The optimism in Jacksonville came to a screeching halt last Sunday as the Jaguars were upset by the Houston Texans, 13-6.
While the loss to Houston wasn’t the final loss of the season for the Jaguars, it meant a lot in terms of the team’s overall trajectory this season.
Up next, the Indianapolis Colts have turned this game into what appears to be a must-win situation, though there’s plenty of time to make up for it if things go the other way.
The Jaguars put up a lot of yards and very little to show for it in last Sunday’s game against the Texans.
Defensively, they were able to keep the opponent from having several opportunities, at least until the very end.
More on the Jaguars:
Here’s a breakdown of some of the key stats and numbers that stood out during Sunday’s loss.
0: The jaguar lays a goose egg in the red zone
The Jaguars couldn’t come up with the necessary plays they needed to score points against the Texans.
On three trips into the red zone on Sunday, Jacksonville had just six points and one interception.
It was a season-worst red zone performance for Jacksonville, a team that has converted just 47.37 percent of its drives in the zone through five games this season.
They’ve converted just 50 percent (5-of-10) of field goal situations this season, including their shutout against the Texans in that scenario due to an interception.
One of the issues with Jacksonville’s struggles in the red zone has been the ineffectiveness or lack of running the football in that area of the field.
Through five games, the team has scored just 25 runs in the red zone on 19 trips into the zone.
In Sunday’s game against the Texans, the Jaguars scored just three runs, two to running back James Robinson and one to Travis Etienne.
Lawrence carried the ball five times, resulting in three fumbles, one interception and a three-yard gain by tight end Chris Mangertz.
Jaguars head coach Doug Pederson said Monday that the team needs to improve in that area.
“You’re 0-3 in the red zone. You’re out there and you have a chance to put points on the scoreboard and score a touchdown, but you don’t,” Pederson said Monday. “To sit here today is very frustrating, you look at it. You can beat them in the stats, but it doesn’t matter. The final score is the most important thing.”
248: Jaguars limit Texans offense despite turnover
Although it didn’t lead to a win, the Jaguars defense had a solid game plan against the Texans.
The team allowed a total of 248 net yards, allowing just 132 net yards through the air and 116 net yards on the ground. The Texans had a below-average 38.5 percent third-down efficiency and had just one red-zone opportunity.
The Jaguars’ scheme against Texans CB Davis Mills, who was 16 of 25 for 140 yards, was not particularly well liked.
The team held standout wide receiver Brandin Cooks to just four receptions for 20 yards and slowed running back Dameon Pierce enough to allow him to rush for 99 yards on 26 attempts.
“I feel like every week our defense is learning to just focus on defense,” Jaguars cornerback Shaq Griffin said Sunday in the locker room. “I think we do that a lot better no matter where the game goes and we try to focus on making plays when we can.”
Although the Jaguars offense had three punts, three turnovers and two interceptions in 10 possessions on Sunday, Jacksonville’s defense was out of step, forcing Houston to punt six times, including on the final track with just 41 seconds left.
Note: One of Jacksonville’s interceptions was on a long pass attempt in the final seconds of the contest and the team’s final possession of the game.
The Jaguars defense has committed nine turnovers this season, the same number in 17 games last season. While they fell short of a turnover on Sunday, they did enough to get the win even with a poor average possession at Houston’s 26-yard line.
1: Christian Kirk had a season-low in receptions
For the second straight week, Jaguars receiver Christian Kirk had fewer than three receptions. He caught just one pass for 11 yards on three targets. Last week against the Philadelphia Eagles, Kirk had two catches for 60 yards, although 45 of them came on one big play by the veteran receiver.
Kirk’s low impact was due in part to the run of play and Jacksonville’s game plan, which opted to use the tight end position for much of the contest, including 10 targets for TE Evan Engram. But the main reason for Kirk’s lack of impact was because the Texans took the young wideout in a Cover-2 scheme.
On Monday, Pederson was asked about Kirk’s lack of involvement, saying there were some opportunities to spread the ball more, but opportunities were missed.
“It was unfortunate when during the week you expect a certain structure and you have some plays designed for Christian and then they come out and play this Cover-2 shell. It took away a few of those plays and we still have to find ways to get Christian to the football,” Pederson said.
“For us, he is such a dynamic player that we are doing everything we can to get him into football. You never want to be in a situation where he has three or four targets. He needs to be there, nine, ten, eleven goals, maybe.”
Kirk scored at least six goals in the first four weeks of the season. He had 12 goals (Week 1), six (Week 2), nine (Week 3) and nine (Week 4).
He has caught 21 passes for 338 yards and three touchdowns so far this season.
3: Jaguars fail on fourth down
There is no doubt about it Pederson is aggressive with calculated risks on Sundays. That didn’t change against the Texans, where Pederson went on fourth down three times without converting.
One of the fourth down attempts happened out of necessity. With three minutes left in the game and the Jaguars down by seven, Pederson conceded a fourth down play at the 50-yard line.
![Jacksonville Jaguars tight end James Robinson (25) rushes for yards against Houston Texans linebacker Garrett Wallow (32) during the second quarter of an NFL football game Sunday, Oct. 9, 2022, at TIAA Bank Field in Jacksonville. The Texans won 13-6. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union]](https://www.gannett-cdn.com/presto/2022/10/10/NFTU/bcf4974f-3f73-478a-87bc-3aab30536c5e-JKI_100822_TEXANS_JAGS_CP_116.jpg?width=660&height=441&fit=crop&format=pjpg&auto=webp)
The other two fourth down attempts, one at the Houston 37-yard line, the other at the Houston 38-yard line, were early in the game.
Pederson preferred to take chances on fourth-and-4 and fourth-and-1, respectively, instead of going 55 and 56 yards from Riley Patterson’s punt.
Right now, 4 of 11 Jaguars are attempting fourth downs this season, but Pederson isn’t going to stop making those calls.
![Jacksonville Jaguars head coach Doug Pederson watches from the sideline during the second quarter of an NFL football game Sunday, Oct. 9, 2022, at TIAA Bank Field in Jacksonville. The Texans won 13-6. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union]](https://www.gannett-cdn.com/presto/2022/10/10/NFTU/43c2a18e-b984-432a-b6b9-4c0ae24ec8a7-JKI_100822_TEXANS_JAGS_CP_115.jpg?width=660&height=441&fit=crop&format=pjpg&auto=webp)
“There are plays. They are. We as coaches have to teach a little bit better, we have to show the players a few more examples of how these plays can be successful and then we make them,” Pederson said.
“We stay on the field, we convert on fourth down, we stay on the field. I don’t regret any of the decisions at all, I think they were good for us to go to those times, making those late-game fourth downs, but normal in-game ones, and I’d do them again.”
Demetrius Harvey is a Jacksonville Jaguars reporter for the Florida Times-Union. You can follow him on Twitter at @Demetrius82.
