Jacksonville Jaguars vs. Washington Redskins: Jaguars' Week 2 Game Preview
After a devastating loss to the Philadelphia Eagles, Week 2 cannot come fast enough!
The Jacksonville Jaguars will head into FedEx Field on Sunday at 1 p.m. EST to take on the Washington Redskins.
The Redskins (0-1) are coming off a tough loss of their own, losing to the Houston Texans 17-6. The Redskins are led by Robert Griffin III and DeSean Jackson, and they are coming off an offensive performance that amassed 371 total yards.
The Jaguars will be looking to gain some momentum after giving up a 17-point lead to the Eagles in the second half of their opening game. Led by undrafted rookie Allen Hurns, the Jaguars had a fast start offensively putting up 17 points in the first half only to lay an egg in the second.
For the Jaguars to win this matchup they’ll need to play all four quarters, something that has been an issue dating back to the preseason. It’ll be up to the defensive line to keep the pressure on Griffin III and Henne to efficiently manage the offense.
Let’s hope this can be the start of something good.
Jaguars Week 1 Recap
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The Jaguars entered the regular season with a lot of optimism from their fans—after all, 2014 marks the beginning of a legitimate rebuild for the team.
It was hard not to get excited as the Jaguars started with two quick touchdowns to rookie receiver Allen Hurns. Meanwhile, the Jaguars' defense was swarming—pressuring Nick Foles consistently and corralling LeSean McCoy.
Unfortunately, all good things must come to an end. When the game was over, the excitement had dissipated after an anemic effort in the second half.
In the end the Jaguars were handed a defeat to the tune of 34-17. Leading the team was quarterback Chad Henne, who looked erratic in the pocket, but finished 24-of-43 for 266 yards and two touchdowns.
The team was weighed down in a big way by their struggling run game, which gained only 2.6 yards per carry as a unit. Despite getting 18 carries Toby Gerhart, the team’s bell cow, only gained 42 yards—a performance that must improve.
On defense, the Jaguars were paced by inside linebacker Paul Posluszny who totaled 12 tackles. A pleasant surprise game from defensive end Ryan Davis who put up a sack and two tackles for a loss.
Overall, there were a lot of positives to take away from this matchup. Now the Jaguars must turn those positives into a full 60-minute performance. If they can do that, they’ll have a really strong season.
News and Notes
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Marqise Lee is Battling a Hamstring Injury
First Coast News, a local Jacksonville news outlet, is reporting that Marqise Lee left practice Wednesday with hamstring tightness.
This injury would be a big blow to a receiving unit that is already struggling with nagging hamstring injuries to Cecil Shorts. Missing Lee would hinder his development and would take a big threat off the field.
Watch for Allen Hurns to start in Lee’s absence if he’s unable to go Week 2.
Jaguars Struggling on Third Down
ESPN.com's Michael DiRocco shared his stat of the week on Thursday, which showed that the Jaguars were 2-of-14 on third down in Week 1.
There is absolutely no excuse for this. The Jaguars had plenty of third-and-manageable situations that were squandered by bad rushing attempts. For the team to be efficient moving forward, they need to convert manageable situations. Period.
Redskins Send Barry Cofield to IR
Losing Barry Cofield is a huge blow for the Redskins, who have always been able to rely on the interior defensive lineman.
Cofield is an all-around defensive tackle. He excels as a run-stopper but also has the power to destroy a pocket. Chad Henne will rest easier knowing that he doesn’t have to worry about Cofield coming after him.
Injury Report
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Jaguars Injury Report:
| Player | Position | Injury | Status |
| Johnathan Cyprien | S | Concussion | DNP |
| Toby Gerhart | RB | Ankle | Limited |
| Cecil Shorts | WR | Hamstring | DNP |
| Marcades Lewis | TE | Hamstring | Full |
| Austin Pasztor | OT | Hand | DNP |
| Clay Harbor | TE | Calf | DNP |
| Dwayne Gratz | CB | Ankle | Full |
| Marqise Lee | WR | Hamstring | Full |
| Storm Johnson | RB | Ankle | Full |
Redskins Injury Report:
| Players | Position | Injury | Status |
| Barry Cofield | NT | Ankle | DNP (Short IR) |
| Jordan Reed | TE | Hamstring | DNP |
| Kedric Golston | DE | Groin | DNP |
| Akeem Jordan | LB | Knee | DNP |
* Injury updates courtesy Ryan Day at Big Cat Country, please stick with us throughout the weekend as we update these statuses as they become available.
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X-Factors and Matchups to Watch
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DeSean Jackson versus Dwayne Gratz
I thought that Gratz really played well against the Eagles, limiting Jeremy Maclin throughout the game. Gratz has grown a lot over the offseason and is becoming one of the best young cornerbacks in the game thanks to his physical play and aggressive instincts.
If there’s one knock on Gratz’s game it’s his speed. DeSean Jackson will offer a great challenge with his explosive quickness and top-end speed. This will definitely be a fun matchup to watch, and one that could determine the outcome of the game.
Robert Griffin III versus the Jaguars’ defensive line
Robert Griffin III was sacked three times last week and took a lot of hard hits while scrambling.
The Jaguars defensive line is going to have a lot of opportunities to lay some hits on Griffin III. They’re an aggressive unit who gets after the quarterback.
Let’s hope Griffin III can figure out how to slide before he gets hurt.
X-Factor: The Jaguars’ running game
Toby Gerhart and Co. are going to need a much better effort this time around. Chad Henne simply isn’t the type of quarterback who is going to win games with his arm, so there is pressure on the running backs to carry the weight.
If this unit averages under three yards per carry again, I don’t see how the Jaguars can win.
Prediction
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I’m going to go out on a limb here and say that the Jaguars get it right in this one. This game could be a huge statement for the team and highlight their resiliency as a unit.
In this game I think the Jaguars get their running game back on track. Additionally, I think the Jaguars get another unexpected strong performance from Allen Hurns, which will help lead the team to victory.
Prediction: Jaguars 27, Redskins 14
* All stats courtesy ESPN.
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