Jags Offensive Offense

With Jaguars fans scrambling to find reasons for the disappointing loss to the Tennessee Titans on Sunday, there is one thing you can directly point to for the loss. The Jacksonville Jaguars offense couldn't get out of it's own way on Sunday.

As much as everyone would like to place to blame of the struggling offense on one or two players, it's really not that simple. What is simple however, is to look at the big reason the Jacksonville Jaguars lost; They squandered their great field position all game long. Let's take a look at where the Jaguars drives started and how they ended.

1st Quarter
Tennessee 43 - 3 plays, -10 yards, Punt
Jacksonville 25 - 5 plays, 15 yards, Punt
Jacksonville 32 - 10 plays, 21 yards, Punt

2nd Quarter
Tennessee 5 - 3 plays, 5 yards, Touchdown
Tennessee 34 - 3 plays, -3 yards, Punt
Jacksonville 34 - 6 plays, 31 yards, Fumble

3rd Quarter
Jacksonville 20 - 4 plays, 12 yards, Interception
Jacksonville 46 - 6 plays, 35 yards, Missed FG
Jacksonville 37 - 6 plays, 18 yards, Punt

4th Quarter
Jacksonville 36 - 2 plays, 9 yards, Interception
Tennessee 43 - 3 plays, 0 yards, Punt
Jacksonville 46 - 7 plays, 45 yards, Field Goal

As you can see, the Jacksonville Jaguars had fantastic starting field position all game long, including four drives that started in Tennessee territory resulting in only seven points. This was an issue that we saw in the preseason, but most figured it was "just the preseason". The Jaguars offense needs to make some serious changes before the Buffalo game this Sunday, who man-handled the Seattle Seahawks 34-10.

The offense can start straitening things out by patching up the offensive line. The Jaguars line on Sunday was a M.A.S.H. unit, for the lack of a worse term. Starting guard Vince Manuwai went down, as did back up Uche Nwaneri. The Jaguars already have a back up playing center in Dennis Norman. Next, Dirk Koetter and Mike Shula need to get with David Garrard and figure out away for him to get rid of the football. Garrard didn't have much time on Sunday, but when he did he held on to the ball way too long and often ran himself into a sack for a loss instead of simply throwing the ball away.

Despite the Jaguars poor play on offense all around, the Titans gave the Jaguars multiple chances to win with great field position all game long and the Jaguars offense squandered it with an inept version of offense that seemed to set passing and running back at least 50 years. Still, the Jaguars looked terrible in an opening day loss to this very Titans team a year ago, and they finished with one of the most successful seasons in team history. All is not lost yet.