Previewing Bills vs. Jags with Black & Teal
It’s week 7. It’s London. It’s the Buffalo Bills taking on the Jacksonville Jaguars. So, we figured it would be good to chat with Daniel Lago of FanSided’s Jaguars site Black & Teal.
Enjoy.
1. When Gus Bradley was hired, the talk was that it was a “three year process” before seeing real results. Its the third year, and they’re hasn’t been much in the way of results, how hot is his seat right now?
If you had asked me this a week ago, I would have said Gus Bradley had the hottest seat of any coach in NFL. However, owner Shad Khan came out and basically ensured that Bradley would last the rest of the season and will likely still be in charge heading into 2016. That’s infuriating for Jaguars’ fans since we’ve had to endure 2+ seasons now of poor coaching decisions and the same on-field mistakes by players. Unless Bradley loses out in embarrassing fashion the rest of the way, he’ll likely finish the year with the team.
2. One positive is the improvement of Blake Bortles. What is the biggest reason for that?
Bortles looks significantly better than he did his rookie season and a big reason for that is the play around him. Bortles has improved individually with his mechanics, accuracy, and decision making, but the offensive line playing better and the pass catchers stepping up have been a huge reason for the Jaguars’ offensive ascension. Allen Hurns and Allen Robinson have become top 20 and maybe top 15 receivers in the league, and Julius Thomas getting back in the lineup should only open things up more.
3. The biggest signing of the off season was Julius Thomas. What’s the frustration level like due to him not being on the field?
It was pretty frustrating to see Thomas go down, especially after first round pick Dante Fowler Jr. was lost for the season as well. It was exacerbated by the fact that the Jaguars staff completely whiffed on the timeline for Thomas’ return, incorrectly stating week 4 was the longest he would be out. It’s been great to have him back considering the Jaguars have no other real option as a pass catching tight end.
4. Bradley is a defensive guy, yet it seems the defense just can’t find success. What is the biggest issue there?
The biggest issue by far is talent. The Jaguars have zero playmakers on the defensive side of the ball. There was some hope for Aaron Colvin and Telvin Smith to make the leap in their second season, but the play around them has hindered their development. The most pressing problem is the complete lack of a pass rush. For three straight weeks, the Jaguars have let below average quarterbacks stand calmly in the pocket and calmly scan the field without any pressure. Bills fans should take solace in that even with EJ Manuel on the field.
5. Finally, who takes this one in London?
I’m not going to pick the Jaguars to win another game until they prove me wrong. They’ve found painfully creative ways to lose the last 3 weeks and I don’t see any evidence to suggest they’ll turn it around against a more talented Buffalo squad.
Jaguars 14 – Bills 23