Jaguars HC Doug Marrone ‘banking’ on Nick Foles improving red zone offense

The Jacksonville Jaguars need to win all but probably one of their remaining games to stay in the playoff hunt and that means going with the veteran quarterback with more experience in game situations.

Nick Foles is the starter and rookie Gardner Minshew is the backup. While a long term case can be made for Minshew, it seems this coaching staff believes Foles will win them more games — specifically by being better in the red zone.

When asked about their red zone offense and what Foles brings to the table, head coach Doug Marrone didn’t mince words: they have to be better and Foles will help them be better.

“Obviously we’re banking on that,” Marrone said on Wednesday. “I think that his experience down there, and the things that he can do, hopefully that will be able to give us a bump there. But I don’t think it’s going to just be one player. I think obviously the quarterback’s an important part of it, but I think everyone else has to increase their play down in there also.”

Minshew wasn’t awful in the red zone through the first nine games of the season. He was 12th in the NFL in terms of efficiency and one of just 14 quarterbacks who has yet to throw an interception in the red zone coming into Week 11.

But the offense as a whole has been terrible. Everything, from the run game to play calling to Minshew’s accuracy, left a lot of points on the table.

Here’s hoping that Foles can squeeze a few more touchdowns out of red zone drives instead of settling for field goals.