Doug Marrone: 'I would say that if I had to put a stamp on what the identity is right now is a team that showed some resiliency'

After the Jacksonville Jaguars (2-2) overcame another week of outside noise and then overcame even greater bouts of adversity against the Denver Broncos (0-4) in a 26-24 victory at Mile High Stadium on Sunday, head coach Doug Marrone began to see the shape his team was taking.

The Jaguars have been through a lot not only in the past few weeks, but in the last few months. There have been enough distractions and issues to sink former Jaguars teams.

From running back Leonard Fournette having to deal with voided guarantees, to defensive end Yannick Ngakoue getting into a public holdout during training camp, to starting quarterback Nick Foles going down with a fractured clavicle after only two drives as a Jaguar and, finally, to star cornerback Jalen Ramsey bringing a media circus to TIAA Bank Field by requesting a trade following week two. It has almost been one thing after another. But despite that, the Jaguars are .500 and tied for first place in the AFC South.

"I would say that if I had to put a stamp on what the identity is right now is a team that showed some resiliency, that has really blocked a lot of things out and really tried to focus on doing what we’re asking them to do," head coach Doug Marrone said on a conference call on Monday.

"I think that [we’re] a team that is playing together, meaning there’s a confidence about the phases, being able to contribute to help one another out. If one’s down the other one can step up. I think that’s important."

The Jaguars have had four radically different performances in four games so far, so the team is fighting to win games by sticking together instead of relying on one true formula each week. Sunday's 14-point second half comeback was just the latest example.

From playing lights out defense against the Tennessee Titans with 9 sacks but having no rushing offense whatsoever to rushing for 269 yards against the Broncos in a game where they only hit Joe Flacco three times, the Jaguars have found different ways to win. But in the inconsistency, Marrone has seen one constant.

"I think that you see a lot of glimpses of things in the past couple of games. And in order to have an identity, you have to be consistent. And really the one thing we’ve been consistent in is being resilient and being able to work and play together," he said. "And I think right now that’s the identity of this team and we’ll keep working on the other factors at the end of the day."

The Jaguars season is still young and 2-2 is not a world-beating record by any means. But the team is starting to find their identity, something they were missing all of 2018, and Marrone thinks that alone is a positive development.

"If we keep going the way we are, and we keep developing, and getting better, and learning from our mistakes, and not getting these penalties and things of that nature, I think we have an opportunity to be a good football team.”