JACKSONVILLE – Senior writer John Oehser examines what we learned from the Jaguars' 40-14 loss to the Baltimore Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore, Md., Sunday …
1.The streak is record-setting. The Jaguars now have lost 13 consecutive games, tying a franchise record set over the last five games of the 2012 season and the first eight games of the 2013 season.
2.The Jaguars and Jets are tied. The Jaguars' loss and the New York Jets' victory over the Los Angeles Rams late Sunday afternoon left the Jaguars and Jets tied for the NFL's worst record at 1-13. The Jaguars currently have a worse strength of schedule than the Jets. If the Jets and Jaguars finish the regular season tied and the Jaguars finish with the worst strength of schedule, the Jaguars would hold the No. 1 overall selection in the 2021 NFL Draft.
3.The Jaguars won't try to lose. Fans care about draft positioning; coaches and players don't. Jaguars Head Coach Doug Marrone following the loss to the Ravens: "If we gather up all of us together, coaches and players, the greatest gift that we can all give to each other is the gift of winning a football game."
4.The Jaguars won't try to lose. It's likely to be a topic the last two weeks, so it's worth repeating; fans care about draft positioning; coaches and players don't. It's also worth quoting quarterback Gardner Minshew following Sunday's game: "We have to move forward, find a sense of optimism and belief that we can go win these next two."
5.Quarterback remains an issue. Minshew's start Sunday marked the Jaguars' fourth quarterback change of the season – with Minshew starting the first seven games, rookie Jake Luton starting three after that and veteran Mike Glennon starting three after that. Minshew threw for 226 yards and two touchdowns Sunday but had 53 yards passing and no touchdowns in the first half. The Ravens led 26-0 at that point.
6.Marrone wasn't ready to name a starter after Sunday' game. Marrone for a second consecutive week declined to name a starting quarterback immediately after Sunday's game, saying his focus at that point was on the players and coaches dealing with the emotions of yet another loss. Marrone named Minshew the starter last Monday. Look for a decision relatively quickly this week.
7.Teams are focusing on Robinson. The Ravens entered the game focused on taking Jaguars rookie running back James Robinson out of the offense. This makes sense because he was the NFL's third-leading rusher entering the game – and because the Jaguars' passing offense has struggled all season. The Ravens succeeded against Robinson as well as any Jaguars opponent this season, holding him to 35 yards on 16 carries. The 2.2-yards-per-carry average was Robinson's season-low.
8.Attrition has set in. This started last week, with a 31-10 loss to the Tennessee Titans marking just the Jaguars' second double-digit loss since a Week 8 bye. Sunday's game was never close, with the Ravens leading 26-0 at halftime – the Jaguars' largest halftime deficit of the season.
9.Attrition has really set in. The Jaguars entered Sunday having used 79 players this season, tied for the most in the NFL this season (Eagles, 49ers), the second-most in NFL history. Rookies and inexperienced players peppered the lineup Sunday, particularly on defense. As was the case against Tennessee, a worn-down defense had little for the Ravens; Baltimore scored on six of seven possessions after an interception thrown by quarterback Lamar Jackson on the game's first series. A Jaguars defense that fought gamely throughout November and early December had little fight left Sunday.
10.Smoot continues to be a factor. The Jaguars' pass rush hasn't been dominant this season, but fourth-year veteran Dawuane Smoot has been increasingly effective in recent weeks. A third-round selection in the 2017 NFL Draft, Smoot had the Jaguars' lone sack Sunday and has four sacks in the last four games – and a team-high 5.5 for the season. He also had a quarterback pressure Sunday.
11.Aldrick Rosas is scrappy. The fourth-year veteran had kicked in 51 games for the Jaguars and New York Giants. But he never had punted in a game. That changed Sunday because the Jaguars' regular punter – Logan Cooke – was unavailable because of an illness. Rosas not only made both of his extra points Sunday, but he punted three times for a 36.7-yard average. He also averted disaster when he picked up the ball after a fumbled snap and got off a 32-yard punt under pressure. An impressive day considering the circumstances.
12.Myles Jack should be in the Pro Bowl. Jaguars observers have known this much of the season. The fifth-year veteran registered another 10 tackles and a pass defensed Sunday and is playing at the highest level of his career – and as high a level as any weak-side linebacker in the NFL. The Jaguars' record could keep Jack out of the Pro Bowl. It shouldn't.
