Jaguars Continue Woeful Play In 2013
JACKSONVILLE (CBSMiami) – There are lots of bad teams in the NFL each year, but the 2013 Jacksonville Jaguars may go down as one of the worst teams to ever set foot on an NFL field.
This season, the Jaguars have lost every single game and it's not close. The Jaguars have been outscored by double-digits in all eight games and the most points the Jaguars have scored in a game this year is 20 in week five against the St. Louis Rams.
It gets worse the deeper into the numbers one looks with the 2013 Jaguars.
The Jaguars are dead last in points and yards gained this year and dead last in points allowed and 28th in yards allowed. Offensively, the Jaguars are last in touchdown passes, 28th in interceptions thrown, 27th in net yards per attempt, 31st in rushing yards and 31st in yards per attempt.
Defensively, the Jaguars are 28th in touchdown passes allowed, 31st in interceptions, 32nd in opponent rushing attempts, 32nd in opponent rushing yards, 32nd in opponent rushing touchdowns, and 31st in opponent yards per attempt.
One of the worst teams in recent memory is the 2007 Miami Dolphins that went 1-15 on the season. The Dolphins kept it close in several games that year, losing by 3 to the Jets, Giants and Redskins. Miami's defensive numbers against the rush were woeful though in 2007.
Miami ranked dead last in opponent rushing attempts, rushing yards, and was 30th in opponent rushing touchdowns and yards per attempt. However, the Dolphins pass defense was fourth in opponent yardage, but 28th in opponent passing touchdowns and 23rd in interceptions.
The Dolphins defense in 2007, believe it or not, only gave up 400 yards in a game twice. On the other hand, the 2013 Jaguars have given up at least 400 yards of offense in half of their games including 479 to the Seattle Seahawks in Week 3.
In the last two games, Jacksonville has given up 66 points, 832 total yards and forced just one turnover and one sack. On third downs in the last two games, the Jaguars have given up a first down 62 percent of the time.
Historically, there's always a chance that Jacksonville could luck into a victory at some point in the season. The Jaguars have improved the running game and it's pass protection isn't as bad as Miami's, just ask Ryan Tannehill.
Plus, the Jaguars have some pieces in different places that could build a solid foundation. The Jags will return last year's number 2 overall pick, Luke Joeckel next year and will have wide receivers Cecil Shorts and Justin Blackmon on the outside.
The Jags still have a solid running back in Maurice Jones-Drew, as long as he can hold up. There's hope for rookie safeties Johnathan Cyprien and Josh Evans and Paul Posluszny tackles everything in sight of him.
But, the need for difference makers at quarterback, defensive end, cornerback, tight end, defensive tackle, and better offensive line play continue to hamper any shot the Jaguars have at competing in the NFL.
Jacksonville is off this Sunday and returns to play several games that could be winnable. The Jaguars play Tennessee twice, Houston twice, Cleveland, and Buffalo, all teams under .500, through the end of the season.
Still, job number one in Jacksonville is to stay within double-digits of an opponent and then try to win a game and not go down as a winless team like the Detroit Lions did a few years ago.
