Statistically Speaking: Friday Five

Sep 14, 2018 at 10:59 AM

David Wolf

Jacksonville hosts New England in its home opener on Sunday, Sept. 16 at 4:25 p.m. EDT. The matchup is the Jaguars first game at TIAA Bank Field since defeating the Bills, 10-3, in the AFC Wild Card game last season. Both Jacksonville and New England won on Kickoff Weekend and enter the contest 1-0.

1. Bortles at the 'Bank: In his last three regular-season games at TIAA Bank Field entering Sunday's showdown with New England, QB Blake Bortles has thrown for 903 yards (301 per game), seven TDs and zero INTs for a passer rating of 128.6. Jacksonville went 3-0 during that stretch with wins over Indianapolis (30-10), Seattle (30-24) and Houston (45-7), boasting a point differential of +64.

2. Four O'Clock Fortune: Sunday's game marks the first time that the Jaguars' home opener will be played outside the 1 p.m. window since Sept. 10, 2006, when the Jaguars defeated Dallas, 24-17, at 4:15 p.m. Of their previous 23 home openers, 20 have been at 1 p.m. In home openers beginning after 4 p.m. (1997, 1999 and 2006), the Jaguars are 3-0.

3. Teal Fever: On Sunday, Jacksonville will sport its teal jerseys and white pants for the first time since Oct. 20, 2013. The Jaguars went 2-0 in teal uniforms in 2017, picking up wins against Cincinnati (23-7) and Seattle (30-24). The Jaguars are 61-44 (.581) when wearing teal jerseys in franchise history.

4. Seeking Seven: Including the Jaguars' AFC Wild Card win over the Bills, they have won six consecutive home games at TIAA Bank Field, tied for the third-longest winning streak in franchise history (regular season and postseason). A win on Sunday would mark the seventh consecutive home victory, including the postseason, which would be tied for the second-longest home winning streak in franchise history (13 consecutive wins from Sept. 29, 1996 – Nov. 30, 1997).

5. Dante's Debut: DE Dante Fowler Jr. makes his 2018 debut on Sunday against the Patriots. When Fowler Jr. last lined up against New England, he posted 2.0 sacks in the AFC Championship. The fourth-year DE has registered 12.0 career sacks, the third-most by a Jaguars player through their first 32 games in franchise history. Only DE Yannick Ngakoue (20.0) and DE Tony Brackens (14.0) posted more in their first 32 contests.

Every Friday during the 2018 season, Jaguars Public Relations Assistant David Wolf will write five key stats about the Jaguars' upcoming game. A Chapel Hill, N.C. native, Wolf joined the Jacksonville Jaguars in May 2018.