Cleveland Browns vs. Jacksonville Jaguars: Full Report Card Grades for the Jags
Finally, the Jacksonville Jaguars and their faithful fans get to experience a win in 2014.
Congratulations, Jacksonville, you deserve it!
In case you missed it, the Jaguars dominated the Cleveland Browns 24-6 on Sunday.
For the first time the Jaguars put together a full 60-minute performance. Led by a suddenly dominant defense, Jacksonville kept the Browns’ dangerous rushing attack to only 69 yards and limited the whole offense to only 266 total yards.
While it was an erratic day from the offense, the Jaguars rushing attack finally came alive. Denard Robinson (22 carries, 127 yards and a touchdown) got the start at running back and became the first Jaguar to break the century mark this season.
Overall, it wasn’t a perfect performance from the Jaguars. The team should enjoy its best performance of the season, but it still has a lot to work on if it wants to build on this win.
Let's take a look at how each unit played and where the team can improve moving forward.
Quarterback
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When grading Blake Bortles, you have to consider the difference between rookie errors and boneheaded mistakes. For the first time all season, he had more boneheaded mistakes than rookie errors.
Bortles finished the day with three interceptions, two of which were the result of bad mechanics and vision. I felt like Sunday was a regression for Bortles in terms of making reads and decisions.
There is no doubt that he has improved his pocket awareness and looks more comfortable. However, if he wants to become a legitimate franchise-caliber quarterback, he’ll need to cut back on his mistakes.
Here’s to hoping an improved Bortles shows up in Week 8.
Grade: C
Running Back
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What an incredible surprise the Jaguars got from their running backs. The tem decided to give Denard Robinson the start, and he didn’t disappoint, posting 127 yards and a touchdown on 22 carries.
Robinson’s performance was the first successful day from a rushing perspective from the Jaguars all season. There’s no denying how much a successful rushing attack can take the pressure off the passing game.
Robinson showed a surprising ability to run with a combination of speed and power. If he can continue to develop in this role, he could become a dangerous weapon for the offense.
Grade: A
Wide Receiver
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With the wide receiver group fully healthy, this matchup gave us a chance to see just what the wideouts were capable of. Unfortunately, it wasn’t as much as I had hoped for.
With the exception of Allen Robinson (four receptions, 60 yards and one touchdown), the receivers had an inconsistent day. If you take Robinson out of the equation, the unit only managed an anemic 39 yards.
While Bortles’ erratic day played into this group’s performance, the receivers missed the chance to make some plays. One example was a touchdown pass that Cecil Shorts just couldn't haul in.
This is a talented, young group. I look forward to the day when each player is comfortable in his role and starts reaching his potential.
Grade: B-
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Tight End
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There is no doubt that tight end Clay Harbor is a dynamic pass-catcher. Yet, despite his receiving prowess, he’s a liability as a run-blocker.
He finished the day with six receptions for 34 yards, which included an impressive 24-yard reception. The issue here is that Harbor allowed a defender to beat him on at least two plays that resulted in losses.
Harbor will get tons of praise for his ability to make plays, but until he can consistently block defenders, he’ll never be anything more than a situational tight end.
Grade: C+
Offensive Line
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If nothing else, the offensive line deserves some credit for paving the way for a 185-yard combined performance from the running backs.
Still, despite the win, the offensive line remains the biggest issue on this team. Despite only being sacked two times, Bortles was under pressure on numerous occasions.
This unit is young and will take time to develop. However, Bortles is the best chance at a contending future for the Jaguars, and the team has to do a better job of ensuring he stays healthy.
Grade: C+
Defensive Line
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Talk about a performance to remember for the defensive line. On all accounts the defensive linemen played the best they have all season.
Led by Sen’Derrick Marks, the Jaguars defensive line was constantly in the face of Browns quarterback Brian Hoyer. When all was said and done, the linemen led the defense to three sacks and seven quarterback hits.
What I really enjoy about the Jaguars defensive line is how they rotate players. Gus Bradley’s ability to keep his defenders fresh is a big reason they’ve experienced such success this season.
Grade: A-
Linebacker
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Besides the offensive line, the Jaguars linebacker group is the unit I criticize most. Throughout the season, the linebackers have consistently missed tackles and failed to maintain gap discipline.
It was a much different story this week.
The linebackers might have been the most important unit in this victory. Most of that thanks should go to Telvin Smith. He had a career day, as he forced a fumble, intercepted a pass and amassed four total tackles.
Smith’s big performance shouldn't take away from a great overall day from this group. Together, the linebackers limited a Browns rushing attack that was averaging 146.4 yards per game to just 69 yards.
This could be the building block for a unit that has all the potential in the world but lacks consistency.
Grade: A+
Secondary
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I won’t say it was a bad day from the secondary, but I will say that the defensive backs were lucky they weren’t tested more. The efforts of the defensive line and the linebackers kept the secondary from being exposed.
On a few occasions the Browns found receivers completely uncovered for big gains. The issue here is that the Jaguars secondary plays a very soft Cover 3 scheme, which is easily exploited by smart receivers.
The biggest positive for this unit was Johnathan Cyprien. He had the assignment of preventing Jordan Cameron from having a big impact and limited the tight end to one reception for five yards on six targets.
Grade: C+
Special Teams
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It was a typical day from the special teams units. Kicker Josh Scobee was his usual reliable self, converting three extra points and one 30-yard field goal. Punter Bryan Anger was steady but struggled to consistently pin punts inside the 20-yard line.
The big story from this unit was the timely fumble recovery by LaRoy Reynolds after a punt in the fourth quarter. His recovery left the Jaguars on the Browns' 8-yard line and resulted in a Denard Robinson touchdown.
Grade: B+
Coaching
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It was a surprisingly mistake-free game from head coach Gus Bradley. He has struggled this season with proper time management and challenging plays, but he seemed to have everything under control on Sunday.
Perhaps the most encouraging sign was that the coaches continued to attack despite having the lead. In the past, when the Jaguars were winning, the coaches would turn to conservative play-calling.
It’s nice to see a killer instinct in these coaches. Let’s hope this is a sign of growth moving forward.
Grade: B
Cumulative Grade
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| Quarterback | C |
| Running Back | A |
| Wide Receiver | B- |
| Tight End | C+ |
| Offensive Line | C+ |
| Defensive Line | A- |
| Linebacker | A+ |
| Secondary | C+ |
| Special Teams | B+ |
| Coaching | B |
Overall, it’s hard to be upset about a win. The Jaguars finally put forth a solid team effort for a full 60 minutes.
Let’s be realistic, though: The Jaguars aren’t about to rip off 10 straight wins and become a contender. We just need to view this win as a step in the right direction.
There’s still work to be done, but this win should be meaningful to everyone—especially the rookies.
Grade: B-
*All stats courtesy NFL.com.
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