–Following Sunday’s loss to Kansas City, head coach Doug Marrone stated the obvious: “We just have to go to work and keep getting better. We have to get better all around.”
The good news is that since Marrone took over the head coaching duties in Week 16 of the 2016 season, the Jaguars are 8-1 in games following a loss, including the postseason. Following the team’s 9-6 loss to Tennessee in Week 3, the Jaguars responded with a 31-12 victory over the New York Jets. In the nine games played following a loss under Marrone, including the postseason, the Jaguars have outscored their opponents, 231-78, and are averaging 25.7 points per game, while allowing 8.7 points per game. The Jaguars have not allowed more than 15 points in any of the nine games played following a loss under Marrone and have held their opponents to 10 or fewer points in six of the nine games.
“I know this team is resilient. We’re tough. We stick together. We got a lot of heart,” defensive end Calais Campbell said. “We lost one on the road against a good team and things didn’t go our way. We lost the (Chiefs) game by a good amount, but at the same time, I like the fight in my team and we’re going to bounce back. We’re going to be just fine.”
–Jacksonville had gone 28 games without a turnover in the red zone prior to Sunday’s debacle in Kansas City. But with less than a minute left in the first half, Bortles threw an errant pass that bounced off the helmet of right guard A.J. Cann and into the end zone where Chiefs cornerback Steven Nelson made a diving catch to halt the drive and end the streak.
BY THE NUMBERS: 3 and 7 — The Jaguars have allowed three passing touchdowns and seven total touchdowns in five games this season. Both marks are the lowest in the NFL. The Jaguars will look to keep those numbers low on Sunday when they face Dallas, which averages 16.6 points a game thus far, the third lowest mark in the league entering Week 6.
