Jacksonville Jaguars: Division clinched, but team dismantled in Week 16

The Jacksonville Jaguars clinched the AFC South championship but get destroyed by the San Francisco 49ers 44-33

Your Jacksonville Jaguars are the 2017 AFC South division champions. The San Francisco 49ers had won just four games this season. The Jaguars defense got dismantled 44-33. The NFC West division gave Jacksonville trouble all season. Arizona and the Los Angeles Rams defeated the Jaguars in previous games. In Week 14, Jacksonville beat the Seattle Seahawks. Jacksonville finished 1-3 against the NFC west division teams.

The Jaguars were riding a three-game winning streak coming into this game. Since the bye in Week 8, Jacksonville won six games out of seven. Blake Bortles and the offense appeared to be finding their groove.

Everything considered, Jacksonville should have won the game because of their season work. Due to the Jaguars defense, this game could have been a sack festival for Jacksonville. Seems like somebody forgot to tell the 49ers how tough the Jaguars defense is.

Jimmy Garoppolo lit up the Jacksonville defense from their opening drive. He completed 21 of 30 passes for 242 yards and 2 touchdowns. Barry Church intercepted Garoppolo in the end zone. Most noteworthy, Garoppolo’s quarterback rating was 102.4.

The opening San Francisco drive set the tone for the game. The Jaguars played catch up and tied the game at the half 16-16. Briefly, Jacksonville led the game 19-16 but could not stop the Niners offense.

Jacksonville did not account for the San Francisco fullback Kyle Juszczyk in pass coverage. Juszczyk caught five passes for 76 yards and virtually wide open each time. The Los Angeles Chargers exposed Jacksonville too because they had a running back torch them in the passing game.

Penalties were crazy stupid, especially all the personal fouls. Jacksonville had 12 penalties for 99 yards. Most were avoidable and the result of frustration with how the game was playing out. You like that the Jaguars defense plays with emotion but know when to tone it down.

Next: NFL Power Rankings: Rams clinch division, 49ers rolling

The Jaguars played better defense in man to man press instead of zone. Their zone defense sometimes resembles a prevent defense. Remember, the prevent defense usually prevents victory because of playing soft.

On a bittersweet day where Jacksonville lost big, history was made by clinching their first AFC South title. The regular season game schemes change in the post season. In the playoffs, it is one game at a time, because next week never happens — if you lose.