Category: Jawaan Taylor

Chargers vs. Jaguars: 3 causes for concern against Los Angeles

There are a lot of concerns for the Jags heading into Week 14, but the pass rushing duo of Bosa and Ingram should be atop the list.

The Jacksonville Jaguars 2019 season has been a forgettable one and most fans have been anticipating its end. The Los Angeles Chargers’ season has been equally disappointing, however, most tend to think they have a better chance to win Sunday’s game between them and the Jags.

With a 7-3 all-time record against the Jags and a better overall team than Jacksonville, there are several concerns we have here at Jags Wire for Week 14’s game. Here are three of our biggest concerns as they will look to end a four-game skid this Sunday:

Mandatory Credit: Jake Roth-USA TODAY Sports

The Chargers pass rushing duo of Nick Bosa and Melvin Ingram

The Jags will be up against one of the fiercest passing defenses in football as the Chargers only allow an average of 199.3 passing yards a game. That’s good for fourth in the league, which means the Jags could struggle to find guys like DJ Chark Jr. and Dede Westbrook through the air.

Part of the reason for that is because of the dynamic duo they have as pass rushers in Melvin Ingram and Joey Bosa, both of whom have grades of 77.9 and 86.2, respectively, via Pro Football Focus. The two will enter Sunday’s game with a combined total of 14 sacks and will be looking to get after rookie quarterback Gardner Minshew II.

The most concerning part about going up against the Chargers pass rush is how Cam Robinson is playing at the moment as he hasn’t been overly impressive. Jawaan Taylor could also have issues against the dynamic pair as he’s had issues with penalties and leads the league in the category with 13.

This issue brings me to my next topic of concern.

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3 Jaguars to watch on offense vs. Bucs

Two teams desperate for a win square off. Here are three players on offense to watch as the Jaguars square off with Tampa Bay.

This week the Jacksonville Jaguars will take the field against one of their two Floridian rivals in the Tampa Bay Bucs. Both teams will enter the game with their own respective issues and identical records of 4-7. With that being the case, the question on everyone’s mind is which struggling team will come out on top and could it inspire some confidence into these troubled franchises?

Here are three players on offense to watch as the Jaguars square off with Tampa Bay:

OT Cam Robinson

The offensive line of Jacksonville may in fact determine the fate of the game. The Bucs bring NFL sack leader Shaq Barrett and monster run-stuffer Vita Vea to face off against the ailing Jaguar front line.

Look for Cam Robinson to set the tone early. Robinson has the talent to be one of the best young tackles in the NFL, but has struggled at times this season. Him and our next entry on the list will be counted on heavily to keep Nick Foles safe and to open up lanes for running back Leonard Fournette.

The offense’s success starts and stops with the offensive line. The Jaguars are counting on Robinson to develop into their franchise tackle. A big game Sunday against one of the NFL’s best pass rushers could go a long way towards proving he is the blind side tackle of the future.

OT Jawaan Taylor

Taylor’s situation is very similar to that of Robinson. The team will be counting heavily on these two to protect Foles from the Bucs’ defensive front seven. The argument could be made that Taylor has been the Jaguars’ best offensive lineman this season, despite his struggles with holding penalties. The start to his NFL career is certainly promising and fans hope to see Taylor have success against Barrett.

According to Pro Football Focus, Jawaan Taylor is currently graded out as the second best rookie offensive tackle with a grade of 62.3. That’s certainly not bad for a player who just celebrated his 22nd birthday this past week. His pass-blocking grade of 67.2 also ranks second among all rookies.

Look for Taylor to have a big day against one of the NFL’s best. Thus far into his career, the Jaguars look to have found their future right tackle. Now it all just needs to come together.

QB Nick Foles

I’m not sure there is anyone in the NFL who needs a big game more than quarterback Nick Foles. With the memories of Minshew Mania still fresh in the minds of Jags fans, Foles’ struggles have been even more frustrating for those who have invested their time into the team.

To put it lightly, Foles’ starts since returning from collarbone surgery have been lackluster. Fans are already calling for the benching of the Jaguars 88-million dollar quarterback. If Foles is to quiet the masses, he will need to get the stagnant Jaguars’ offense rolling in a big way. Another blowout is not acceptable.

Foles has all the pieces to be successful (aside from tight end). Receiver DJ Chark Jr. has had a fantastic season and Fournette is playing some of his best ball. With such weapons, there is little excuse for the offense to get off to a slow start.

With two struggling teams with drastically different identities, which Florida team ends up on top? We’ll know that later Sunday afternoon.