Five questions with Jaguars expert about Seahawks game
By Lee Vowell
The Seahawks play the Jaguars on Sunday. Both teams are vying for playoff spots. We asked Daniel Lago of FanSided’s Jaguars site, Black and Teal, five questions about Sunday’s game.
Seahawks need a win. Jaguars need a win. Both teams are trying to win their divisions. Both teams are 8-4. Seattle and Jacksonville both have excellent defenses. To get a view from the Jacksonville side, I asked Daniel Lago of FanSided’s Jacksonville Jaguars blog, Black and Teal, five questions about the Jags.
Difference in Jags between this year and last
12th Man Rising: The Jaguars defense is putting up impressive numbers. Jacksonville is first in points allowed, total yards and sacks. What is the biggest difference between 2017 and previous seasons?
Daniel Lago: There are a handful of differences and two stand out – the added talent and the coaching upgrade.
The first one is easy to pin down – the Jaguars added two All Pro caliber talents in Calais Campbell and A.J. Bouye and they have played up to the hype thus far. Campbell already set the franchise record for sacks in a season and Bouye has teamed up with Ramsey to comprise half of the best cornerback duo in the NFL. The Jaguars have plenty of other homegrown talent, but nailing two big time free agents like that is a huge success.
The upgrade in coaching can’t be understated however. Doug Marrone has instilled a culture of accountability and discipline and the level of intensity on this team is startling. They have an attitude on defense and it fuels them beyond anything we saw under former head coach Gus Bradley.
Blake Bortles
12th Man: Offensively, the Jaguars are a bit more limited. Blake Bortles has had a great season in the red zone, though. What does Jacksonville need to do offensively to win the game on Sunday and how will they do this?
Lago: Blake has had an up and down season, and to his credit he’s stepped up in recent weeks to guide this offense. That being said, the Jaguars need to get their running game going again if they want to be competitive this Sunday and beyond. Leonard Fournette was a force over the first several weeks but he’s been a shell of himself since his ankle injury against the Rams. The offensive line hasn’t played well either over the last several weeks. Especially against this Seahawks defense, the Jaguars need to be able to run the ball and take the pressure off Bortles.
Statement game for Jags?
12th Man: Several Jaguars have said this isn’t a “statement” game on Sunday. Do you believe this and what would a win mean for Jacksonville?
Lago: As much as they may say it isn’t, this is absolutely a statement game for the Jaguars. They routed the Steelers earlier in the season but it kind of got swept under the rug because Pittsburgh was struggling at the time – outside of that, the Jaguars don’t really have a “big” win this year. The Seahawks are a perennial playoff team with a Super Bowl pedigree. A win this week would go a long way towards legitimizing the Jaguars as a real contender.
Biggest concern for Jags
12th Man: What should the Jaguars biggest concern be going against Seattle?
Lago: No question, it’s Blake Bortles. Even without Richard Sherman, the Seahawks have a ton of great defensive players and Bortles has struggled against above average defenses. If the Jaguars can’t run the ball, they’re going to rely on Bortles and the odds are good that he’s going to turn the ball over.
Who wins?
12th Man: Who wins Sunday and why?
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Lago: This game is a toss up to me, especially if “good Blake” shows up for the Jaguars. That being said, I always lean towards the team with the better quarterback and that’s Russell Wilson. I think the Jaguars defense will keep him in check for better part of 3 quarters, but he’ll eventually get his and the Seahawks will win 17-13.