Jacksonville Jaguars vs. Washington Redskins: Breaking Down the Jags' Game Plan

The Jacksonville Jaguars couldn't have started off their game against the Philadelphia Eagles any better. They forced two fumbles and scored 14 points off them. They took an unexpected 17-0 lead after sacking Nick Foles five times in the first half (a franchise record) and never let him find any sort of groove. 

Unfortunately, the fairy tale soon turned into a horror story. The Eagles found their rhythm in the second half, scoring 34 unanswered points in a completely dominant performance.

The Jaguars couldn't find the same kind of pressure they did in the first half, and the Eagles defense effectively shut down the Jaguars offense. To put it one way, receiver Allen Hurns had more yards in the first half (110) than the entire passing offense did in the second half (99). 

The Jaguars suffered a demoralizing defeat, one that can affect any team, especially one as young as the Jaguars. However, they can't let this game eat at them and sink their season. Instead, they must learn from their mistakes and build on their successes. 

There are plenty of things the Jaguars can do to prepare for their game against the Washington Redskins on Sunday. Here is a breakdown of some of the most glaring issues and what they can do to fix them.

On Offense

The most important thing the Jaguars must work on on offense is their running game. There was a lot of hype surrounding it this year with the combination of Toby Gerhart and Denard Robinson.

Gerhart was the big free-agent acquisition for the Jaguars after spending four years with the Minnesota Vikings as Adrian Peterson's backup. Robinson had finally healed from nerve damage in his arm and looked ready to take full advantage of his incredible speed and agility.

However, the two running backs combined for a meager 50 yards on 21 carries (2.4 yards per carry). Gerhart saw the bulk of the action with 18 carries for 42 yards despite suffering a sprained ankle in the game. More surprisingly, Robinson played only five snaps while third-string running back Jordan Todman was on the field for 23. This is likely due to Robinson's lack of experience in pass protection, but his limited role in the run game is still concerning.

Michael Perez/Associated Press

The offensive line is very inexperienced, with only two of the starters having more than five career starts. The line was unable to open up any holes, especially in the interior of the line. According to Pro Football Focus (subscription required), not a single Jaguars lineman graded out with a positive score in run blocking. 

The passing offense started off strong against Philly, especially for Hurns, who had his first two receptions go for touchdowns. However, once the Eagles shut Hurns down, the entire passing offense became bogged down.

Henne was forced to hit his checkdown routes, effectively turning the passing game into a slightly more effective run game. His top two receivers in receptions were Marqise Lee (six for 62 yards) and Marcedes Lewis (six for 35 yards). The Jaguars were unable to attack the Eagles deep like they had in the first half. 

For this week, they need Hurns to work on getting off jams at the line of scrimmage so he can continue to be a big-play threat for them. This also goes for Allen Robinson, who was drafted to be the big-bodied, big-play threat that Hurns wound up being last week. Robinson was limited with a hamstring injury during the offseason, and his lack of practice showed as he had one reception for zero yards. 

Keys to Success

1. Offensive line must create running lanes.
2. Passing game must stretch the field, creating opportunities at all three levels. 

On Defense

While the offense floundered, the defense put up a good fight. The defensive line had an excellent first half. It forced two fumbles and recovered both of them while sacking Nick Foles five times. It also managed to intercept Foles in the end zone to really push the momentum in the Jaguars' direction. Foles looked like a shell-shocked rookie compared to his composure last season.  

Michael Perez/Associated Press

Unfortunately, the defense couldn't keep the pressure up forever. After numerous three-and-outs by the Jaguars offense, the defense just couldn't keep up with the Eagles' high-flying offense. Throw in the injury to Johnathan Cyprien, and the suspect coverage was exploited, leading to the 34 unanswered points.

The Jaguars showed they have a legitimate pass rush this year, unlike in years past. Andre Branch was a big part of it, recording two sacks and two forced fumbles. The third-year defensive end will help spearhead a pass rush that will have to get after Robert Griffin III and keep him from getting out of the pocket. If Jacksonville can keep him corralled and under fire, its chances of victory go way up.

Despite the score, the defense does not have as much to work on in Week 2 as the offense. The main issue for the unit will be Cyprien's replacement, Josh Evans. Evans struggled in coverage last season and didn't have much of an offseason to work on it due to injury.

The entire secondary must work on communication so it can avoid issues like the 68-yard touchdown pass to Jeremy Maclin. On that play, safety Chris Prosinski was in single-high coverage. Free safety Winston Guy was up on the line with Maclin and passed him off to Prosinski—except Prosinski bit on play action, resulting in Maclin being wide open. These kinds of mistakes cannot happen against the Redskins receiving corps, which is one of the fastest in the league.

The Jaguars also have to shore up their run defense. Jacksonville gave up over 140 yards to LeSean McCoy and Darren Sproles. The Redskins rushing attack isn't nearly as potent as the Eagles, but it can still provide trouble, especially if RG3 gets the chance to run any read-option plays. 

Keys to Success

1. Get pressure on Griffin and keep him from running.
2. Don't let the Redskins' speedy receivers get behind the secondary, and don't allow yards after the catch.

Conclusion

All in all, this is a winnable game for the Jaguars if they can pull everything together.

RG3 seems to be a shell of the electric player he was in his rookie year, but he still possesses incredible physical talents that can exploit any defense.

If the Jaguars can consistently control the trenches on both sides of the ball, they can pull it out. However, they must show the maturity they lacked last week to close out a game.