receivers on crossing patterns over the middle. Chris Ivory broke out of his mini-slump -- 13 net yards on 12 carries in the last four games -- to rush for 48 yards on six tries (8.0 average, the best mark by a Jaguars running back this season.

--PASS DEFENSE: C - The NFL's best defense against the pass looked like anything but that as the Seattle's Russell Wilson shredded the Jaguars secondary for 271 yards, over 100 yards more than its league-leading average of 167.1 per game. Wilson's ability to connect for the big gainers was effective. He had completions of 43, 61 and 74 yards to account for 178 of his 271 total. Otherwise, the secondary limited Wilson to 14-of-28 throws for just 93 yards and intercepted him three times. But the long completions kept the Seahawks in the game, especially in the fourth quarter when Wilson completed four throws in six attempts for 149 yards. But the most significant stat was Wilson's three interceptions that killed Seahawks scoring drives.

--RUSH DEFENSE: C-minus - Mike Davis was listed as the Seahawks fourth-string running back, but looked like a starter with his 66 yards in 15 carries (4.4 average) including a 21-yard pickup. Third-stringer J.D. McKissic helped out with 15 yards in three carries, and then there was quarterback Russell Wilson. He gained 50 yards on five scrambles though the Jaguars did a good job on him in the second half by holding him to 8 yards on one carry. The Seahawks' 5.9 average per attempt was a season-best by a Jaguars' opponent.

--SPECIAL TEAMS: A - Hard to take issue with any of the special teams. The kickoff coverage unit allowed six kickoffs to be returned for a 16.8 average, a very acceptable number. The ever-dangerous Tyler Lockett was limited to 5 return yards on three punts. The Jaguars punt return average was spiked with a 72-yard return by Jaydon Mickens with the only negative point coming when Mickens was tackled at the 1-yard line. Josh Lambo continued his strong kicking by converting on field goals from 38, 51 and 32 yards. He's missed just one kick in 16 attempts since joining the Jaguars in Week 7. He's now had three games in which he's kicked three field goals.

--COACHING: A-minus - It was hailed as the biggest Jaguars game in nearly a decade. Certainly, it was the most significant as it came against a quality team, one that had beaten Philadelphia (only NFL team with 11 wins in its first 12 games this season) the week before, and was the Jaguars ninth win of the season, guaranteeing them their first winning season since the 2007 season (11-5). Despite the big buildup for the game, head coach Doug Marrone kept the Jaguars focused on the task ahead which was to keep Seattle quarterback Russell Wilson from leading the Seahawks to a win via his scrambling. The Jaguars had a good balance of 31 passes and 24 runs and kept the ball away from Wilson by controlling it for over 33 minutes.