Cleveland Browns vs. Jacksonville Jaguars: Complete Week 7 Preview for the Jags
The Jacksonville Jaguars are coming off the sixth installment of “Blake Bortles and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Jaguars” after losing to the Tennessee Titans 16-14.
In Week 7, the Jaguars (0-6) will hope to change their current luck as they host the Cleveland Browns (3-2).
The Jaguars have struggled all season to put together a complete performance and are surrendering 30.8 points per game because of it.
In particular the linebacker and secondary units have struggled the most, surrendering 411.2 yards per game. The biggest issues that have been haunting these units have been technique. As you watch the film you see linebackers missing tackles and leaving their assignments. In the secondary, you see a lot of busted zone coverage and soft coverage.
In order to beat the Browns, the Jaguars will need their veterans to step up and inspire their team to complete a 60-minute performance.
Week 6 Recap
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It was yet another crushing, close defeat for the Jaguars, who have struggled to close out games all season.
On a positive note, rookie quarterback Blake Bortles was fantastic as he notched his first career 300-yard passing game. Aside from the stats, Bortles looked much improved with his pocket presence and the strategic use of his legs.
Unfortunately for Bortles, he didn’t receive much help from the team. With the exception of Clay Harbor (three receptions, 91 yards and a touchdown), it was a pretty anemic effort from a Jaguars offense that only put up 14 points despite amassing 379 net yards.
Defensively, the Jaguars allowed a season-low 290 offensive yards but still allowed 16 points on offense. The biggest issue was the ease with which Charlie Whitehurst was able to pass the ball. With limited pressure Whitehurst had plenty of opportunities to find leading receivers Justin Hunter (three receptions, 77 yards) and Delanie Walker (three receptions, 57 yards).
If the Jaguars ever want to get into the win column, they’ll need to have a more consistent effort all around.
News and Notes
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Toby Gerhart Still Battling Injury
ESPN.com’s Michael DiRocco is reporting that Gerhart sat out of practice on Thursday as he continues to nurse a foot injury.
Gerhart’s absence is only big from a name-value perspective. The truth is that Gerhart has had a minimal impact on this offense and is only averaging 2.6 yards per carry.
With Gerhart out, expect a lot from Denard Robinson and Storm Johnson. Both players have a great opportunity to take control of the starting role.
Alex Mack out for Season
ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler reports that Browns star center Alex Mack is out for the season with a broken leg.
Jaguars fans might remember Mack as the player the Jaguars tried to rip away from the Browns as a restricted free agent. The bottom line is that Mack is an elite offensive lineman, and this injury is a big blow to the Browns.
Gus Bradley Accepts Blame for Loss
NFL.com writer Chris Wesseling is reporting that Gus Bradley acknowledged his mistakes managing the game in the Jaguars' most recent loss to the Titans.
Bradley is absolutely correct; he cost the Jaguars this game. It was his mismanagement of his challenges and timeouts that ultimately hurt the Jaguars. Just as the young rookies need to get better for this team to win, so does their coach.
Injury Report
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| Player | Position | Injury | Status |
| Ball, Alan | CB | Ankle | DNP |
| Branch, Andre | DE | Groin | Full Practice |
| Gerhart, Toby | RB | Foot | DNP |
Note: Defensive end Chris Clemons, defensive tackle Roy Miller and linebacker Geno Hayes all missed practice due to non-injury-related issues. All should be available for Week 7.
*All injury information courtesy of Jaguars.com injury report.
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Matchups to Watch
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Blake Bortles vs. Browns Secondary
Bortles is fresh off his first career 300-yard passing game and will look to repeat last week’s performance against a Browns secondary that is allowing 259.6 yards per game.
Bortles is definitely going to have his chances and will be the key to this game. Mostly, if he can manage the game the way he has and limit his turnovers, the Jaguars will have a good chance to upset the Browns.
Paul Posluszny vs. Ben Tate
The Jaguars have struggled against the run all season, and this week they might face their biggest challenge yet.
The Browns, led by Ben Tate, are averaging 146.4 yards per game. If the Jaguars want to win this game, their leader, Paul Posluszny (57 tackles), must help them lock down Ben Tate.
Johnathan Cyprien vs. Jordan Cameron
Tight ends have been the Jaguars' Kryptonite this season, and they face one of the best in the league in Jordan Cameron.
Johnathan Cyprien will draw the task of limiting Cameron, despite the fact that he’s not exactly known for his coverage skills. The Jaguars secondary badly needs someone to step up. Cyprien is its best player, and so the pressure lies with him. Stopping Cameron has to be the No. 1 priority for the Jaguars defense.
Prediction
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It’s hard to be optimistic about the Jaguars considering they haven’t put together a complete game as a team yet. Until the team can show discipline on defense and consistency in the run game, I cannot see it winning a game.
On the other side, the Browns are playing pretty good football, while Brian Hoyer (seven touchdowns, one interception) has been as steady as they come. If the Jaguars are going to win they’ll need their best effort, something I don’t think we’ll see.
Prediction: Browns 28, Jaguars 14
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