Vikings-Jaguars Preview: Five Questions With Jacksonville Beat Writer
The Jaguars are headed north this week to take on the Vikings in a must-win game for Minnesota. While most people know that the Jags are riding a ten-game losing streak, I'd imagine many Vikings fans don't know much else about the team's next opponent. So I reached out to John Shipley, who covers them for SI's JaguarReport, to ask five questions about the 2020 season and this week's game.
Yes, the Jaguars have lost ten games in a row. But three of the past four have been decided by four points or fewer, with two of those coming against playoff teams. What are a couple reasons for the improved competitiveness from this team?
That is the thing with this Jaguars team. Their record is terrible, but they are considerably better than a few other past bad Jaguars teams – 2013, 2014, and 2016 all come to mind. The issues that have haunted them this year are the same issues that have always been there – quarterback and injuries – but this year they have been magnified by the Jaguars' youth. Yet that same youth is what has kept the Jaguars so competitive in games this year. It sounds cliche, but they truly give max effort for all 60 minutes and it can sometimes work out in their favor.
The Jaguars have a lot of intriguing young talent on both sides of the ball, but most importantly it is at important positions like receiver and cornerback. James Robinson has also been a massive piece to the puzzle. He has instantly upgraded the running back position, giving them a consistent playmaker at an otherwise volatile spot. Jacksonville needs a talent boost in certain spots, but they have enough pieces to make things interesting some weeks.
Gardner Minshew is healthy, yet the Jaguars are giving Mike Glennon another start this week in Minnesota. Were you surprised by that decision, and why do you think Doug Marrone is sticking with Glennon?
I wasn't too surprised after Glennon looked like a serviceable quarterback against the Cleveland Browns. Glennon had a few overthrows but otherwise played a mistake-free football game and helped the Jaguars scored more offensive touchdowns in one game than they had scored in Jake Luton's final two starts. Gardner Minshew had a terrific start to the season but it seemed like he just never took that next step as a quarterback. He wasn't really bad by any means, but he couldn't elevate a young and sometimes poor roster.
I also think there is always a chance that Minshew's entire ordeal with his thumb injury has played a role. Once you are off the field, you give someone else a chance to impress. The last we saw of Minshew, he was struggling. Now that Glennon has at least looked competent, the question as to why change what isn't broken is a big one.
It appears that the Jaguars found a gem in UDFA running back James Robinson. What are your thoughts on the rest of the rookie class through 11 games, particularly first-round picks CJ Henderson and K'Lavon Chaisson?
Jacksonville drafted 12 players this year, the most in any single draft class in franchise history. Robinson has been easily their biggest rookie contributor, but they have still gotten plenty of production from their rookie class. First round cornerback CJ Henderson has missed some time with injuries but he has grown over the 2020 season and has all of the tools to grow into a franchise cornerstone on the defense. K'Lavon Chaisson hasn't been as encouraging. He has just one sack this season and there have not been many examples of him simply beating an offensive tackle on his way to the quarterback. He deserves more time and is also being miscast as a defensive end, but it hasn't been great for him thus far.
WR Laviska Shenault has been really impressive whenever actually given chances. The Jaguars just haven't really used him as anything more than a screen and YAC specialist. DaVon Hamilton was legitimately one of the better nose tackles in football from Week 7 onward but he suffered a knee injury last week that will keep him out this week. After them, the main contributors have been WR Collin Johnson, who has a really intriguing skill set, strong safety Daniel Thomas, and special teams ace Chris Claybrooks.
This has nothing to do with Sunday's game, but I'm curious. If you're the new Jaguars GM and you're picking second overall in the 2021 draft, are you taking Justin Fields, Zach Wilson, or Trey Lance?
Here is how I would rank them right now: Fields, Wilson close behind, then Lance a further bit behind both. I think Fields is the next Dak Prescott and will make whatever franchise invests in him very happy for the next 10 years. Wilson, meanwhile, just has highlight throw after highlight throw on his resume. There isn't anything he really does that poorly, with the only real knock on him being this is his first year playing at this level.
I think Lance can be great in the right situation, but I'm not sure the Jaguars qualify there. They need a Day 1 starter and I think Lance is better off being taken in a Jordan Love-type situation. Good football player but just not the right player for the Jaguars.
OK, back to the game for my last question. With the Vikings' playoff hopes on the line and the Jaguars playing for pride, what's your score prediction for this one – and why?
I think the Vikings win 37-17. This one isn't exactly an easy one to predict because the Jaguars have hung close in quite a few games, but this seems like they could be walking into an offensive buzz saw. With [top pass-rusher] Josh Allen, Henderson, and Hamilton all out, how can the Jaguars be expected to keep Dalvin Cook, Adam Thielen, and Justin Jefferson from the end zone?
Thanks to John for answering my questions! You can follow him on Twitter here.
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