Taking Stock of Jacksonville Jagaurs Ahead of Week 8 Bye

The Jacksonville Jaguars have arrived at the bye week with a 2-5 record and plenty of questions. This is the best start for the Jaguars since 2011, but there is still a bitter taste in the mouths of the team and the fans.

The Jaguars failed to finish in three straight weeks against beatable opponents, and now it's hard to look back at the first seven weeks with too much pride. The Jaguars could very easily be 4-3, and possibly even 5-2 or 6-1, but an inability to maintain for four quarters has resulted in 2-5 instead.

While the broad look at the season is a bit disappointing, coming off a 34-31 win over the Buffalo Bills in London helps the franchise and fanbase's morale. Getting a bye week to follow means the Jaguars can possibly use this past week as a springboard in performance.

But do not get it twisted: That kind of jump would be a major effort and is unlikely to come sooner rather than later. The Jaguars finally finished a game and were explosive in the process, but there were many issues that appeared.

This is an important moment for the Jaguars. They are only one game behind the Indianapolis Colts in the AFC South, and the chance to progress and compete is very much alive.

Offensive Line Has Improved Immensely in Pass Blocking, Gets a Raise in Stock

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The Jaguars' offensive line has been a source of team frustration for a series of years, but there is finally some hope on the offensive line. This year has seen a considerable drop in sacks, and their protection of quarterback Blake Bortles has been impressive.

Bortles has been sacked 19 times this season and is currently on pace to take 43 sacks this season. While that is still a decent amount, it is significantly improved from the 71 the Jaguars allowed last season.

The loss of guard Brandon Linder to injury looked to be a huge hit to the offensive line, but rookie A.J. Cann has done well, and the Jaguars have kept trucking right along without Linder.

Things haven't been as impressive with the running game this season, but the Bills game was a step in the right direction. Running back T.J. Yeldon averaged 5.8 yards a carry, and he often had enough space and room to create.

The offensive line has definitely taken a step forward this season, and continuing to develop the younger linemen like Cann, center Luke Bowanko and guard Brandon Linder has given the Jaguars a promising future in the trenches.

Defensive Pass Rush Has Not Come Through This Season, Loses Stock from Last Year

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Bills QB EJ Manuel was sacked four times last Sunday, one of the Jaguars' most productive days rushing the passer this season. However, even with Sunday, the Jaguars only have 16 sacks through seven games.

That averages out to a meager 2.28 sacks a game, a considerable step down from last year's average of 2.81 sacks per game. The Jaguars are currently on pace for 36 sacks this season, which is nine less than 2014's 45. 

While the Jaguars aren't a great defensive side from top to bottom, the quality and depth of the defensive line were supposed to make it the best all-around area on the defense. Instead, it's become a liability and has made life tougher for an already-hard situation in the secondary.

The run defense has had some solid games, but it has faltered in recent games. This is fine, but if the line cannot deliver in that area of the game either, then the Jaguars defense could be in serious trouble.

Three of the four sacks on Sunday came from the defensive line, and hopefully those as well as the two defensive touchdowns scored will help light the fire in this group. The Jaguars need a proper pass rush to compete the rest of the season, and now is the chance to adapt and improve.

Special Teams Has Been an Issue for the Jaguars; Stock Could Nosedive

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Special teams is something often taken for granted in football, but the Jaguars haven't had the luxury of special teams consistency and success. In fact, the kicking and punting situation have been a significant problem for the Jaguars during the 2015 season.

Kicker Jason Myers has missed three field goals and three point-after attempts (PATs), which is a significant number for the first seven games. His two game-losing misses against the Indianapolis Colts were tough to handle, but the missed PATs have been the major concern.

In the punting game, Bryan Anger and his coverage have been one of the worst combinations in the NFL, with opponents averaging 14.4 yards per return, which is fifth-worst in the NFL. Considering the Jaguars are tied for first in total punts this year, giving up the ball and allowing 14 yards each return is a serious concern.

If the Jaguars want to be a better, more enabled team, they have to start delivering on special teams. The bye week is a time to reorganize and solve issues, and the Jaguars obviously have some work to do in that regard.

Youngsters See Stock Rise with Exception Play

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There's no doubt that the Jaguars have a plethora of promising young talent, but the situation isn't just that simple, it's actually exceptional. Every team has periods when the team will be generally comprised of young talent, but the Jaguars are fully committed to the idea.

The current depth chart, per Jaguars.com, features six starters on offense and three on defense. Once you count the backups as well, 20 of those 44 spots are taken by a player in his third year or younger. 

That is a significant number, and while the Jaguars have gotten a bit older in the past year or two, the number of young players on the squad and in significant roles is still an astounding number.

As seen with big plays from linebacker Telvin Smith and sophomore Aaron Colvin, both second-year players, this past weekend, these players aren't only filling the depth chart, they are already making names for themselves and contributing to the team.

The Jaguars have needed to grow a little bit since the 2012 rebuild, and it seems like they finally have. However, it has been an incredible added bonus to watch youngsters improve and make great plays on their path to becoming veterans.

Blake Bortles Has Impressed, Sees Steady Stock Gain

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Bortles' high number of interceptions counterbalanced a lot of his promising play last season, and it was known that the 2015 season was going to be an important point in mentally progressing and adapting to the NFL.

The Bortles who has played this season is still the aggressive one we saw last season, but his improved technical skills and understanding of the game has turned him into a touchdown machine.

Bortles is currently tied for third in the NFL with 15 touchdowns this season, four more than he garnered in the entirety of the 2014 season. While he has thrown eight interceptions in the process, the number of yards and TDs has been an incredible sign of growth.

Bortles is set to easily break the Jaguars' season touchdown record as well as set multiple other records as well. In his second year in the league, Bortles is already putting up performances that qualify as some of the franchise's best.

The recent win against the Bills showed that Bortles still has plenty to improve upon, but he looks comfortable and ready to lead this offense. That doesn't mean he should have to carry this offense just yet, but he may be in the process of getting to that point.

All stats provided by ESPN.com unless otherwise stated.

Evan Reier is a Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report covering the Jacksonville Jaguars. Follow Evan on Twitter @evanreier.