From swings in momentum, positive developments, and disappointing performances, there is plenty to discuss in the Jacksonville Jaguars week 1 analysis.
Jaguars Week 1 Analysis: What Went Wrong
The first week of the 2024 season was a frustrating start for the Jaguars. The offense was on and off all day, and the defense gave up a lot of explosives. It was a very winnable game for the Jaguars. The offense got off to a strong 14-to-zero lead midway through the second quarter. With over six minutes left, the Miami Dolphins took the ball and drove 70 yards down the field for a touchdown with one minute on the clock. To narrow the lead to only seven points, that touchdown was followed by great plays from Brian Thomas and Gabriel Davis to set up a long field goal from the rookie Cam Little. Little drilled the 53-yarder with three seconds left in the first half. That field goal would be the last time the Jaguars scored all day.
Starting with the ball in the third quarter, the Jaguars’ drives were the following; Three and punt; Three and out punt; Fumble into the Dolphins endzone; Turnover on downs on four plays at the Jaguars 32 yard line; Punt after getting into Miami territory; Three and out punt.
This sequence to end the game was chock full of mistakes, and especially frustrating for Jaguars fans as there were plenty of poor decisions and massive blunders that culminated in the Jaguars letting the Dolphins back into the game. There is one backbreaker from this sequence that was the largest swing in momentum for the game. That was the fumble by Travis Etienne Jr. inside the Dolphins’ 5-yard line.
The Huge Momentum Swing
There was no point during the Jaguars game that changed the momentum like the Etienne fumble inside the red zone of the Dolphins. A mistake like that is not only a drive killer but also a huge momentum changer. The Dolphins were on the verge of going down 24 to ten if the Jaguars could punch the ball in from the three with a fresh set of downs. Instead, it was the Dolphins ball at the 20-yard line following his fumble being recovered in the end zone for a touchback.
The very next play, Tua Tagovailoa launched a ball deep to Tyreek Hill, which with Hill’s speed, made for an 80-yard touchdown reception to bring the Dolphins right back into the game. A swing in momentum can be felt, but in this case, there is a statistical swing as well. If Etienne doesn’t fumble, and the Jaguars score, the Jaguars would be up 24 to ten. Instead, it ended up being a 17 to 14 score near the end of the third quarter. A 14-point swing in a close game drastically changed the outlook of the Jaguars week one matchup.
The Positives
As with any game, there are bound to be some positives across the entire team. Firstly, rookie wide receiver Thomas Jr. is looking like a star already, with a very respectable day in the air in his debut with Jacksonville. He had 47 yards on four receptions, along with a touchdown in the back of the end zone, something the Jaguars couldn’t figure out in 2023. His play left a lot to be encouraged by, and there should be plenty of passing volume going forward for the rookie.
Second-year running back Tank Bigsby also stood out positively. On 12 rushing attempts, Bigsby had 73 yards and earned the highest PFF grade among all Jacksonville offensive players in week one. A long run of 26, combined with good tough running, made for a huge performance for a player many had already written off after a tough rookie year. If he can play as well as he did against Miami, there’s a chance he gets a solid workload the rest of the season.
On the defensive side of the ball, the linebackers and defensive linemen also showed out. Foyesade Oluokun and Devin Lloyd were great in coverage and also helped to stifle the run game of Miami, which was a key matchup heading into this game. Both were by far the highest-graded players according to PFF on the Jaguar’s defense. Arik Armstead got a sack in his Jaguars debut, and Josh Hines-Allen also contributed two pressures. But Travon Walker, the player the Jaguars need to see take a step forward, had a good day getting to the quarterback, as Walker had two sacks.
Cam Little‘s 53-yard field goal is also a nice positive, as his range is in the ’50s providing a significant boost to the Jaguars’ offensive potential every week. There are a lot of positives to build upon, but there are still plenty of negatives.
The Negatives
With a tough loss, there are bound to be a plethora of negatives. There are a few that stand out. Tyson Campbell getting hurt in the first week, suffering a hamstring injury, might be the biggest negative from the game. While not a direct reason why the Jaguars lost, his injury late in the game was the biggest negative from the Jaguars’ week one matchup. Teams can get over a loss, but losing a player, especially one as talented as Campbell, will make the rest of the season challenging as the Jaguars try and figure out their secondary woes. Campbell, before his early exit, was the highest-graded cornerback in pass coverage according to PFF.
Another negative is the pass protection. There were too many pressures given up by the offensive line, and Anton Harrison was the main issue along the offensive line. According to PFF, on 26 pass-blocking opportunities, Harrison allowed four pressures and two sacks. That is a below 90 percent pass block winning percentage and is significantly lower than it should be. Sunday against the Dolphins pass rush might’ve been the worst game Harrison has had as a Jaguar.
The other notable negative for the Jaguars was veteran wide receiver Christian Kirk. On his four targets, Kirk had one reception, one incompletion, and two drops. Two drops in one game are rare for Kirk, and they came in important situations as well. The Jaguars’ offense needs Kirk to perform better to be an elite group, but Kirk will need to bounce back in a major way in the second week against a tougher defense.
Finally, the most frustrating part of the Jaguars week one matchup was the poor playcalling on the offense. Press Taylor made a few massive mistakes, and Doug Pederson is far from safe from any blame. Going for it from the Jaguars’ 31-yard line is a very aggressive call, but the play call in that situation for an outside run is a massive mistake. It invites defenders to get to the ball, especially for a defense that has lateral speed like the Dolphins.
Overall, the offense was almost entirely one-dimensional down the stretch. Following the Etienne fumble, the Jaguars ran the ball seven times in a row, only stopped by an incomplete pass from Trevor Lawrence. Their final drive of the game started with another run, followed by two sacks. Extremely conservative play calling, combined with the poor pass protection from Harrison and frustrating mistakes from star offensive weapons, made for a frustrating and disappointing result from the Jaguars’ week one matchup against the Dolphins.
Looking Forward to Week Two
There is one word to describe this Jaguars’ performance, disappointing. From the offense not being nearly as good as it initially looked, to the star running back fumbling the game away, the Jaguars struggled mightily on offense. Defensively, there is still a lot of work to be done, mainly in the secondary. With the injury to the highly-paid Campbell, and the lackluster performance from the other defensive back not named Ronald Darby, the Jaguars’ defense needs to right themselves before things get too far out of hand.
In their week 2 matchup, the Jaguars have a chance to rebound against the Cleveland Browns thanks to poor quarterback play from Deshaun Watson in recent years. The infamous quarterback will have his hands full with a great defensive line, and won’t get any breaks from the stellar linebacker group. The injuries and issues with the secondary might not matter for the Jaguars’ defense, as the Browns looked incapable of moving the ball.
While week 1 was incredibly frustrating, there are some things to build upon going forward. The offense has a ton of room to improve, and the defense can flash against a poor offense as the Jaguars head back home to Jacksonville to take on the Browns.
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