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The Jaguars defense again played well in Week 6, getting consistent pressure Tennessee Titans quarterback Charlie Whitehurst, but it wasn't enough to make up for a dismal offensive performance that led to a 16-14 loss for the Jaguars in Week 6.
While a switch to Blake Bortles at quarterback has seemingly served the team well, it has yet to yield an improvement in the win column as the Jaguars fell to 0-6 on Sunday. The rookie quarterback had a relatively efficient day, completing 31-of-45 passes for 328 yards, although he threw one interception and was unable to find the end zone until the final minute of the game.
The Jaguars got the ball back with less than a minute to play with a chance to win, but Josh Scobee's 55-yard, game-winning attempt was blocked.
Three things we learned
1. Bortles needs playmakers to make plays: First and foremost, I want to make clear that I don't find Blake Bortles blameless. The sole interception of the game was somehow blamed on Allen Hurns by a lot of fans, but the reality is that Bortles locked in on a receiver, was late with the throw and the route was jumped as a consequence. Still, those type of mistakes are to be expected. What shouldn't be expected are key drops on the plays where Bortles is able to give veterans a chance. Namely, a third quarter drop by Jordan Todman proved especially costly and ended what could have been a go-ahead drive for the Jaguars and a fourth-quarter fumble by Cecil Shorts III ended any remaining hopes for a rally.
2. There are huge holes in the Cover 3: Gus Bradley has lived by the Cover 3 defense and he died by the Cover 3 defense on Sunday against the Titans. I don't believe that the scheme was at the core of Jacksonville's defensive issues though, as it's just the personnel in the center of the Jaguars defense that is truly at the heart of the problem. Between Paul Posluszny and Josh Evans, the Jaguars have two defenders that have struggled in pass defense and have left gaping holes that opposing offenses have taken advantage of.
3. Luke Joeckel has catching up to do: Some may be, but I'm not ready to give up on a second-year offensive tackle who suffered a season-ending injury as a rookie. Still, his career with the Jaguars certainly isn't off to a good start and he looks like the weak link on an offensive line that he should be anchoring. At 0-6, it's really not a big deal for the 2014 season, but it's a little disconcerting for the long-term future of the team.