Jacksonville Jaguars' Red-Zone Struggles Continue in Loss to Chargers

Coming into Sunday's game between the Jacksonville Jaguars and San Diego Chargers, it was apparent that if the Jaguars wanted to seal a win, they would have to execute in the red zone, something they had struggled with in previous games. 

So when the Jaguars had three drives reach the red zone and all three ended in field goals, it was obviously an area the Jaguars were unable to improve in despite having a few extra days to work on it because of their Thursday night game in Week 11. 

At the very end of the game, quarterback Blake Bortles was able to connect with wide receiver Allen Robinson for an eight-yard touchdown and a red-zone score. It was too little, too late, but hey, at least the Jags got in, right?    

John Raoux/Associated Press

This has been the killing flaw of the offense. Bortles' mistakes, even as plentiful and poorly timed as they can be, are things the offense should be able to overcome when it moves the ball like it does. At this point, one has to wonder where the blame should fall.

Even with Robinson's late TD grab, the Jaguars have only scored four touchdowns in their previous 15 trips to the red zone. So, 27 percent of the time, the Jaguars are settling for a field goal or worse. Sunday's 31-25 loss to the Chargers magnified that.

Bortles' lone interception on an otherwise productive day, as seen in the stats below, set up the Chargers for an easy touchdown, so there are six points gifted before the extra point. Once you consider the Jaguars only scored one TD on four red-zone trips, that's anywhere from four to 12 points they gave up—certainly enough for a win.

Comp./Att. (Percentage)	Yards	Touchdowns	Interceptions	Rating
30/49 (61%)	315	2	1	86.2

So, yes, Bortles' gift looks even more egregious given the scoreline, but the Jaguars know that Bortles will make those mistakes, apparently on an every-game basis. It's on offensive coordinator Greg Olson to set up the offense once it reaches the red zone, and that hasn't happened.

Bortles isn't throwing red-zone picks as often; the Jags just aren't finishing. For whatever reason, Olson refuses to get the ball to his various weapons on most plays. With guys like Robinson, wide receiver Allen Hurns, tight end Julius Thomas and running back T.J. Yeldon, we see an awful lot of plays that frankly don't cater to them.

It's understandable to incorporate all your talents and to try to catch the defense slipping, but it hasn't worked. So, until the players listed above stop being the Jaguars' best options, there's no reason to not look to them first. 

Player	Touches/Targets	Yards	TDs
T.J. Yeldon	0	0	0
Julius Thomas	2	8	0
Allen Robinson	2	8	1
Allen Hurns	3	8	0

It's confusing and frustrating to see an offense be so productive but then lose steam in a dramatic way that goes beyond typical offensive struggles. Perhaps it's a testament to the improvement Jacksonville has made, but it's still inexcusable considering the circumstances and the shot the Jaguars had at the AFC South.

Now, it's on the Jaguars to find out how much they can improve throughout the remainder of the season in the red zone. If they make significant improvements, then the AFC South title is in visible distance and a wild-card spot isn't completely impossible.

But judging over the past few weeks, it seems like that won't come with ease. For whatever reason, the Jaguars offense struggles the most in the red zone. It's the latest obvious hurdle, and it seems to be the major thing that will prevent Jacksonville from winning more often.

The Jaguars seem so close to being a team that can win consistently and one that can play quality football on both sides of the ball. Their red-zone struggles are a good analogy of where they are as a team.

They are so close, but the current task seems like it's miles away.

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All stats provided by ESPN.com unless otherwise stated. Evan Reier is a Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report covering the Jacksonville Jaguars. Follow Evan on Twitter @evanreier.