Jacksonville Jaguars: Great chance for a west coast victory
By Larry Brake
The Jacksonville Jaguars go west to face San Francisco this Sunday. Previous trips out West have not been kind to Jacksonville.
The Jacksonville Jaguars travel to play the San Francisco 49ers out west. In 2004, Jacksonville played in San Diego and in Oakland. They defeated Oakland 13-6, which is the last time that the Jaguars have won out west.
Since winning in Oakland, the Jaguars have lost eight consecutive times. In 2013, Jacksonville played Weeks 2 and 3 in Oakland and Seattle, respectively and lost both games by an average score of 32-13. The last time, that Jacksonville played in San Francisco, was a 20-3 loss in 2009.
Marcedes Lewis played in that game. He caught three passes for 40 yards from David Garrard. Garrard threw for over 300 yards and was sacked six times. The teams are now headed in different directions.
Jacksonville clinched a playoff spot last Sunday. San Francisco has struggled this season with a 4-10 record. However, they have won three straight games with new starting quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo.
The Jaguars have an excellent chance to snap their streak of west coast losses. They are in yet another must win game to stay ahead of Tennessee. Tennessee plays the Los Angeles Rams this week and finish against Jacksonville. If the Jaguars win in San Francisco, they will win the AFC South crown.
Jacksonville’s front seven must put constant pressure on Garoppolo. Whether it is from sacks or hurries, the Jaguars can not allow Garoppolo to find his groove. Last week, Jacksonville pushed their season sack total to 51, which is the best in the NFL. Expect several Jaguars to sack the Niners.
Blake Bortles needs to play within himself. Currently, he is coming off three straight games with a quarterback rating over 100. He is not trying to throw into tight windows and has not thrown an interception since the Arizona game.
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The Jaguars must run power football on the Niners defense. Through 14 games, San Francisco is giving up 119.1 yards per game. Jacksonville is the NFL’s top rushing offense averaging 149.1 yards per game. The Jaguars have to impose their will and control the game via the running attack. There is no reason to relax or take San Francisco lightly. Jacksonville can not lose their focus but take care of business.