Jaguars: Identity could be their downfall

[xmarkd400x]

The Jaguars are tough. The Jaguars run the ball. The Jaguars stop the run. The Jaguars hit teams in the mouth. The Jaguars, The Jaguars, The Jaguars.

While I do not know what goes on inside of the Jacksonville locker room, I do know what the media makes the Jaguars out to be. A team who will run the ball down your throat and give you all the size you can handle, for better or for worse. Jack Del Rio is an old-school football player with old-school fundamentals. The Jaguars do what they do, and they do it well.

Every indication, media or otherwise, leads to the conclusion that the Jaguars have an identity as a hard nosed, smash-mouth football team. If this is true, it plays directly into the hands of the Patriots. What team, better than any other, will force you to do something you are not comfortable with? What team, better than any other, can make adjustments between drives and plays? What team, better than any other, can find a strength and take it away from you? The Patriots, that's who.

For everyone, including Jack Del Rio himself, who seems to think that the Jaguars will line up and out-muscle the Patriots at the line of scrimmage is dead wrong. If the Jaguars keep at it, will they have some decent plays? Yes. Will analysts and pundits point to these big plays as the Jaguars having their way with the Patriots? Probably. Will the Jaguars be able to run the ball effectively for 60 minutes against the Patriots? No.

This weekend will be a showcase of how versatile the Patriots are, and why they went 16-0. They will use Jacksonvilles identity against them, using a scheme that will force Jacksonville out of their comfort zone (aka passing frequently).

 

[Halifax_Pats_Fan]

The Jaguars are tough. The Jaguars run the ball. The Jaguars stop the run. The Jaguars hit teams in the mouth. The Jaguars, The Jaguars, The Jaguars.

While I do not know what goes on inside of the Jacksonville locker room, I do know what the media makes the Jaguars out to be. A team who will run the ball down your throat and give you all the size you can handle, for better or for worse. Jack Del Rio is an old-school football player with old-school fundamentals. The Jaguars do what they do, and they do it well.

Every indication, media or otherwise, leads to the conclusion that the Jaguars have an identity as a hard nosed, smash-mouth football team. If this is true, it plays directly into the hands of the Patriots. What team, better than any other, will force you to do something you are not comfortable with? What team, better than any other, can make adjustments between drives and plays? What team, better than any other, can find a strength and take it away from you? The Patriots, that's who.

For everyone, including Jack Del Rio himself, who seems to think that the Jaguars will line up and out-muscle the Patriots at the line of scrimmage is dead wrong. If the Jaguars keep at it, will they have some decent plays? Yes. Will analysts and pundits point to these big plays as the Jaguars having their way with the Patriots? Probably. Will the Jaguars be able to run the ball effectively for 60 minutes against the Patriots? No.

This weekend will be a showcase of how versatile the Patriots are, and why they went 16-0. They will use Jacksonvilles identity against them, using a scheme that will force Jacksonville out of their comfort zone (aka passing frequently).

yeah, I hope so. I mean NE has some big guys on Defense too. Wilfork, Vrabel, Seymour, it's not like we are small. I know this is not new info but I would like to see them crowd the box and let Gerrard beat you. Surely it can't be that simple can it?

 

[Tunescribe]

The way this is setting up is whether the Jaguars can run the ball when we know they're going to run it and will overpower the Pats physically. That seems to be what the analysts are suggesting: we won't be able to stop the run no matter what. But even if they do move it up and down the field on the ground, it's going to take time and our offense has greater quick-strike potential. I think we outscore them no matter what.

 

[Jagwyer]

None of that matters. If the Pats win its because they have the best QB in the league. No need to look too deep into it. Brady is the best QB in the league and has won 16 games this year and lost none.

The Patriots should win this weekend and should win big.

 

[Metaphors]

The Jags will have to stay out of 3rd-and-long situations. The Jags are especially vulnerable to pressure in passing situations because their receivers take for-ev-er to get into their patterns and get open. Since the Pats won't have to worry much about deep patterns, that frees them up to bring more than 4 on the pass rush.

My prediction...AD is going to have a big game.

 

[Horace's Ivories]

Pats on O - 4 wides, Pats handle big rushers (Jax) better than speed rushers (ie. Freeney, J.Taylor)and Jax secondary isnt great - Adv Pats

Jax on O - Pats put 8 in the box, no way Jax receivers do much especially after a few huge hits to Wilford or whatever his name is- Adv Pats

Game over.

 

[flasox27]

I just hope that Jacksonville thinks we are a finesse team. We haqve taken on all the smash mouth teams this year and beaten them.

 

[Poker]

Yes, their identity is strong in the media. The question is how strong it is with the coaches and the Jags team.

Analogy: remember last year, KC vs. Indy in the wild card round? Indy was known as soft and couldn't stop the run to save their life. KC came in with Larry Johnson and an identity on offense like the Jags. Result? KC couldn't do anything on the ground, because Indy just loaded up the box and overplayed, and KC stubbornly kept trying to "stick to it's identity" and "assert it's will" on the Colts. Meanwhile, they found themself in 3rd and long passing downs frequently, and lost. It didn't help that Trent Green couldn't pass at all in the game, but Herm just stuck to the futile plan way to long.

So, if I were Del Rio, and trying to thing a step or two ahead, it seems like you can see this same scenario develop vs. the Pats--establishing the run is likely a slow death, uphill battle, and I would really try to mix it up with a lot of passes on first down, pass on second and 4 or 5, take some shots down the field, etc. That stategy probably has a chance to win.

Now, in reality I expect Jack-ed Up to play it out more like Herm and go down fighting like the tough, physical beast they are.

 

[TheComeback]

This idea of being a "physical" team is completely overrated. This isn't the 1970s. Football is different now.

The Jaguars can be "physical" all they want, but in the end you have to be getting to Tom Brady on every single drive this game. If you don't do that, you are going to lose. Quite frankly, the Jaguars' defense is overrated, along with its supposed "physical" pass rush, which, for all its identity, didn't produce as many sacks as the Patriots' this year.

The Jags' mediocre secondary had better play the game of their lives. Otherwise, say hello to 3-4 passing TD's from Brady, minimum. If Big Choker can pick apart the Jags secondary with one good receiver, an overrated line, and a decent tight end, I don't see how the Jaguars can stop the best passing attack of modern times.

Patriots D will hold the Jaguars' running game. The Jaguars are a one-dimensional offense with only a decent passing game; the Pats will adjust and hold it. The Jags might be able to get to 20+ points if the Patriots' game plan fails, but running alone won't be enough to do so.

BTW, Westbrook didn't fair too well against us; neither did LT.

Say goodbye to Jacksonville this postseason. The Jags are doomed.

 

[Gainzo]

This weekend will be a showcase of how versatile the Patriots are, and why they went 16-0. They will use Jacksonvilles identity against them, using a scheme that will force Jacksonville out of their comfort zone (aka passing frequently).

The "Jags are tough and smashmouth" rhetoric is making me laugh. If the Jags were as good as they think they are they would have won the AFC South.

I still can't get over the media love for a Jags team that lost to the Colts twice this year.

So a team that lost to the Colts twice is better than a team that beat the Colts?

 

[SVN]

iam quite sure the jags will come out throwing. They did the same thing when they first played indy and everyone said they will run the ball down on indy and they came out throwing .Similar in the 2nd game. its not until they got behind they went back to the running game.

 

[275 Rushing Yards]

The Jaguars are tough. The Jaguars run the ball. The Jaguars stop the run. The Jaguars hit teams in the mouth. The Jaguars, The Jaguars, The Jaguars.

While I do not know what goes on inside of the Jacksonville locker room, I do know what the media makes the Jaguars out to be. A team who will run the ball down your throat and give you all the size you can handle, for better or for worse. Jack Del Rio is an old-school football player with old-school fundamentals. The Jaguars do what they do, and they do it well.

Every indication, media or otherwise, leads to the conclusion that the Jaguars have an identity as a hard nosed, smash-mouth football team. If this is true, it plays directly into the hands of the Patriots. What team, better than any other, will force you to do something you are not comfortable with? What team, better than any other, can make adjustments between drives and plays? What team, better than any other, can find a strength and take it away from you? The Patriots, that's who.

For everyone, including Jack Del Rio himself, who seems to think that the Jaguars will line up and out-muscle the Patriots at the line of scrimmage is dead wrong. If the Jaguars keep at it, will they have some decent plays? Yes. Will analysts and pundits point to these big plays as the Jaguars having their way with the Patriots? Probably. Will the Jaguars be able to run the ball effectively for 60 minutes against the Patriots? No.

This weekend will be a showcase of how versatile the Patriots are, and why they went 16-0. They will use Jacksonvilles identity against them, using a scheme that will force Jacksonville out of their comfort zone (aka passing frequently).

i dont think BB has done as good a job this season of taking away what you do best...he IS very good at that, but this season he really hasnt had to do that...the Pats just overwhelm you and that makes you take yourself out of what you do...the pats will NOT stop the Jags running game especially if they run their usual 3-4 two gap technique...i dont see the Jags winning saturday night, but it wont be because your defense stopped the Jags...it will be something like 45-41 Pats

 

[275 Rushing Yards]

I just don't understand how some of these "analysts" are predicting like 42-10 scores. What on God's green earth makes them think we can't score over 10 points? That is ridiculous.

not sure...over the last 10 weeks of the season we were the second highest scoring team in the league (behind the Pats) as we beat division winners Tampa San Diego and Pittsburgh...i guess this saturday we'll see how it shakes out