Moeller: Jaguars Can't Afford Another Reality Check

By Jeff Moeller, Florida Sports Wire

JACKSONVILLE - There was that feeling.

It wasn’t the anticipated atmosphere at EverBank Stadium for a 4-1 Jaguars team that has the chance to move to 5-1 for the first time since 1999.

There wasn’t the buzz you might have expected for a team that already looked postseason bound, and there was a good share of empty seats among the announced tickets distributed crowd of over 61,000.

It was the same type of an electric playoff atmosphere of the Chiefs’ win last Monday night. Instead, it was a Chiefs’ hangover.

You had the feeling the Jaguars would have a clunker like they have had at the start of the season the past several years.

Unfortunately, for the most part of Sunday afternoon’s 20-12 loss to the Seahawks, it was.

This was a reality check for the Jaguars, and a reminder that you have to show up on both sides the ball.

It was an afternoon lost mainly on the offensive line that allowed seven sacks and 17 quarterbacks hits and 20 pressures – 16 in the first half - on Trevor Lawrence. Jonah Mondheim was at center for injured starter Robert Hainsey, but you can’t put it all on him.

The Jaguars’ O-line, which allowed just six sacks in their first five games, was handled throughout the game by the Seahawks D-line, which won the battle primarily without blitzing.

During the first half, the Jags uncharacteristically began the game with a sack, a holding penalty, and a three-yard loss that backed them up inside their own five-yard line. Ultra-reliable kicker Cam Little missed an extra-point attempt and a field goal attempt.

The Jags were also flagged 10 times for 76 yards, one an inopportune offsides call on Travis Hunter that wiped out a 54-yard touchdown pass to Brian Thomas.

By the way, Thomas, who did catch eight balls for 90 yards and had a wide-open touchdown catch in the opening quarter, did drop a wide-open pass in the third quarter that may have helped change the momentum.

Jacksonville’s defense kept them in the game, but they had their share of miscues. New corner Greg Newsome, who joined the team from Cleveland Thursday in a trade for Tyson Campbell, was burned for a 61-yard touchdown pass in first half.

It also marked the first game the Jags’ defense didn’t force a turnover after they had a league-leading 14 through five sacks. They managed one sack and four quarterback hits on Sam Darnold.

The backbreaker was Seattle’s opening second-half drive, as the Seahawks efficiently marched down the field on an eight-play, 77-ayard march that resulted in 20-6 cushion.

However, Lawrence – who did have a good game overall going 27 of 42 for 298 yards and two touchdowns - didn’t have any late fourth-quarter magic like he did against the Chiefs.

And the defense allowed a big gain down field that salted the game away for the Seahawks in the final three minutes. The Jags also had an untimely penalty on Seattle’s field goal attempt that allowed the Seahawks to run out the clock instead of giving the Jags one last shot.

Through the first few weeks, the Jaguars played like a playoff team, and they still have all of the components.  

Call it a clunker or a reality check. It didn’t help that Indianapolis rallied to raise their record to 5-1 and stayed atop the AFC South.

If they are to make a playoff run, the Jaguars can’t afford another one.

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