Now comes the hard part for the Jacksonville Jaguars. After years of struggles, instability and losing, the Jags put it together in 2017 winning 10 games, the AFC South title and reaching the conference championship game. The recipe was simple: use the top-ranked ground game to churn out yards and let a disruptive defense wreak havoc on opposing quarterbacks. The Jags had the NFL’s best pass defense and topped the AFC and ranked second overall in run defense, total defense and points allowed.
Jacksonville Jaguars Opening Futures Odds at BookMaker.eu
Jacksonville Jaguars Over 9 Win -126
Jacksonville Jaguars Under 9 Wins +104
2018 Jacksonville Jaguars Offense Preview
Many feel the Jaguars will never win it all with Blake Bortles quarterbacking the team, but the beleaguered former first-round pick enjoyed the best season of his career in 2017. Management liked what he did so much that his contract was extended in the offseason, making him the starter for at least two more seasons. If Bortles couldn’t convince his detractors last season, it’s never going to happen. He completed over 60 percent of his passes for the first time in his four seasons and tossed a career-low 13 interceptions.
Leonard Fournette may have had something to do with those numbers. The Jags’ top pick last season was as advertised and they rode him to the league’s best ground game. Fournette ran for 1,040 yards with nine touchdowns in only 13 games. Overall, the Jags led the NFL in rushing attempts with 527 and rushing yards per game with 141.4. The strategy to take pressure off Bortles worked and he flourished in the new scheme. He has a group of inexperienced receivers to throw to with the Allens gone and Marquise Lee done for the year. It’s time for Keelan Cole and Dede Westbrook to step up in that area.
2018 Jacksonville Jaguars Defense Preview
There should be no concerns for a defense that was one of the best in the NFL last season. The group has depth up front, athleticism in the middle and cockiness in the back end. It all added up to the No. 1 pass defense and the second-best unit in sacks, fewest yards and points allowed, and takeaways. The Jags struck it rich with free agent signee Calais Campbell, who tallied 14.5 sacks in his first year with the team and was one of four players with at least eight.
Yannick Ngakoue and Dante Fowler are fierce edge rushers who pressure the quarterback on every snap and the line may have gotten stronger with the addition of first-round pick Taven Bryan. Six players from the group were named to the Pro Bowl and all but one starter from last year returns. Telvin Smith and Myles Jack form a top linebacking duo and Jalen Ramsay, as outspoken as he is, has developed into a shutdown corner. Ramsay, A.J. Bouye and safeties Tashaun Gipson and Barry Church combined for 18 of the Jags 21 interceptions last year.
2018 Jacksonville Jaguars Schedule Analysis
Instead of being the hunter, the Jags will be the hunted in 2018 and that’s a role the team isn’t used to. Otherwise there doesn’t appear to be any major stumbling blocks in the schedule. The opener at the Giants is followed by three straight home games, including an AFC Championship Game rematch with New England, a division matchup with Tennessee and a visit from the Jets.
The Jags lost both games to the Titans last season, along with contests against Arizona, San Francisco and the Jets. The first place games have them taking on Kansas City and Pittsburgh and they get the defending champs. With a better record and higher finish in the standings comes a more difficult schedule.
The Final Verdict
Apparently the oddsmakers aren’t sold on the Jags taking the next step. After winning 10 games their projected win total hit the board at nine. They should be solid defensively and that group will keep them in a lot of games. However, until Bortles consistently proves that he’s the right guy to lead the club there will always be the naysayers.
It isn’t tough to figure out the Jags’ game plan for success, and opponents will make the proper adjustments. This team has the talent on defense to reach double-digit wins again, but the offense is too one-dimensional. Winning a slugfest is out of the question, though they did it against Pittsburgh in the playoffs, and they probably won’t have to. As long as Bortles doesn’t screw things up and Fournette can churn out the yards, I like the Jags to at least match last year’s win total.
NFL Betting Odds: Jacksonville Jaguars Over 9 Wins
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