Jacksonville Jaguars: What Are Experts Saying About the Jaguars' Week 6 Game?

When the Jacksonville Jaguars take on the Tennessee Titans on Sunday, they will be looking to avoid a second-consecutive 0-6 start, a feat only accomplished twice in NFL history. Ironically enough, the Jaguars' first win of last season came against the Titans and there is a very real chance that could happen again on Sunday. 

The Titans are reeling now, coming off a devastating loss in which they blew a 25-point lead and likely lost their starting quarterback. The Jaguars are coming off a very close loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers, finally showing they can be competitive.  

This is a matchup between two teams who overall aren't playing very well at the moment. The outcome of this game could be the defining point of the season for one or both of these teams. So let's see what all the hype is about with this game and hear what the experts are saying.

The Youth Movement Cause for Excitement and Patience

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John Oehser of Jaguars.com knows better than most the ins-and-outs of the organization. In a recent article outlining the matchup between the Jaguars and Titans, he recognized perhaps the key issue on offense:

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The offense has struggled to score, partly because of youth. Not only is Bortles starting, two [rookie] offensive linemen are starting, guard Brandon Linder and center Luke Bowanko, as well as wide receivers Allen Hurns and Allen Robinson. The Jaguars also could get rookie wide receiver Marqise Lee (hamstring) back Sunday, and rookie Storm Johnson is earning more time in the running back rotation.

The Jaguars started seven rookies against Pittsburgh. On average, NFL teams started 1.6 rookies Sunday and if you remove the Jaguars from the equation, teams started an average of one rookie.

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This heavy youth movement on offense is both a good and bad thing. On the one hand, it shows there are a number of good, young players who are ready to be long-term starters on this team. They are gaining a lot of valuable experience playing this early in their careers. 

However, it also means the team is going to struggle early on because of their lack of experience. It will be a tough road this season, particularly for their offense. On top of the rookie starters Oehser mentions, the Jaguars also have five second-year players playing a large role on this team. The future is bright but first they have to get through the fog of the present. 

Blake Bortles' Play Is the Key Factor

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Elliot Harrison of NFL.com made a simple, yet important, observation during his latest article breaking down all of the Week 6 matchups. This offense is only going to go as far as Blake Bortles allows them:

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Talk about anyone's ballgame. Blake Bortles' main task in Nashville will be to not turn the ball over so that he can live to play another down for the Jags. That said, tucking the ball and running could work, as the rookie quarterback has rushed for 68 yards on just 11 scampers. He merely needs to refrain from forcing throws and make sure he gets down on the pitch. Slide, dude. 

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As a rookie, you expect Bortles to make rookie mistakes, such as staring down receivers and trying to force the ball when it should just be thrown away. This is something Harrison touched on while giving his post-game report card. In the video segment, he said, 

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He's a rookie, you have to learn to expect some plays like this [incomplete pass that was almost intercepted]. There is a lot of credit and a lot of buzz around him playing and it's good for the organization but I gave him a "D". He made a few plays in this game but overall this game was littered with mistakes by the quarterback and the Jags offense overall. 

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Bortles must work on his decision making. He has shown an immense amount of talent and matured to the NFL level a lot quicker than anyone expected. He just needs to further the mental aspects of his game, know when to force the play and when to give up, and it will help his overall command of the offense. 

Lack of Playmakers Dooming This Defense

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Michael DiRocco of ESPN.com has been covering the Jaguars for over 13 years. He sat down with Titans ESPN.com reporter Paul Kuharsky to discuss the upcoming game. During this talk, he touched on what he thought were the biggest issues the Jaguars are facing on defense:

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Another reason the Jaguars are last in the NFL in total defense and scoring defense is the inability to get off the field on third down. Offenses are converting 49.3 percent on third down, which ranks next-to-last in the league. The defense also hasn’t forced many turnovers (just four) and that goes along with the fact that there aren’t any playmakers on the field. The discipline in the secondary, getting more pressure on the quarterback from the front four, and better third-down defense are things the Jaguars can fix. There’s nothing they can do about the lack of playmakers, at least this season. 

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DiRocco couldn't be more correct. Despite playing better this past weekend against the Steelers, the Jaguars defense lacks any true playmakers. Despite having 16 sacks, third-best in the league, they don't have a pass-rusher that scares anyone or requires double teams. They don't have a Patrick Willis or Von Miller type of linebacker, nor do they have a shutdown corner.

As he said, there isn't much they can do about it this season. They have to rely on someone in-house to step up and become this playmaker or suffer through the season without one. Some players who could make this leap include defensive end Andre Branch and strong safety Johnathan Cyprien. 

Storm-Y Skies Ahead for the Jaguars

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Ryan O'Halloran is a beat reporter for The Florida Times-Union. In a video segment, he talked about the running game and the impact Storm Johnson has on it:

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Let's take a look at the offense. Blake Bortles first home start, two interceptions but I think the bigger issue is the running game. Right now it's broke. Not a lot of big gains, not a lot of consistency. Keep an eye on Storm Johnson, I think this is his chance to shine on Sunday against Tennessee. If he stays healthy he is going to get a chance to get carries.He just looked like a different back compared to Toby Gerhart and Denard Robinson and Jordan Todman against Pittsburgh. Storm's thing is he has to be able to stay on the field. If that ankle doesn't act up, they're going to give him a shot because right now they're open up to all possibilities to get this running game going. 

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After the team confirmed Toby Gerhart is out for the game with his recurring ankle injury, this is a golden opportunity for Johnson. He showed good burst and vision against Pittsburgh, including a 20-yard run as his first official carry. That play is the longest one of the season by a Jaguars running back.

O'Halloran summed it up perfectly when he said the running game is broke. They haven't found any success on the ground and that needs to change. In the last game, they had 11 carries between three running backs. This is way too few carries when you have a rookie quarterback. Granted, Bortles did check out of a few running plays. Still, they must give the rookie some help in order to take the pressure off him.