There wasn’t much positive to take away from Jacksonville’s 37-21 loss to the Houston Texans on Sunday in Week 1. The offseason improvements we heard so much about didn’t seem to make much of a difference, and the Jaguars looked much like the same team that went 1-15 a year ago.
But it wasn’t all bad. There were a handful of players who were actually solid in their individual contributions. Leading the way, according to Pro Football Focus, was guard Andrew Norwell, who is among Jacksonville’s best offensive linemen. He was solid in pass protection, and though the Jags didn’t run the ball much, they were able to get some chunk yards on the ground.
Top PFF grades for #Jaguars (players with 25 snaps or more)
OG Andrew Norwell 76.2
RB Carlos Hyde 75.8
ED Josh Allen 72.7
TE James O’Shaughnessy 71.6
ED Jihad Ward 68.9Shaq Quarterman who had seven defensive snaps, earned an 82.6. Lerentee McCray, who had a 76.3 saw 15 snaps.
— James Johnson (@SportsGrind_Don) September 13, 2021
Running back Carlos Hyde was Jacksonville’s leading rusher in the loss, which came as a bit of a surprise. He saw nine carries which he took for a team-high 44 yards. It’s surprising that the Jags only gave James Robinson five carries, but Hyde showed he’s a capable player in the backfield.
Edge rusher Josh Allen, meanwhile, had the games only sack, and Jihad Ward had one of the team’s six quarterback hits while also totaling four tackles.
Tight end James O’Shaughnessy didn’t get the start, and while starter Chris Manhertz scored a touchdown on his lone catch, O’Shaughnessy was more productive, totaling 48 yards on six catches.
Overall, Jacksonville needs to play much better moving forward. But these players had a solid performance that they can build on in spite of the loss.