Tag: Leonard Fournette

3 takeaways from Jags’ 42-20 loss to Titans

There was a lot to unpack from the beatdown the Jags received from the Titans and a lot of the takeaways aren’t good.

The Jacksonville Jaguars once again left egg on the faces of their fans Sunday after another embarrassing loss within the division. This time, the Jags were handily defeated by the Tennessee Titans by a score of 42-20.

It goes without saying Sunday’s performance, in which the Jags were outmatched in every way, was hard to watch but somehow we’ve managed to gather some thoughts on the Jags’ abysmal performance.

Here are three next-day takeaways we came away with:

Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports

It’s just a matter of time for Doug Marrone

Sunday’s performance by the Jags may have been the worse we’ve seen all year. The team’s embarrassing loss to the Titans marked their third consecutive divisional loss by 20 points or more, which is a telling sign that points to coaching.

Neither side has played well, so let’s get that out of the way first. On offense, the team has only scored 36 points in three games, most of which occurred when the game was out of hand. Those struggles were due to game planning on John DeFilippo’s part and struggles at quarterback (which I’ll save for later).

On defense, it’s been downright dreadful. Apparently, Marcell Dareus was a bigger piece to the unit than I initially thought because Todd Wash’s unit just doesn’t know what to do about the run especially. Derrick Henry once again made the unit look like an elementary school team, racking up 159 total rushing yards. In total, the unit gave up over 200 rushing yards and 471 total yards. To put it lightly, the Titans moved the ball at will after the first half and all Wash could do is take it.

The struggles of Wash and DeFilippo are ultimately a reflection of Doug Marrone. He ultimately is the overseer of the Jags’ game-planning in the end, and it appears that he and his lieutenants simply aren’t breaking through to the team. The veteran head coach has been asked about coaching changes two consecutive weeks and has seemed certain of himself when stating that no changes will be made. That said, it appears he’d like to stick with them to the end, which in all probability will result in his firing. 

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The good, the bad and the ugly of the Jaguars 42-20 loss to the Titans

There wasn’t much good to talk about after the Jags loss to the Titans Week 12 aside from running back Leonard Fournette.

Another week, another absolute shellacking from a division rival to the Jacksonville Jaguars.

The Jaguars wrapped up another disappointing week with a loss to the Tennessee Titans by a score 42-20 in a game where they were flat-out dominated. With the loss, the Jaguars fall to 4-7 on the year and are dead last in the AFC South. This is the third straight loss to a AFC South division rival and also their third consecutive loss by 20 or more points.

There is not a lot — if anything — that went the Jaguars way on Sunday. Nevertheless, here are the good, the bad and the ugly moments from the Jaguars and TitansWeek 12 matchup:

The good: Leonard Fournette continuously showing that he is a franchise running back

Reinhold Matay-USA TODAY Sports

While the Jaguars offense left much to be desired, one player who showed up to play was Jaguars running back Leonard Fournette.

Fournette put the team on his back to the best of his ability as he finished with 97 rushing yards and two rushing touchdowns. Fournette now has 951 total rushing yards on the season, which is good for sixth in the NFL. He even led the team in receptions with nine for 62 receiving yards.

Fournette’s continued growth has been completely lost in the Jaguars’ miserable season. He is currently fourth in the NFL in receiving among running backs with 391 yards. That would represent the highest total since his rookie season where he finished with 302 yards on 36 receptions.

Fournette is also on pace to rush for 1,366 yards which would shatter his rookie total of 1,040. In a season filled with disarray and disappointment, the Jaguars at least can be excited with knowing Fournette is truly panning out to be the productive No. 4 overall pick that they hoped for.

The bad AND the ugly: Every single thing on the Jaguars’ side of the ball not named Fournette

Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports

This game was so bad for the Jaguars that it can not be separated between being bad and ugly.

On the offensive side of the ball, the Jaguars were almost helpless.

The Jaguars didn’t score their first touchdown until 2:23 in the third quarter when the game was already out of hand at a score of 35-11. Jaguars quarterback Nick Foles finished with 272 passing yards with a large majority of most of those yards coming in the fourth quarter when the Jaguars were down as much as 42-17.

On the defensive side, the main issue all season was the Jaguars’ sieve-like rush defense. This game was no different as the Jaguars’ defense was completely victimized by Titans running back Derrick Henry to the tune of 159 rushing yards and two touchdowns. Henry even broke out for a 74-yard run in the third quarter.

The real story was Titans quarterback Ryan Tannehill, who started the season as the backup to Marcus Mariota. He absolutely eviscerated the Jaguars’ defense and showed some toughness overall leaping into the air for a 21-yard rushing touchdown. The Jags’ defense allowed Tannehill to not only pass for 259 yards with a 14.4 yards per pass average and two touchdowns, but he also ran for 40 yards and two touchdowns on the ground. In total, Tannehill finished with a 93.0 quarterback rating and a 155.8 passer rating and completely demoralized the Jags’ defense.

The Titans not only dominated the entire game, but also erased the hopes of a respectable season from Jaguars fans. The loss put them further down the standings in the AFC South and could possibly lead to them acquiring the last spot in the division.

A loss is one thing, but another extremely brutal loss to a division rival is flat out embarrassing at this point. Something needs to change and the bleeding has to stop eventually. Jaguars head coach Doug Marrone will have to take a deep look at the game film and the makeup of this team and figure out where their hearts are at this point in the season.

Instant analysis: Titans hand Jags third consecutive blowout loss within the division

The Jaguars were embarrassed once again by a divisional opponent and their playoff hopes went out the door with the loss.

The Jacksonville Jaguars entered Week 12’s game against the Tennessee Titans with it being a do or die situation for their playoff hopes but fell flat on their faces as they did in their last two games. In fact, the game got downright ugly as they fell to their longtime rivals by a score of 42-20.

The game was close (7-3) heading into half-time but the wheels fell off in the third quarter. In the first series, the defense gave up a huge 36-yard reception to receiver A.J. Brown, which set the Titans up for an easy 1-yard touchdown reception to Denis Kelly. Afterward, the struggling rush defense allowed a 75-yard touchdown to Derrick Henry.

After a fumbled kickoff return by Michael Walker that put Tennessee on the Jags’ seven, they were able to punch in another touchdown with Henry, putting the score at 28-3. The bleeding didn’t stop there, however, as Brown added a 65-yard touchdown reception before the third quarter could end.

The Jags tried to respond with two touchdowns of their own by running back Leonard Fournette but the damage was done at that point. Not to mention, the Titans added a fourth quarter touchdown courtesy of quarterback Ryan Tannehill.

In a nutshell, the loss came down to another embarrassing performance from the defense, which allowed 471 total yards, 219 of which were rushing yards. Additionally, the Jags’ $80-plus million man Nick Foles struggled once again with hitting his receivers when it counted. With the Titans pouring it on, he had 48 passing attempts which led to a padded total of 272 passing yards on the night. Simply put, the loss is one that signals the team has hit rock bottom and changes could be on the horizon.

The Jags’ next game will be at home against the Tampa Bay Bucs, who are coming off a 35-22 win over the Atlanta Falcons. That game will take place on Dec. 1 with a 1 p.m. kickoff.

Jaguars vs. Titans: 3 players to watch in Week 12’s AFC South battle

Taven Bryan is one of many players who will be key to a Jags victory against the Titans due to his abilities behind the line of scrimmage.

This week the Jacksonville Jaguars travel to Nashville to face off against their third consecutive division rival: the Tennessee Titans. After falling to the Houston Texans and Indianapolis Colts the last two games, the Jags are hoping to turn things around against a Titans team on a hot streak. New quarterback Ryan Tannehill has brought back life into the Titans team and looks to have them back in the playoff hunt.

If Jacksonville has any hope of getting back into the playoff picture, it starts here. Here are some key players to watch in this matchup that may just turn the tide in favor of the teal and black:

Mandatory Credit: Douglas DeFelice-USA TODAY Sports

Center Brandon Linder

Brandon Linder has been a team leader since his early days with the Jags when he was one of the league’s top offensive lineman. Unfortunately, as of the last two seasons, he has been largely inconsistent and doesn’t look like the dominant force we have all come to know. The running game has struggled as of late and penalties have plagued the line all season.

Through the first eight games, Leonard Fournette was on a record pace as a rusher. Since, the back has seen just 19 carries and the offense has similarly struggled to get going. Whether it is the fault of play-calling or execution, the offense needs to get back on its feet and the offensive line is the key. With Jurrell Casey posing a threat on the other side of the line of scrimmage, Linder will need to play his best ball.

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Jaguars vs. Titans: 3 matchups to watch

The Jags will need to win some key matchups Sunday to overtake the Titans and one of them is the battle between Fournette and Rashaan Evans.

The Jacksonville Jaguars (4-6) and Tennessee Titans (5-5) will clash for their second time in 2019 with their playoff hopes hanging on by a thread. Needless to say, that means neither team can take a loss in Sunday’s matchup, which will come down to a few key matchups. Here are three we’ll be watching in particular:

Edge rushers Yannick Ngakoue and Josh Allen vs. offensive tackles Taylor Lewan and Jack Conklin

While the Jags aren’t quite where they want to be record-wise, fans who like breaking down the film should at least be happy to see this matchup regardless of the outcome. It’s rare to see two tandems of this magnitude duke it out on the edge and I’ve personally been waiting to see this matchup since Josh Allen was selected by the Jags.

In the Jags’ and Titans’ Week 3 meeting, Taylor Lewan was suspended and his absence showed as quarterback Marcus Mariota was sacked nine times. Now he’s back and the playing field is level. With that being the case, it will be interesting to see how Yannick Ngakoue and Allen respond to the tandem as Lewan and Jack Conklin are regarded as one of the NFL’s top bookend duos.

RB Leonard Fournette vs. ILB Rashaan Evans  

Leonard Fournette wants more carries and the Jags want to give him that. That said, if the Jags give him the ball as most suspect he’ll have to deal with the Titans leading tackler in Rashaan Evans. These two are quite familiar with each other after their time in the Southeastern Conference and now the rivalry has followed them to the league due to being selected by the Jags and Titans.

Evans will enter the game with 82 tackles while Fournette will enter the game with 854 rushing yards and one touchdown. As we’ve mentioned in the past, he’s struggled against the Titans. Throughout, four starts against them, he’s garnered 62 carries for 211 yards (good for a 3.4 YPC average) and a touchdown, which is not an impressive stat line. Simply put, that needs to change Sunday if the Jags want to win.

LB Myles Jack vs. RB Derrick Henry

This kind of goes back to what was said in our bold predictions post when I mentioned that Myles Jack is the most criticized player on the Jags’ defense — and rightfully so. He hasn’t played to his contract extension this season and will need to flip the switch quick as he’s played so poorly to the point where many have been wondering if he needs to change positions.

Jack likely understands he’s fallen short of expectations more than anyone and could play with his hair on fire against the Titans. With Derrick Henry expected to lead their offense, he’ll receive ample carries and Jack could make a statement Sunday by holding him in check and acquiring double-digit tackles on the day.

3 bold predictions for Jags vs. Titans

The Jags will need some players to step up after two straight losses and Dede Westbrook is one to watch against the Titans.

The Jacksonville Jaguars have reached the point where their playoff aspirations are on life support as they will be taking on the Tennessee Titans, who are almost in the same situation. One thing the Jags will at least have in their favor is the fact that they beat the Titans earlier this year and fans are hoping history repeats itself.

When considering their last two performances, the Jags clearly will need several players to play out of their minds and here are three bold predictions for Sunday’s game:

Mandatory Credit: Douglas DeFelice-USA TODAY Sports

Dede Westbrook will exit the game with over 130 yards, a receiving touchdown, and special teams touchdown

While it’s Leonard Fournette who most Jags fans want to see more involved, it’s possible struggle against the Titans, who have the No. 13 ranked rushing defense. Additionally, he’s struggled to find success against the Titans and will enter Sunday’s game with just 211 rushing yards throughout four games against them.

However, when looking at their defensive statistics, they’ve struggled mightily against the pass and rank 22nd in the category. When looking at their last three games, they’ve allowed two receivers to accumulate over 157 yards against them (Mike Evans and Tyreek Hill), while Carolina Panthers receiver DJ Moore accumulated 101 yards against them. That said, I think they may focus so heavily on DJ Chark Jr. to the point where Dede Westbrook has a breakout game against them and racks up over 130 yards against them with a touchdown. Don’t be shocked to also see him contribute on special teams against Tennessee, too, as he’s due for a punt return touchdown.

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Leonard Fournette ready to roll after encouraging chat with father and Hall-of-Famer Marcus Allen

Leonard Fournette talks about reaching out to a few encouraging people in the process of going through a rough patch in his career.

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The Jacksonville Jaguars have struggled offensively as of late and most would say it’s been because they’ve gotten away from running back Leonard Fournette. In their last two games, they’ve only given him 19 rushing attempts for 63 rushing yards, which clearly isn’t the recipe for success.

Needless to say, Fournette’s lack of touches hasn’t just been frustrating for the fanbase but him as well, however, the third-year tailback told the media he’s now refueled after speaking with the coaches, his father and Hall-of-Fame tailback Marcus Allen, who he’s known since high school.

Nothing like receiving advice from a top-15 rushing leader who has seen it all, right?

There were rumblings from the local media that Fournette left Sunday’s game  extremely frustrated, and quite frankly, it’s hard to blame him. After how their battle with the Houston Texans ended Week 9, most believed offensive coordinator John DeFilippo would get back to utilizing Fournette, who was the AFC’s top rusher not that long ago. However, that wasn’t the case against the Colts and the results may be proof of what the issue is.

Both DeFilippo and Marrone took full responsibility for the Jags’ game-planning as of late and it seems things may be hashed out now. With the Jags looking desperately for a playoff push, fans should look for their approach to change and expect Fournette to receive 20 carries or more Sunday against the Tennessee Titans.

Will the Jags-Titans Week 12 game be on TV in your area?

The Jags and Titans game is a must-win for both teams, however, the coverage on the game won’t be huge around the nation.

The Jacksonville Jaguars will be traveling north for the second consecutive week to face another group of divisional opponents in the Tennessee Titans. After sustaining a loss Sunday thanks to the Indianapolis Colts, the Jags will head to Nissan Stadium in desperation mode, but with the Titans currently at 5-5 with the No. 9 seed in the AFC South playoff race, they will be equally desperate.

Sunday’s game will mark the second time the Jags and Titans have met. The first time was a rather memorable night as Minshew Mania got its start at TIAA Bank Field. However, this time around, the Jags will take on the Titans with veteran Nick Foles behind center, who will be looking to improve upon a lackluster Week 11 against the Colts.

Meanwhile, the Titans will have a new starting quarterback themselves who didn’t participate in Week 3’s game in Ryan Tannehill, who has actually given the offense a little bit of a resurgence.

All of that said, this will be a must-watch game for those within the Jags’ and Titans’ fanbase and the fans who live in the blue region of the TV coverage map below will be able to tune in via CBS.

(Map courtesy of 506sports.com)

Announcing the game will be Ian Eagle (play-by-play) and Dan Fouts (color commentator).

The Titans lead the series between the two teams with a 29-21 record. The Jags will have to defy history if they want to win as they’ve lost their last five games in Nashville. On top of that, they will go into the games as underdogs, as BetMGM has the Titans down as 3.5 point favorites.

Jaguars vs. Titans: 3 keys to a Jaguars victory

The Jaguars will face yet another division foe this weekend, the Tennessee Titans. Here are three keys to victory against Tennessee.

The Jacksonville Jaguars will face yet another division foe this weekend: the Tennessee Titans. After getting beaten handily in back-to-back weeks, the Jaguars are hoping they can right the ship and get back on track.

The Titans team the Jags will face this Sunday is a completely different team than the one they faced Week 3 as they’re playing better football and currently have a 5-5 record. Does that mean the results will be the same though?

Here are three keys to victory against Tennessee:

Mandatory Credit: Michael Madrid-USA TODAY Sports

Give Fournette the ball

Through the first nine games of the season, the Jaguars heavily leaned on running back Leonard Fournette. At one point and time, Fournette was the AFC’s leading rusher and scrimmage leader. The past two games, however, the team has seemingly forgotten how much of an impact Fournette has on this offense.

In his most recent games against the Texans and Colts, Fournette has been given just 19 carries and has only accumulated 63 yards and no touchdowns. The team has curiously gone away from their bread and butter: a strong run game. Coincidence or not, the Jaguars have also struggled mightily in those games. If the Jaguars wish to return to winning, they need to go back to their identity.

It all starts with Fournette.

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Doug Marrone admits he has to do a better job with getting Leonard Fournette more carries

The Jags have only given Leonard Fournette 17 touches in to games and Doug Marrone knows that has to change.

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The Jacksonville Jaguars tough loss to the Indianapolis Colts Sunday still has a bad taste in the mouths of the fanbase as the team was outplayed in almost every way after the first quarter. Another issue a lot of fans had with the way things went was the lack of utilizing tailback Leonard Fournette, who only had eight carries for 23 yards.

In Monday’s conference call with Marrone, he took full responsibility for the loss and lack of Fournette being in the gameplan, stating that the Jags simply got in a situation where they were behind and it caused them to get away from the guy who is basically the offense’s engine.

“That probably comes back to my end, that I’ve got to do a good job,” Marrone said. “In the second and third quarter we weren’t able to get much going offensively as a group. Not just Leonard [Fournette], or the line, or anyone. We had back-to-back three-and-outs before the interception. I was looking back about my mindset on the game, and I can only explain what my though process is, and where I made a mistake, or where I make mistakes.”

Many fans voiced their frustrations towards offensive coordinator John DeFilippo after the game as he was on record for saying Fournette was the key to the offense this summer. However, in the last two games he’s gotten away from the young tailback, who only has 17 carries in the Jags’ last two games despite being the AFC’s top rusher just a few weeks ago.

With the Titans coming up and having some momentum on offense, Fournette would be perfect to slow down Ryan Tannehill and company, especially with how the Jags’ defense is playing. Additionally, Marrone’s seat will likely continue to get warmer, as will the rest of the staff’s, so it might be wise of them to get back to the basics and lean on their first-round selection of 2017.