Chargers Game Day Newsletter 6 Nov 12th Los Angeles_Digital | Page 61

BUILDING
AFTER WINNING BACK-TO-BACK GAMES, THE JAGUARS OPEN
THE SEASON’S SECOND HALF AGAINST THE CHARGERS
JACKSONVILLE – Eight down, eight to go.
This is the time of year and kind of division
race the 5-3 Jacksonville Jaguars are built
for: an offense moving the ball effi ciently
while utilizing a dominant running game
– no matter who the running back is –
combined with a dominant, physical defense
that can turn the tide and close games.
If the Jaguars continue the strong play
they have showed the la st two weeks, and
in every winning week thus far, they could
be looking at their fi rst playoff berth since
2007.
Jaguars Offense
The Jaguars have a top-ten offense. That is
not a typo.
With a 500-yard effort two games ago
against the Colts, and a 400-yard outing
last week, the Jaguars now rank ninth in the
league in total yardage – including a league-
best rushing attack.
Rookie running back Leonard Fournette
missed the Colts game with an ankle injury,
and was a game day scratch last week against
the Bengals. Even without his services, the
Jaguars have continued to run the football
effectively: 188 yards in the Week 7 road
win over the Colts and 148 on the ground in
the Week 9 win over the Bengals.
Credit for the run game success spreads
throughout the offense, but it starts up
front with the offensive line.
In the win over the Colts, starting center
Brandon Linder missed his third consecutive
game with an illness and left tackle Cam
Robinson left the game with an ankle injury
on the second play from scrimmage. Tyler
Shatley fi lled in at center, while Josh Wells
came off the bench to play left tackle.
For last week’s win over the Bengals, right
guard A.J. Cann injured his triceps late in the
week and missed the game. Linder, healthy
after the bye week, returned to the lineup but
at right guard. Shatley remained at center for
the fourth consecutive game, and Robinson
returned to the lineup at left tackle.
Patrick Omameh has played well at the left
guard position, while right tackle Jermey
Parnell continues to perform at a high level
while staying under the radar. With all the
shuffl ing up front, the depth of the offensive
line group and their ability to adjust to
adversity was demonstrated the last two
games.
The running backs working behind the
offensive line carry a huge part of the credit
as well.
Last week, Chris Ivory (20 rush, 70 yards) and
T.J. Yeldon (11 rush, 41 yards) combined to
carry the load offensively, while quarterback
Blake Bortles added 20 yards on fi ve carries
and Corey Grant posted 18 yards on four
rushes.
In Indianapolis, Yeldon (9 rush, 122 yards,
TD) added an exclamation point touchdown