Doug Marrone Sticking With Mike Glennon as QB Following Loss to Vikings
Despite an ugly showing from Mike Glennon in Week 13, his time as the Jacksonville Jaguars' starting quarterback will extend one more week -- as will Gardner Minshew's time in the doghouse.
Jaguars head coach Doug Marrone said after the game that the Jaguars would continue to move forward with Glennon as their starter. The 1-11 Jaguars lost 27-24 to the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday, in large part due to Glennon's costly mistakes.
“I think we’re going to look at Mike. We’re going to evaluate it, but I think we’re going to try to clean some things up for him and see how we can obviously do a better job," Marrone said following Sunday's loss.
"I think that I’m going to go with him. I think he still gives us the best chance to win as of right now so I’m going to stick with him right now for this week.”
Glennon finished the game completing 28-of-42 passes (66.7%) for 280 yards, one touchdown, two interceptions, a fumble, and a safety. He recorded a passer rating of 73.5, 26 full points below Kirk Cousin's passer rating on the day.
With the Jaguars losing by just three points, one could make an easy argument that an even average performance at quarterback likely wins them that game and snaps the longest single-season losing streak in team history. Despite this, Glennon will get the start again next week while a healthy Minshew watches from the sideline.
“Yeah, I mean, that’s up to the coaches," Glennon said after the game. "I feel in control. I think I’ve developed a good relationship with the guys, taking command and kind of bringing, hopefully, a veteran presence to the team, just through my prior experiences and knowledge. But that’s not my call."
Glennon's struggles started on the first drive of the game. Facing second down from the Vikings' 28-yard line, Glennon targeted a wide-open DJ Chark near the goal line. Glennon sailed the pass over Chark's head though, with the ball landing in the hands of a Vikings defender.
Luckily for Glennon and the Jaguars, the defensive back failed to secure the ball. The deflection would pop right into the hands of Laviska Shenault, giving the rookie receiver and Glennon a 28-yard touchdown, but not one Glennon could take much credit for.
“That was lucky. Got some luck, [it] went our way. But yeah, that wasn’t a very good ball and it was just all luck," Glennon said after the game.
Glennon's struggles didn't end there. The Jaguars would drive to the goal line on their next possession but would walk away with just three points after Glennon threw an errant pass in the end zone on third down.
This would be far from the lowest range of outcomes Glennon provided the Jaguars with, however. The Jaguars struggled to move the ball for most of the second half, having just 20 yards of offense in the second half with a few minutes remaining in the third quarter.
Jacksonville's first drive in the second half was a punt, but it was then that Glennon went full turnover machine. Glennon would fumble during a third-down scramble on the ensuing drive, giving the Vikings a short field. Had the Vikings not fumbled the ball on the one-yard line shortly thereafter, the game likely ends there.
The next drive wasn't much better. Jacksonville gained two yards on two runs and then asked Glennon to deliver a third down strike from his own end zone. With the Jaguars in empty protection, Glennon should have known a quick pass was needed due to there being just five blockers.
But Glennon was oblivious to the pass rush, failing to step up against two separate defensive ends who had taken wide paths to the quarterback. He was sacked for a safety, giving the Vikings two points in what would end up being a three-point loss in overtime.
Finally, Glennon set the Vikings up to win in overtime by airmailing another pass over Chark's head and directly into the hands of Harrison Smith. On third-and-8, Glennon once again failed to come up big for the Jaguars. Instead, he was the one to push them deeper into a hole.
It looked eerily similar to some of the interceptions that got Luton benched after Week 11, but this one came at overtime in a tied game. The Vikings would eventually drive for a game-winning field goal following Glennon's third turnover.
"Yeah, that’s the play that I’ll be replaying in my head all night, would love to have it back. Should’ve just checked the ball down there in that situation," Glennon said. "[I] was trying to make something happen and [it was] not the right time and place to do that. So yeah, that one’s on me and like I said, [it’s] one I would like to have back.”
“Yeah, still, just in that situation, it’s not worth it. It’s a play that we’re trying to take a shot on and the way the safety played, I should’ve just checked it down and went with the punt.”
The move to stick with Glennon despite a three-turnover game that was even worse than the numbers show isn't an overly surprising one, but it still speaks volumes about how Marrone and his offensive staff feel about Minshew.
Minshew hasn't played since Week 7 due to a thumb injury. Jake Luton started three games for him while he healed, but Glennon was named the starter in Week 12 as Minshew was inactive. Minshew was active and the backup this Sunday, but it remains to be seen if we will see him on the field again in 2020.
On Oct. 29, ESPN's Adam Schefter reported that Minshew had multiple fractures and a strained ligament in his right thumb. He didn't tell the team about his injury until after a Week 7 loss, despite first feeling pain in his thumb in Jacksonville's Oct. 11 loss to the Texans.
Through seven games, Minshew has completed 65.9% of his passes for 1,855 yards (6.9 yards per attempt) with 13 touchdowns and five interceptions, giving him a quarterback rating of 94.4. He is 1-6 as a starter this season after going 6-6 as a rookie starter in 2019.
