Category: Doug Marrone

Todd Wash, 2 defensive assistants to miss game vs. Browns due to COVID-19 protocols

The Jags will be short a few members of their coaching staff due to the NFL’s COVID-19 protocol.

Jacksonville Jaguars coach Doug Marrone provided an update on his defensive staff Wednesday and at least three members will be out Sunday. Among them will be defensive coordinator Todd Wash though the others weren’t specified.

This news comes after the Jags’ whole defensive staff had to work remotely from their homes Tuesday after there was a positive test amongst the group, according to NFL insider Mike Garafolo. After using the NFL’s contact tracing method, the team determined what assistants had been within a certain radius of each other. The situation also comes after Jags defensive line coach Jason Rebrovich missed Sunday’s game against the Pittsburgh Steelers due to the NFL’s COVID-19 protocol.

As a result of the Jags’ staff situation, special teams assistant Mike Mallory will coach the defense and secondary coach Joe Danna will call the plays Sunday against the Cleveland Browns.

The Jags will enter Week 12 will a big task on their hands. In addition to being without three coaches, they will also be placing various players on inured reserve in defensive end Josh Allen, safety Daniel Thomas, and nickelback D.J. Hayden (ending his season). That’s certainly not good with the Browns’ No. 3 rushing attack coming into town Sunday.

 

Postgame analysis: Jags extend losing streak to seven after interesting game vs. Texans

The Jags suffered their seventh consecutive loss of 2020 thanks to the Texans, but they made it competitive all throughout.

Due to injury, the Jacksonville Jaguars entered Week 9 with a new starter at quarterback in sixth-round rookie Jake Luton, however, it didn’t end with better results than their six games before. While their game against the Houston Texans was a close one, the Jags ultimately fell by a score of 27-19, bringing their record to 1-7.

In the beginning, Luton got off to the best start he could’ve possibly asked for  tossing a 73-yard bomb to DJ Chark Jr. in the first drive (during his second passing attempt) on the third play of the game. The pass was a beautiful one where Chark beat a variation of three-deep coverage by burning the secondary. As a result, the Jags got off to the fast start they’ve been hoping for all season and went up by a score of 7-0.

However, thanks to the Jags’ struggling defense, it didn’t take the Texans long to come charging back as their next two drives ended with a touchdown and field goal, respectively. The touchdown was a 57-yarder by Brandin Cooks who turned a 2-yard out route into a foot race up the sidelines. Afterward, Kaʻimi Fairbairn added three points, putting the score at 10-7 in the first quarter.

In the second quarter, the Jags were able to put up another touchdown, this time by rookie running back James Robinson. At roughly the 12:30 mark, he was able to spearhead a drive where he put together 47 rushing yards over multiple carries. Eventually, Robinson, Luton, and their teammates got the Jags to the 1-yard line where the rookie tailback pounded it in for six. Unfortunately, Josh Lambo missed the point after attempt, and the game was knotted up at 13-13.

Lambo later made up for his miss before the second half, kicking a walk-off 59-yard field goal before the half. The kick tied Josh Scobee for the longest in franchise history, adding to the young kicker’s achievements since joining the team.

Luton didn’t start the second-half as strong, throwing a pick to cornerback Vernon Hargreaves III on Houston’s 19-yard line, which ended up giving the Texans a scoring opportunity that they capitalized on. That play came from Will Fuller V, who caught a 77-yard touchdown on rookie C.J. Henderson.

The play was one where Fuller was running up the sideline and made a great adjustment on Henderson by cutting behind him to catch the pass. Not only was Henderson’s luck unfortunate at the moment, but so was Doug Marrone’s as the play clock had long expired before the snap. The veteran head coach rightfully pleaded his case with the officials, however, the play stood and the Texans extended their lead to 27-16.

That touchdown would prove to be all the Texans needed though the Jags rallied back with 10 second-half points. Three of those points came from Lambo on the following drive (through a 30-yard field goal) and the other six came from Luton, who dialed up some last drive magic and rushed for a touchdown. Unfortunately, Luton wasn’t able to convert the necessary 2-point conversion afterward, which would’ve tied the game at 27.

While the game ended up being a loss, it certainly was entertaining to watch, something the Jags have had the luxury of dating back to Week 7 against the Los Angeles Chargers. Luton’s first start was solid enough for him to remain the Jags’ starter while Gardner Minshew II heals, though he had several passing attempts that could’ve been picked. He ultimately ended the day, 26-of-38 for 304 yards, a touchdown, and a pick, but will have to be a little more careful next Sunday as the Texans missed a few turnover opportunities.

As for the Jags’ other standouts, Chark bounced back in a big way accumulating seven catches for 146 receiving yards and a touchdown. Robinson also had a solid day, falling one yard shy of 100 after garnering 25 carries.

Defensively, Myles Jack was unstoppable, accumulating 11 total tackles, a pass breakup, and a forced fumble. The Jags were also able to garner some rare sacks thanks to cornerback Tre Herndon (who had one) and Josh Allen and Joe Schobert, who combined for a sack. The pass rush also was quite active, moving quarterback Deshaun Watson off his mark, though he had some crucial rushing attempts.

Up next for the Jags will be the Green Bay Packers, who are currently 6-2 and lead the NFC North. That said, the Jags will have their work cut out for them as they travel to Lambeau Field and attempt to upset Aaron Rodgers, who is 2-1 at home this season.

ESPN’s Football Power Index projects Jags to pick No. 2 in 2021 draft

While the Jacksonville Jaguars are coming off of their bye week, many fans aren’t optimistic about them improving their 1-6 record heading forward. The team will be going through their toughest stretch of the schedule in the second half of their …

While the Jacksonville Jaguars are coming off of their bye week, many fans aren’t optimistic about them improving their 1-6 record heading forward. The team will be going through their toughest stretch of the schedule in the second half of their 2020 season, which includes team’s like the Tennessee Titans, Green Bay Packers, Pittsburgh Steelers and Baltimore Ravens to name a few.

As a result of a very competitive second half of their schedule, ESPN’s Football Power Index was able to validate the pessimism surrounding the Jags with its latest projections. After simulating the remainder of the season for the whole league 10,000 times, their results gave the Jags a 3.2 draft average, which was the second lowest of any team. They were also given a 21.5% chance to get the No. 1 overall pick and an 87.3% chance to end up in the top-5.

Of course, the only team with worst results were the winless New York Jets, who had an average draft position of 1.8.

2. Jacksonville Jaguars (1-6)

Average draft position: 3.2
FPI chance to earn No. 1 pick: 21.5%
FPI chance to earn top-five pick: 87.3%

This is  something Jags fans have grown used to when looking at the mock drafts that have been surfacing on the web. Many of them have had the Jags picking in the top-3, which seems fair mostly because of how their defense has struggled. Additionally, the Jags have allowed 30 points or more in all of their losses, which makes it an uphill battle for victories week in and week out.

Despite the defense being the issue, many of the mocks have projected the Jags to go with a quarterback — and that especially should be the case if they are picking second overall as the power index suggests. While Gardner Minshew II has given the Jags a few magical moments, the upside of a quarterback like Justin Fields or Trevor Lawrence is something a bad franchise simply can’t pass on. Plus, if a new regime comes in, they should want their own quarterback.

If the Jags finish with three wins or less, it should result in Shad Khan cleaning house as Doug Marrone is in his fourth season as Jags head coach and Dave Caldwell is in his eight season as general manager. Granted a dramatic change, both would only have one winning season with the team, which is a sign of very little progress during their respective tenures.

Doug Marrone discusses the conversation he had with Gardner Minshew about his thumb injury

Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Gardner Minshew II is likely to miss Sunday’s game against the Houston Texans with a significant thumb injury he sustained in his first meeting with Houston this year. However, despite there being signs of an issue, …

Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Gardner Minshew II is likely to miss Sunday’s game against the Houston Texans with a significant thumb injury he sustained in his first meeting with Houston this year. However, despite there being signs of an issue, Minshew didn’t mention anything to the staff until after the Jags’ game against the Los Angeles Chargers, which is a decision that some disagreed with.

Jags coach Doug Marrone seems to be in the same boat as he told the media that he spoke with Minshew on the matter and discussed how the situation was one that he could’ve handled better.

“You kind of go back and did you see anything that might have given you an indication. I talked to [Quarterbacks Coach] Ben McAdoo, I talked to [Offensive Coordinator] Jay [Gruden], we didn’t see anything,” Marrone said,

“When Gardner came in, I just talked to him, I said,’ I can understand. One, if you’re injured, you need to report it.’ I said,’ Two, it’s not like I don’t understand the competitiveness in you where you want to continue to play.’ I said, ‘But, you have to make smart decisions and decisions that’s what’s best for team and that was it.”

Marrone’s point on Minshew’s injury is spot on as he did have moments where his situation appears to have hurt the team. There were accuracy issues and more that happened over the last few weeks that make fans wonder if having a healthier body (or hand) would’ve helped the offense more.

Additionally, Minshew didn’t do the coaching staff any favors as they are basically fighting for their jobs. Despite that, Marrone said there would be no discipline on his end.

Replacing Minshew will likely be another sixth-round rookie Jake Luton. Marrone told the media that he’d get a good look in practice this week, which would make it difficult to roll with veteran Mike Glennon against the Texans.

During his time at Oregon State, Luton participated in 23 games and accumulated a 62% completion rate (445-of-717) for 5,227 passing yards, 42 touchdowns, and 11 picks. He also spent his first collegiate season at Idaho where he participated in six games and accumulated a 63.8% completion rate (52-of-80) for 403 yards, a touchdown, and four picks.

Doug Marrone given second-highest odds to be next NFL head coach fired

Vegas has only one coach with higher odds to be fired next than Doug Marrone. That, of course, is Adam Gase.

The Jacksonville Jaguars may be on their bye week, but that hasn’t stopped oddsmakers from putting a figure on Doug Marrone’s chances to be fired. With 2020 marking his fourth season and one that isn’t going well for him, oddsmakers haven’t been too keen on Marrone’s chances to remain the Jags’ coach.

However, there is one coach who they believe has a probability to be fired and that’s Adam Gase of the New York Jets.

Adam Gase -175
Doug Marrone +325
Matt Patricia +550
Anthony Lynn +1500
Mike Zimmer +2000
Mike McCarthy +2000
Vic Fangio +3300
Matt Nagy +3500
Kevin Stefanski +6600

*Odds from October 29 by Bovada

It makes sense that Gase would be leading the way as the Jets are winless. When looking at their schedule and how they have played, that may not change, and if it doesn’t, he undoubtedly should be fired if it doesn’t happen in the season.

As for Marrone, Jags owner Shad Khan is someone whose proven to be patient, so if the team remains competitive most of their upcoming weeks, his chances seem high to survive until Black Monday. However, that may not prove to be the easiest task as the Jags’ have three divisional leaders on their schedule. They also have games against the Baltimore Ravens, Cleveland Browns, Chicago Bears, and Indianapolis Colts, all of whom are above .500.

Up next for the Jags after their bye week are the Houston Texans, who the Jags lost to by 16 points Week 5. If they have a similar outcome, it’s a chance Marrone may survive another week, but having the Green Bay Packers and Pittsburgh Steelers afterward may bring tough losses and a lot of uncertainty.

Doug Marrone says he’s ‘fired up’ and is ready to ‘go outside the box’ after Jags’ bye week

The energy surrounding the Jacksonville Jaguars isn’t all that great at the moment with the team heading into their bye week 1-6. However, one key figure within the organization is oddly pumped to see if things can be turned around and that’s head …

The energy surrounding the Jacksonville Jaguars isn’t all that great at the moment with the team heading into their bye week 1-6. However, one key figure within the organization is oddly pumped to see if things can be turned around and that’s head coach Doug Marrone.

When meeting with the media Tuesday, Marrone expressed his excitement to return from the bye week with a sense of urgency and will look to do some things outside of the box in search of a spark.

“I’m kind of fired up. And I know you guys are probably sitting like, ‘What the hell’s going on? How can this guy be fired up? They just lost six games in a row,’ and I understand that. I totally do but I’m going to bust my a**, I mean I’m telling you now. I’m going to look at some things, I want to go a little bit outside the box,” Marrone said Tuesday.

“I want to challenge these coaches and challenge these players and see [what they can do]. I’m going to do whatever I can to get the best out of this team and best out of these players. I’m sure people are going to mock me for that or say whatever the hell they want, but I really don’t give a s***. I’m fired up. I’m going to go after it and however it falls, it falls, but it’s open for me. I’ve done crazy s*** before.”

In a nutshell, Marrone is saying that if he’s going to go down, he’s going out swinging. Bouncing back from their 1-6 start will be easier said than done, though.

In all of their losses, they’ve allowed 30 points or more. They’ve also allowed over 400 yards five times this season, three of which were totals of 484 yards. Simply put, there is no magic pill to swallow to fix such issues maybe aside from landing a very good penetrating defensive tackle of the trade market, which is unlikely.

When looking at the remaining teams on the Jags’ schedule, things are slated to get tougher for Marrone’s team who dropped three consecutive games to winless teams during the first half of the season. Of the nine remaining teams the Jags play, only two are under .500. Three of the nine teams are also divisional leaders.

Still, there is nothing wrong with Marrone being excited about what’s up ahead. However, it wouldn’t be shocking to see the Jags lose a majority of their remaining games (if not all of them), as their defense has routinely put the team in bad predicaments.

Doug Marrone on Todd Wash’s job security: He’s safe as long as I’m the head coach

The Jacksonville Jaguars lost their fifth-straight game Sunday courtesy of the Detroit Lions. The team didn’t look all that great overall, but the defense once again had issues stopping the offense of the opposition, allowing yet another 400-plus …

The Jacksonville Jaguars lost their fifth-straight game Sunday courtesy of the Detroit Lions. The team didn’t look all that great overall, but the defense once again had issues stopping the offense of the opposition, allowing yet another 400-plus yard day.

Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford and company had no issues moving the ball down the field whether it was on the ground or through the air, and it’s caused cries for Todd Wash to be gone to intensify.

Of course, after Sunday’s poor showing the media asked Doug Marrone the question that was on everyone’s mind, but his reply was one that probably won’t sit well with many.

“As long as I’m here and I’m the head coach, yes, he’s safe […] I think when you go talk about changes and things of that nature I think if you have good options to go to but right now I don’t see any options. We’ve just got to keep working to get these guys better and be able to make some plays and that’s what’s hurting us. It’s not a lack of not trying to changing things, which we have been,” Marrone said to the media after Sunday’s loss to the Lions.

The Lions were able to put up 223 yards through the air. Receiver Kenny Golladay led the way for Detroit, and while he didn’t snag a touchdown or get a lot of receptions, he proved to be effective with 105 yards and a 26.3 receiving average on the day.

For the rest of the Lions receivers, the wealth was distributed evenly, however, veterans Danny Amendola and Adrian Peterson averaged rates of 15.5 and 18, respectively. That gave the Lions three receivers with averages over 15.4.

As for the Jags’ rush defense, they struggled containing rookie DeAndre Swift. While he didn’t even hit 15 carries, he was effective with 116 yards and two touchdowns. That included a long rush for 54 yards.

Another issue for the Jags’ defense was getting off the field as the Lions had a time of possession of 35:57 to the Jags’ 24:03. When combining all of the aforementioned flaws with those of the offense, the results weren’t good.

With owner Shad Khan being as patient as he has been, it appears Marrone could make it to the end of the season. That would also mean Wash could make it through the season, which means fans may want to prepare for a long year.

Doug Marrone discusses how James Robinson impressed him in training camp

James Robinson impressed the Jags and coach Doug Marrone this summer and it helped give the Jags confidence in him to be their RB1.

If there has been one player who has been consistent for the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2020 it’s been undrafted rookie James Robinson, who currently looks like one of the league’s top running backs. He’s been a force for the team after many were scratching their heads about their decision to waive Leonard Fournette, who was a former first-round selection for them.

Robinson was a player whose name kept coming up in training camp after impressing the media and staff, and when the pads went on, he really caught Doug Marrone’s eyes. During Monday’s meeting with the media, the veteran head coach said Robinson’s performance in pass protection drills particularly intrigued him and made him further research the young tailback.

“When we started doing some one-on-ones in pass protection during training camp, I was like, ‘holy cow.’ I didn’t realize how good he was at covering guys up, bodying them up, and seeing the strength and explosion he had. Then I went back and looked at the weight room stuff and looked at that. He’s one of our most explosive players, I found that out during training camp. Then it was a matter of finding out if this guy is going to hold on to the football when he gets hit in the NFL and I think that he’s proven that,” Marrone said.

“I knew he could catch and I think he’s a guy that can do everything. He can be a three-down back, he can protect, he can catch out of the backfield, obviously he can run the football. It’s a lot of things that he does [for the offense] and it will be interesting to see how he does as the season goes and being able to take care of your body.”

Marrone has always been about physicality, so it’s not shocking that Robinson’s skill set in protection intrigued him. However, due to a hamstring injury with Devine Ozigbo and Ryquell Armstead, Robinson was propelled into the No. 1 spot on the depth chart Week 1. Once he received it, Robinson never looked back.

Even in the Jags’ embarrassing showing against the Miami Dolphins, Robinson showed up and led the team in receiving yards with 83. He also garnered the Jags’ only two rushing touchdowns on Thursday. Prior, he had 210 total yards under his belt, playing a huge role in the Jags’ Week 1-2 showings.

As Marrone said, Robinson will be a key player to watch if the Jags are to have a successful 2020. With D.J. Chark Jr. and Brandon Linder likely returning this week, the opportunities will be there for him to flourish again Week 4 and beyond, which could lead to a phenomenal season for the rookie.

Listen to the latest from Jags Wire’s own James Johnson and Phil Smith on their podcast “Bleav in the Jags.” Subscribe via Apple Podcasts and check out our archived episodes via Bleav Podcasts.

Doug Marrone discusses Jags’ struggles against the pass vs. Dolphins

Doug Marrone believes the Jags issues against the pass boils down to fundamentals, something they haven’t shown since Week 1 vs. Indy.

The Jacksonville Jaguars’ defense has mostly struggled against the pass all year and that once again was the case Thursday against the Miami Dolphins. Quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick was able to complete 11 consecutive passes against the unit in the first half and the second half was pretty solid as well.

Such a showing from a Dolphins roster who many feel belongs somewhere near the bottom of the league has caused many questions for the Jags and it was one of the many key topics brought up to Doug Marrone Friday. After going over the film, Marrone expressed that he thought a lot of the Jags’ issues against the pass were technique related as the defensive backs allowed a lot of catches in the range of 12 yards.

“I think when you look at it, a lot of the passes are not really getting behind us, from a standpoint of over the top throws,” Marrone said to the media. “Most of these throws are in this under 12 or 13-yard radius, so I think it’s a combination of we have to do a couple things better.”

“I feel comfortable because they’re more technique, fundamental things that we need to do to disrupt the passing game and try to do a better job there, so I see it as that. I think last night we pressured quite a bit, but you could see at times when max protection comes into play, now all of a sudden, and you’re not getting to the quarterback, that’s a long time.”

These statements are some that Todd Wash can’t help but hear loud and clear and it appears the Jags will be stressing fundamentals in practice a lot, especially to the defensive backs.

“We’re in position, but we haven’t defended many balls,” Marrone added. “We’ve got to get our hands on more balls. In the first game, we did. In the last two, we haven’t at all. Those are the things we’re trying to improve upon.”

When evaluating the defensive backs, even the player who has been a star for the Jags’ secondary, CJ Henderson, had a rough night, allowing five targets for 62 yards against the Dolphins. He also had a mental lapse early in the game where he allowed receiver Jakeem Grant to catch a pass on him without tagging him down, which allowed Grant to get up a run for extra yardage.

Meanwhile, the Jags’ other cornerback, Tre Herndon, has had a lackluster showing to open the season. As a result, many fans have been expressing their hope to see Sidney Jones on the field in his place soon.

There have also been frequent changes at safety as Jarrod Wilson had to go on injured reserve Week 1. Andrew Wingard was inserted in his place, but it appears he may be suited more to be a special teams player than consistent starter at safety. On top of that, he exited Week 3’s game with a core injury in the second quarter, causing the staff to move to their third option at safety Brandon Watson.

While Marrone did say Wingard would return Monday, the safety play might not improve significantly based off what we’ve seen from Wingard. Still, Marrone clearly wants them to put up identical results to what fans witnessed Week 1 against the Indianapolis Colts. During that game the Jags were able to acquire two picks and five pass breakups (three of which were from Henderson).

Up next for the Jags’ defense will be first overall pick Joe Burrow and receivers A.J. Green, Tyler Boyd, and John Ross III. While many will categorize the Cincinnati Bengals as a bottom tier roster the fact of the matter is they’ve been extremely competitive in all their games. That said, it could be another long day for the Jags next Sunday, and hopefully, we see the defense clear up things fundamentally.

Listen to the latest from Jags Wire’s own James Johnson and Phil Smith on their podcast “Bleav in the Jags.” Subscribe via Apple Podcasts and check out our archived episodes via Bleav Podcasts.

2 Jaguars make PFF’s top-10 rookie rankings for Week 1

The Jags got a crazy amount of contributions from their rookies during their season opener against Indy, but two in particular were huge.

Opening weekend came and went in the blink of an eye for the NFL. Something to savor for football fans everywhere as the season kicked off after so much doubt and anticipation. It was also something to savor for Jaguars fans in particular, who witnessed their team come away with a shocking 27-20 win after many in the media tried to persuade them that the team was “tanking for Trevor.”

A big part of the Jaguars’ win on Sunday was the impact that rookies had on the overall team performance. The roster underwent a huge overhaul during the course of the offseason and many were wondering whether the team would be able to remain competitive as a result.

The 2020 rookie class more than answered the call on Sunday. There were seven first-year pros who made meaningful contributions to the team’s 1-0 start to 2020.

Both rookie receivers Collin Johnson and Laviska Shenault Jr. made their presence felt on offense. Johnson had a grab to help the Jags convert a third-down and put on an athletic display at the end of the game with a backflip while in victory formation. Shenault saw a 62% snap count and was able to register three receptions for 37 yards and a touchdown.

New offensive coordinator Jay Gruden involved Shenault out of the backfield, too, at one time deploying putting him in the wildcat for a reasonable gain. Needless to say, it got fans on Twitter very excited.

Among all of these impressive debuts, there were two rookies on the Jags’ roster who had breakout games on Sunday. In fact, their showings were so impressive that the Jags were the only team to have two players featured on Pro Football Focus’ list of top-10 graded rookies.

10. RB James Robinson, Jacksonville Jaguars

Robinson recorded 62 rushing yards on 16 carries, with 56 yards coming after contact, earning a 65.7 rushing grade that ranked 11th of 26 running backs. He didn’t get much help from the line at times, as he was contacted at or behind the line of scrimmage on nine of 16 carries, but he still managed to break off a couple of 10-plus-yard gains despite that.

Head coach Doug Marrone said his decision to move on from Leonard Fournette boiled down to what the staff saw on the practice field, an area where James Robinson seemingly flourished. The former Illinois State star was the only back in the NFL to have 100% of their team’s running back rushing attempts.

The Jaguars’ new starting running back owns a piece of history after his impressive debut, setting a new opening weekend rushing record for undrafted rookies with 62 yards. That’s, well worthy of the tenth spot on PFF’s list of rookies this week.

2. CB C.J. Henderson, Jacksonville Jaguars

CJ Henderson might have put in the best rookie debut in franchise history. It is easy to over-exaggerate after one week, but the job he did shutting down the left side of the field was nothing short of phenomenal. PFF said so themselves:

The No. 9 overall pick then earned an 84.2 PFF grade against Indianapolis in Week 1, the second-best grade of the week at the position. His grade when lined up on the outside was actually the best we have ever recorded by a rookie in Week 1 in the PFF era, and he allowed only two catches on six man-coverage targets (17 such coverage snaps) while making four plays made on the ball.

There was no doubt that the Jaguars were going to rely on their young guys to produce, but the responsibility placed on Henderson’s shoulders could have seen him crumble early.

Corner is a notoriously difficult position to translate to, yet Henderson handled the pressure like a seasoned pro. His success against a four-time Pro Bowler meant the team kept him on the field for 73 of the teams 74 defensive plays, ranked third amongst all defenders.

Both Robinson and Henderson will need to continue their growth heading forward, and if they do, the Jags have a good chance to exceed expectations. Both will be interesting to watch as the Jags take on another divisional rival in the Tennessee Titans Week 2 in Nashville.