Tag: Garnder Minshew

Week 11 final injury report: Jags rule 2 out vs. Steelers, 3 others ruled questionable

The Jags might be without their starting cornerbacks with C.J. Henderson on IR and Sidney Jones IV being ruled questionable.

Initially, it looked as though the Jacksonville Jaguars would be in good shape health-wise for their game against the Pittsburgh Steelers but there are now some concerns as five players surfaced on their final injury report. Specifically, there were three players ruled questionable and two ruled OUT.

The players who were ruled out were quarterback Gardner Minshew (thumb), cornerback Sidney Jones (Achilles), and receiver Collin Johnson (hamstring). However, of the three, Minshew isn’t expected to play though he was limited this week and was expected to begin throwing against air again, according to coach Doug Marrone. As a result, rookie quarterback Jake Luton resumed practice as the starter.

As for Jones and Johnson, they both surfaced on the injury report on Wednesday and were limited from then to Thursday. Of the two, the absence of Jones may be the toughest to deal with because the Jags would be without their two starting corners on the perimeter after C.J. Henderson went on injured reserve this week. That said, if Jones can’t go, Tre Herndon and rookie Chris Claybrooks would likely start while D.J. Hayden will be activated from injured reserve (which is expected) to play nickelback.

As seen above, Laviska Shenault Jr. (hamstring) was ruled out for his second consecutive week and tight end James O’Shaughnessy (knee) won’t play either. This comes after neither player participated in practice Wednesday and Thursday. However, based on the news Ian Rapoport provided earlier in the month, Shenault should be back shortly as he received a positive evaluation in a recent MRI.

The good, the bad, and the ugly from the Jaguars’ 39-29 loss to the Chargers

The Jacksonville Jaguars can’t seem to find the winning formula.

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The Jacksonville Jaguars can’t seem to find the winning formula as they drop another game this time to the Los Angeles Chargers. With the loss, the Jaguars fall to a dismal 1-6 record on the season and have lost their sixth consecutive game.

Tensions have slowly risen between the Duval fanbase and ownership as the team has shown zero signs of improvement. It also doesn’t help that it appears changes won’t be made until after the season at the latest.

It wasn’t complete doom and gloom for the Jags on Sunday though, as there were slightly good moments mixed in the bad ones. Here is your good, bad and ugly moments from Week 7’s Jaguars and Chargers game:

The good: No quit in these cats

Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

While the Jaguars have consistently faced huge deficits early, they’ve shown an ability to continue to play hard and at the very least make their games interesting.

One example is the Jaguars falling behind early by a 16-0 deficit in the first half of the game, which many felt they wouldn’t bounce back from. However, the Cardiac Cats showed a bit of resiliency, answering with two James Robinson touchdowns that put the score at 16-14 before the half. The Jaguars would score their third straight touchdown on an incredible blocked punt return by special teams safety Daniel Thomas, giving the Jags the lead by a score of 21-16.

While the Chargers would go on to put up 20 points in the third quarter to pull away, the Jaguars showed a lot of fight from guys that aren’t exactly household names. That’s a good sign for a team dealing with such circumstances further proving that tanking isn’t something the players believe in.

The bad: The protection’s lack of protecting

Reinhold Matay-USA TODAY Sports

Jaguars quarterback Gardner Minshew II has been under fire all year from his offensive line. Coming into the game, the Jaguars ranked No. 5 in sacks allowed as Minshew has taken 17 sacks on the year. The Chargers’ defense woefully increased that total as Minshew was sacked five times Sunday. Two of those sacks came on third down.

The Jaguars were without the services of right guard A.J. Cann as he was ruled out due to a shoulder injury. He was replaced by rookie Ben Bartch, who was starting in his first game and was understandably overwhelmed by an extremely talented Chargers front seven. It felt as though the rest of the Jags line dealt with similar struggles.

No matter what quarterback will be behind center for the Jaguars, the line will have to do a much better job of providing protection overall.

The ugly: The defense once again falls apart

Reinhold Matay-USA TODAY Sports

The Jacksonville Jaguars defense has been atrocious this year in coverage and in the run game.

While the offense has had their fair share of struggles, the Jags defense has put them into the most disadvantageous of situations by getting absolutely gashed repeatedly. Against the Chargers, the Jaguars defense gave up six plays of 20 or more yards. Two of those plays led to touchdowns by tight ends Donald Parham Jr. and Virgil Green.

The Jaguars defense also gave up a whopping 29 first downs on the day as the Chargers offense moved the ball completely at will. The Jaguars came into the matchup against the Chargers allowing the third-most first downs in the league and Sunday’s game was no different.

The Jacksonville Jaguars defense did not have a great day no matter how you look at it. They gave up 484 yards of offense, finished with only one sack, and failed to cause a turnover.

They also finished the day with this dubious streak:

The Jaguars will face the Houston Texans, the Green Bay Packers, and the Pittsburgh Steelers in the next three weeks coming out of their bye week. That streak could possibly get extended by a fair amount in that time if head coach Doug Marrone and the Jaguars defense doesn’t get it together.

Postgame analysis: Jags offense shows some life, but defense comes up short vs. Chargers

The Jags offense had a better showing Week 7, but it ultimately wasn’t enough to stop the Chargers strong offensive surge from winning the game.

The Jacksonville Jaguars came up short in yet another trip to face the Los Angeles Chargers on the West Coast, ending their Week 7 game with a score of 39-29. The loss moved the team to a 1-5 record while the Chargers acquired their second win of the 2020 season.

Week 7’s battle was one that was a little on the wacky side, having it’s up and down moments, but the Jags at least made it watchable for their fans. Their offense in particular had some highlight moments, despite the questionable play at quarterback courtesy of quarterback Gardner Minshew II.

The star for the Jags in Sunday’s losing effort was undoubtedly running back James Robinson, who finished the game with an impressive stat line of 22 carries for 119 rushing yards and one touchdown on the ground. He also contributed a touchdown reception along with four catches for 18 yards.

While the Jags didn’t win, the rookie further proved he’s an ascending star in the league. His performance on Sunday gave him the most receptions of any undrafted running back in NFL history throughout seven games. He also posted the most yards from scrimmage of any undrafted player throughout seven games along with a few other notable feats on the day.

Robinson’s efforts (along with a few others) ultimately gave the Jags a second quarter surge to put the game at 16-14 heading into the half. That momentum carried into the third quarter as safety Daniel Thomas blocked a punt and returned it for a touchdown.

Before the third quarter could end, the Jags’ defense was able to answer more adversity with a 28-yard Chris Conley touchdown reception, putting the score at 27-22 in favor of the Jags. The pass was Minshew’s best of the day as he dropped it in the bucket for Conley to hit in stride. The Jags also went for a successful 2-point conversion afterward, putting the game at a score of 29-22.

Unfortunately, the defense gave up an easy touchdown to receiver Jalen Guyton on a 70-yard bomb up the sideline from rookie quarterback Justin Herbert. The Jags also had a fumbled kickoff return by receiver Dede Westbrook, which set the Chargers up for an eventual rushing touchdown by Herbert for five yards.

At the 6:26 mark of the fourth quarter, the Chargers were also able to kick a field goal, which put the score at its final figure.

Overall, this loss probably should be pinned on the Jags’ defense, which once again allowed over 30 points. They also allowed over 480 yards once again, which made for some very difficult circumstances. Add in a key turnover on special, which was the only one of the day, and the Jags had the perfect recipe for another loss.

Thankfully, the team will now get to rest after their tough battle in Los Angeles as their bye week is now here. Once they return for Week 9, they will have a divisional game against the 1-5 Houston Texans on Sunday, Nov. 8.

3 Jaguars to watch on offense vs. Titans

The Jaguars will need Andrew Norwell and Jawaan Taylor both to have a solid day in the trenches if they are to beat the Titans Sunday.

The Jacksonville Jaguars have the opportunity to stay undefeated and be alone at the top of the division with a win in Nashville Sunday afternoon. After a surprise win at home against the Indianapolis Colts in Week 1, the Jags will be hoping to continue that momentum into this game against another division rival as they look to steal a match on the rest of the AFC South.

To many people’s shock, the Jaguars’ offense was largely effective in last week’s win. Gardner Minshew II went 19-of-20 and leads the NFL in the completion percentage category, whilst rookie running back James Robinson looked like a starting calibre rusher in his NFL debut.

Simply put, the unit will need to score points in abundance if they are to keep pace with running back Derrick Henry and the Titans this week. With that in mind, here’s three Jaguars to watch on offense in Week 2.

Laviska Shenault Jr.

Laviska Shenault Jr. quietly had one of the better performances on the team last weekend. The staff said they would use him in a variety of ways this offseason and they stuck to their word early. Shenault was given the ball out of the backfield twice and even lined up at wildcat quarterback at one point, in addition to receiving multiple targets as a receiver.

When looking at his stats, Shenault was the only rookie receiver to catch a touchdown last weekend, scoring on a nice in-route for a 15-yard touchdown. If the Jaguars want to keep the defense guessing, Shenault will be used to create mismatches on defense early and often Week 2.

Andrew Norwell

Norwell has come under a lot of criticism by Jaguars fans and media in recent years. It is safe to say that the team expected a lot from the former All-Pro having made him the richest interior lineman in the entire NFL when he signed in 2017.

Fortunately, he looked vastly improved in Week 1 (registering a 73.3, per Pro Football Focus) as the Jaguars were able to keep Minshew’s pocket clean and saw his production improve as a result. Given the talent in the Titans’ front-seven, Jacksonville needs Norwell to repeat last week’s showing if they want to keep their quarterback off the grass.

Jawaan Taylor

Two offensive lineman you say? It could be one of those games.

Taylor makes the cut here because he flashed very brightly last week. Taylor showed vast improvements in the second half of 2019 and started this year relatively strong. Whilst the Jaguars did allow multiple sacks last weekend, the former Florida Gator lit up Colts’ All-Pro linebacker Darius Leonard on a screen play.

The second-year tackle will be lining up against Jadeveon Clowney for much of this game. That means it will be imperative for Taylor to slow down the former first overall pick.

Taylor and the Jags’ offensive line will have to be physical with the Titans’ defensive line to set the tone Sunday. If they can stay on the field that keeps Henry off of it and gives the Jags an opportunity to win the time of possession battle.

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.

Will the Jags-Titans Week 2 game be on TV in your area?

The Jags and Titans game will air at 1 p.m. ET on CBS and this week’s coverage will be wide-spread in various southern states.

Just two weeks into the NFL season the Jacksonville Jaguars have found themselves in a predicament where they could be in first place in the AFC South. Simply put, a win against the Tennessee Titans Sunday would do that, but with their last victory in Tennessee coming in 2013, the Jags will have some history to overcome.

Just as it was last week, the Jags’ game will be shown on CBS in the 1 p.m. window for Sept. 19’s lineup of games. Per 506 Sports, those who live in the green shaded areas will be able to see the game.

This week, Andrew Catalon will serve as the play-by-play analyst while James Lofton will serve as the color commentator.

The Jags will enter Sunday’s game with a 21-30 all-time record against the Titans and a 9-16 record against them at Nissan Stadium. However, if there is one part of history they can look at positively, it’s the fact that Gardner Minshew II is 1-0 against Tennessee.

Minshew started in the Jags’ Week 2 meeting against the Titans in 2019 and had an impressive night against them to kick off the movement known as Minshew Mania. He completed 20-of-30 passes for 204 passing yards and two touchdowns that night.

In addition to Minshew needing to have a good game, the Jags’ defense will need to tighten up against the run as running back Derrick Henry has been a huge issue for them. If they can make both keys to victory happen, then they have a solid chance to end up 2-0 heading into their primetime matchup against the Miami Dolphins.

 

Listen: Jags Wire, Bleav in the Titans break down Week 2’s game

The Jacksonville Jaguars have a big game coming up Sunday against the Tennessee Titans and it’s one with huge implications. Simply put, a win would put them at first place in the division, something nobody thought would even be a thing for them when …

The Jacksonville Jaguars have a big game coming up Sunday against the Tennessee Titans and it’s one with huge implications. Simply put, a win would put them at first place in the division, something nobody thought would even be a thing for them when looking at the roster turnover.

Both teams were previewed in the latest crossover episode of the “Bleav in the Jags Podcast” which also featured the “Bleav in the Titans Podcast” hosted by Davey Hudson and former Titans defensive back Denard Walker.

In episode 34, the hosts of both teams specifically discussed the takeaways that came from Week 1, the keys for victory for both teams, and some predictions for the outcome of Week 2’s game.

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.

The return of Gardner Minshew sets social media on fire

See how fans on Twitter reacted to the triumphant return of Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Gardner Minshew, who replaced Nick Foles.

With the Tampa Bay Buccaneers holding a commanding 25-0 lead at halftime, the Jacksonville Jaguars decided they’d seen enough from quarterback Nick Foles for the day.

Foles, the team’s big free agent signing who returned to the lineup the other week for the first time since Week 1 when he injured his shoulder, had a nightmare first half against the Bucs. He threw an interception on the team’s opening drive and then fumbled the ball on the next drive after getting sacked by Bucs linebacker Shaq Barrett. Tampa Bay rookie Devin White scooped the ball up and took it into the end zone for the score.

The Jaguars, looking for a spark, turned back to the mustached man, himself, Gardner Minshew, who played admirably in Foles’ absence. Minshew threw a touchdown pass at the beginning of the fourth quarter to help cut the Bucs’ lead to 25-11.

See how Twitter reacted after Minshew’s triumphant return.

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