Record: 4-12
Head Coach: Gus Bradley
Notable Assistants: Jedd Fisch (Offensive Coordinator), Bob Babich (Defensive Coordinator)
Regular Season Overview
When the Jaguars hired Gus Bradley as their new head coach, nobody was expecting an instant turnaround. Bradley was taking over a team that went 2-14 the previous year and was just in the beginning stages of a reconstruction.
Bradley entered a roster that was a mess with an aging running back in Maurice Jones-Drew, serious question marks at quarterback with Chad Henne and Blaine Gabbert and a very suspect offensive line. Even after a 2013 draft class that featured offensive tackle Luke Joeckel, the group still needed work.
Jacksonville focused most of their 2013 draft class on what Bradley knows best, and that’s a defense that shuts down their opponent to help make up for a more suspect offense. The Jaguars had to be happy with the production they received from safety Johnathan Cyprien and cornerback Dwayne Gratz
While the young players showed promise, the Jaguars season got off to a horrendous start. It wasn’t just losing their first eight games; it’s how they lost. In their first eight games, the Jaguars lost by more than 10 points in each loss, and an average of more than 22 points. They gave up 30 or more points in five of those eight games.
After a 1-9 start, Jacksonville finally found solid ground at the final turn of the season and built some momentum for the future. The team won three of their last six games and nearly had a fourth, but the drive fell just a few yards short.
Jacksonville finished the season 4-12 which did give them a two-win improvement from the previous year and young players had a lot more experience and coaching under Bradley than they ever had in the past. Now with the third overall pick in the 2014 NFL Draft, the Jaguars future looks very bright.
Biggest Win
The Jaguars didn’t win many games this season so finding the most significant or memorable win was between just four games. The Jaguars 29-27 win on the road against the Tennessee Titans was considered, Jacksonville’s 32-28 comeback win against the Cleveland Browns takes the cake.
The Jaguars and Browns exchanged punches in the first quarter with Willis McGahee finding the end zone from a yard out and a few minutes later Clay Harbor hauling in an 18-yard touchdown.
By halftime the Jaguars were leading 20-14, but things really got interesting in the final four minutes fourth quarter. The Jaguars led 25-21 with four minutes left and the Browns had the ball at their own five-yard line. Brandon Weeden quickly hooked up with Josh Gordon on a medium pass, and Gordon ran the rest of the way for a 95-yard touchdown to give the Browns a 28-25 lead with 3:35 left in the game.
Chad Henne took the ball from the 20-yard line and led the Jaguars to a comeback victory. Henne hooked up with Ace Sanders for a big 25-yard reception to put the ball at the 50 and with 40 seconds left in the game, he hooked up with Cecil Shorts for the game-winning 20-yard touchdown.
While the single win may not have made a difference in terms of the playoffs or draft order, it marked the Jaguars third win in four weeks, and really gave the team a spark to build off of for the future.
Toughest Loss
On the other side of the scale, there are plenty of options to look at for the Jaguars’ toughest loss of the season. While you could look to some of the blowouts as just tough, ugly games that stand out, what really pops out is their loss to the Buffalo Bills in Week 15.
It was a chance for the Jaguars to win their fourth straight game, and fifth in their last six games. Great momentum for a young team that is still building and just needs that little spark to get the fire going for next season. Things were especially looking great early in the fourth quarter as the game was tied at 20 with 14 minutes to go in the game.
Unfortunately, the Bills answered back thanks to some big plays from Robert Woods and Fred Jackson. A four-minute drive was captivated by a Frank Summers touchdown plunge from one yard out to give the Bills the 27-20 advantage with nine minutes left in the game.
A week after leading a comeback drive against the Browns, Henne had a chance to do it again and win the game against the Bills. Things were going very well as Jacksonville used short passes to chew up the clock and move down the field. They got all the way to the five-yard line but on third and goal, Henne was picked off.
Jacksonville would get the ball back with just under two minutes left in the game, but the drive only lasted four plays before they turned the ball over on downs and the game ended.
The loss did end up helping lock the Jaguars into the third overall pick which helps in the long-term but they came oh so close to four straight wins.
Offensive MVP: Cecil Shorts III
Finding the most valuable player on an offense that ranked 22nd in passing yards per game and 31st in rushing yards per game is tough, and it doesn’t help when their is suspect quarterback play.
But someone has to stand out on this offense and once again it was Shorts. Despite catching passes from a serious question mark at quarterback, Shorts still managed to have a productive season, though his numbers dropped slightly.
Shorts still finished with a career-high 66 receptions and a respectable 777 receiving yards and three touchdowns in 13 games. Shorts played most of the season while dealing with double coverage, while helping young players like Ace Sanders adjust to the NFL.
Sanders is still just 26 years old and when you think about what he could do with even a average starting quarterback and a top wide receiver to take double coverage away from Shorts, another career season could be on the way in 2014.
Defensive MVP: Sen’Derrick Marks
The Jaguars defensive MVP is not the team leader in sacks or tackles; it’s a young, defensive lineman who didn’t get enough attention this past year. After signing a one-year deal with the Jaguars last offseason, Marks stepped up into a starting role with the Jaguars.
Marks didn’t rack up as many sacks as teammate Alan Branch or Jason Babin but he contributed in even more ways and simply was the more dominant player. The 27-year-old defensive tackle started 15 games for the Jaguars, setting career-highs in; sacks (four), forced fumbles (two), fumbles recovered (three) and pass breakups (eight).
Marks really showed off his skills as an interior pass-rusher, so much so that the Jaguars were happy to give him a four-year extension worth $22 million to make sure he is locked in at defensive tackle for years to come.
Most Disappointing Player: Justin Blackmon
Maurice Jones-Drew was definitely a candidate for this prestigious honor, but Blackmon walks away with the ward as the Jaguars’ most disappointing player this season. Jacksonville had high hopes when they drafted Blackmon with the fifth overall pick in 2012, but suspensions have killed any hope.
Blackmon was suspended for the first four games of the NFL season after violating the league’s substance-abuse policy. It marked his second violation in less than a year, which resulted in the four game ban, but he actually looked good upon his return.
Blackmon’s first four games back this season were actually quite impressive, he pulled in 29 receptions for 415 yards and a touchdown, showing glimpses of the top wide receiver the Jaguars were hoping for when they drafted him. But things took a turn when the calendar turned to November.
Shortly after the Jaguars’ loss to the 49ers in London, Blackmon was suspended again for violating the substance-abuse policy. It was his third strike and resulted in a suspension for the rest of the season, and still leaves his future in serious doubt.
Blackmon can apply for reinstatement to the league to play in the 2014 season and the Jaguars have expressed a strong desire to have him back. But three suspensions in a year is a major red flag, though Blackmon is getting help.
Two seasons in, Blackmon has played in 20 games and been suspended for 12 games. An alarming rate for any player, and extremely disappointing for a player whom was the fifth overall pick just two years ago.
Best Rookie: Ace Sanders
When the Jaguars selected Sanders with the 101st overall pick in the 2013 NFL Draft they were expecting him to contribute right away, but Sanders found a way to surpass all expectations anyone had of him.
Sanders contributed in a variety of ways as a rookie; serving on punt and kickoff returns, throwing a touchdown pass, but his biggest impact came as wide receiver working all over the field.
Sanders destroyed opposing defenses across the middle and with short passes, using his speed to create separation and pick up yards. He finished his rookie season with 51 receptions and 484 receiving yards in just 15 games, growing into the Darren Sproles-type role that coaches were hoping for.
Sanders turned out to be one of the steals of the draft, becoming a valuable asset on a young team that still has a lot of room to grow. As Sanders role in the offense increases next year, so will his production.
Statistical Leaders:
QB: Chad Henne - 60.6 completion percentage, 3.241 passing yards, 13 passing touchdowns, 14 interceptions
RB: Maurice Jones-Drew - 234 carries, 803 rushing yards, 314 receiving yards and five rushing touchdowns
WR: Cecil Shorts - 66 receptions, 777 receiving yards and three receiving touchdowns
TE: Marcedes Lewis - 25 receptions, 359 receiving yards and four receiving touchdowns
Tackles: Paul Posluszny - 161
Sacks: Jason Babin - 7.5
Interceptions: Paul Posluszny - 2