What Did We Learn From Jacksonville’s 45–10 Loss to the Chargers?
After another major loss, the Jacksonville Jaguars proved that they have a problem - a big problem personal wise, coaching wise. Everything. Up and down, this may be one of the most poorly ran teams in the National Football League.
This isn’t a loss that you can pinpoint on any particular player, moment or circumstance. The Jaguars got embarrassed offensively and defensively by the Los Angeles Chargers. They dropped the ninth game of the season, losing 45-10 at home, to fall to 4-9 on the season. This is Jacksonville's eighth losing season in the last nine years.
What did we learn from this game? We learned that this is a team that is playing without much motivation, it seems like a team that is completed deflated and are intent on improving its draft position.
“I thought so, from where I was looking at," head coach Doug Marrone said when asked if he thought the team gave good effort all game. "You’re always going to get questioned when you lose. People make mistakes and if you are saying mistakes are a lack of effort, then yeah, there’s a lack of effort out there if that’s what you are relating mistakes to. Again, it’s on the film, it’s on the tape, so whatever is out there is out there.”
The Jaguars allowed yet another running back get over 200 all-purpose yards as Austin Ekeler had 101 yards on the ground and 112 through the air on only 12 touches. He averaged more than 12 yards per rush and 28 yards per reception. Tackling and the defensive scheme was the biggest issue for the Jaguars against the Chargers.
Ekeler's wild night was made even more impressive when considering the fact that he was the first Charger since 1985 to achieve 100 yards rushing and receiving in a game.
“So I tell you right there, if a guy like LaDainian Tomlinson come through here and don’t do it – I think that’s pretty hard to do," Chargers head coach Anthony Lynn said after the game.
We learned that Phillip Rivers had his 38th birthday and played like it was 2007, throwing for 314 yards, three touchdowns and completing 73% of his passes.
Todd Wash’s defensive scheme was never going to work against an experienced quarterback like Phillip Rivers, he completely picked apart the inexperienced linebacking unit of the Jacksonville Jaguars.
We learned that the offense was so mediocre that it hurt to watch. Everything was just so average on the offensive side of the ball. Nothing exciting; it was all basic crossing routes gaining four or five yards a play. The most exciting play that was produced on the offensive side of the ball was a fake punt executed by Logan Cooke -- a nine-yard gain.
We learned this is a team that has many holes to fill as a football team as well as an organization. The team has talent, but depth is a huge problem. When guys like Ronnie Harrison goes down, he needs to have a reliable back up to come in relief, and the Jaguars just don’t have that. This offseason is about to get really really interesting.
