Jacksonville Jaguars vs. New Orleans Saints: What's the Game Plan for Jaguars?

The Jacksonville Jaguars (5-9) have ended their brief home stint and are now finishing the season on the road, with the first of the last two games coming this Sunday as they play the New Orleans Saints (5-9).

The Jaguars still have hope for the playoffs, but they'll need help this weekend. They'll also have to handle business against the Saints, who have struggled considerably this season but have a dynamic offense all the same.

Neither side's defense is all too impressive, but should one step up on Sunday, it would likely make the difference. The Jaguars and the Saints also have lethal offensive power, so this could be a very high-scoring matchup.

The Jaguars have failed to put away a number of games this season, and their inability to finish consistently has been the primary reason they find themselves trailing in the AFC South, rather than tied for the lead or even possessing the outright lead.

Sam Greenwood/Getty Images

But despite all the season's blunders, there is still a chance they can reach the playoffs and division title. The first step in that process is defeating the Saints this Sunday.

Offensive Game Plan

The focal point of the offense this season has been quarterback Blake Bortles, whose high-variance play has seen the offense excel and execute behind him, while also stumbling and failing numerous times.

However, Sunday should be an exciting prospect for the QB, as he faces a Saints passing defense that is ranked 30th in the NFL, as seen below. There will be few chances like this for Bortles to shred defenses.

Team	Yards per Game(Rank)	Points per Game(Rank)	Pass Yards per Game(Rank)	Rush Yards per Game(Rank)
Jaguars	361.5(20th)	27.1(30th)	260.5(25th)	101.0(13th)
Saints	413.5(31st)	30.9(32nd)	276.4(30th)	137.1(32nd)

With that being said, he'll need to find his most productive target, wide receiver Allen Robinson. Mixing it up with receiver Allen Hurns and tight end Julius Thomas will also be crucial, but Robinson has 13 touchdowns this season and is in great form when it comes to scoring.

Bortles' play may need to be even more impactful than usual, considering running back T.J. Yeldon is listed "doubtful" for Sunday's game, as seen on the Jaguars' official injury report. That means RB Denard Robinson will start, and his recent struggles don't make him an overly confident option.

But the Jaguars still have to run the ball to make life easier for Bortles. To help with that, Bortles should be looking to run relatively often to help keep the Saints' defense on its toes and to punish them should they blitz too often.

Defensive Game Plan

Yeldon's injury is obviously a big deal, but the defense has a problem of its own: linebacker Telvin Smith is also listed as "doubtful" for this Sunday. As he is easily the most explosive player on the defense, the likelihood of not having Smith is huge.

That means that the Jaguars will have to be extra prepared for short passes, outside runs and screens, which is where Smith usually shines. With him gone, it wouldn't be surprising to see the Saints take advantage of those situations. 

Saints QB Drew Brees has started to find his game as of late, but he may unable to play, as seen on the team's injury report on Fox Sports. It goes without saying that Brees is one of the best, most experienced QBs in the league, and his status will be a major factor for Sunday.

However, the Jaguars need to prepare as if he's taking the field. Their entire defensive game plan should place top priority on defending the pass, while the defensive front will hopefully continue its solid play against the run.

The Jaguars have been diced by various QBs this season, and if they want to win, they have to somehow pressure Brees or make the windows for his throws extremely tight. It may be one of the toughest defensive challenges of the season.

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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.