After winning three in a row, the Jacksonville Jaguars got steamrolled by the Seattle Seahawks in Week 6. Now, nobody expected to see the Jags go undefeated the rest of the way, but there's no doubt that the loss stings, especially when you take into account that they might've come on top if it weren't for all the self-inflicted wounds.
As a team, Jacksonville committed 10 penalties for 72 yards. Brian Thomas Jr. had his best game of the season but also had a crucial drop late in the game. Similarly, a Travis Hunter offsides wiped out a would-be touchdown that might've kept the Jaguars in the game.
Rightly, the Jaguars got a mediocre score for their poor outing, and their lack of execution was also reflected in the latest NFL Power Rankings.
Following the win over the Kansas City Chiefs on Monday Night, the Jags were flirting with the top 10 in NFL Power Rankings. However, the loss to the Seahawks cost them a handful of spots. Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk placed the Jags at No. 12 just one week after ranking them sixth, noting that "a correction was overdue."
For his part, Pete Prisco of CBS Sports gave the Jags the 14th spot after putting them at No. 6 the week prior, noting that the offensive line was overmatched against the Seahawks.
"The offensive line was putrid in the loss to the Seahawks," Prisco said. "Now they face a good Rams front in London. Good luck with that."
For context, the Jacksonville offensive line gave up 33 total pressures and seven sacks in Week 6. Aside from rookie Jonah Monheim, the whole unit struggled.
The Rams have an equally dominant defensive front, led by Kobie Turner, Braden Fisken, Byron Young, and Jared Verse. They have posted a combined 87 total pressures and 13 sacks. It's fair to say that Jacksonville will have its work cut out in Week 7.
The Jaguars will need to clean up mistakes to beat the Rams in Week 7
The truth is that the Jaguars are a talented bunch, but you can also make the case that they have overachieved this season. After all, they were 4-13 last year and underwent an overhaul in the offseason. That they've managed to win four games is impressive. Then again, it's hard to tell if Jacksonville's early success is sustainable.
After registering 13 takeaways the first four weeks, the Jags have only created one one the past two games. Without that big-play element, the defense has been exposed. The pass rush in particular has left much to be desired, as the Jacksonville front four has struggled to bring the heat against the Chiefs and Seattle. If that wasn't enough, injuries are starting to pile up.
The Jaguars placed tight end Brenton Strange on the Injured Reserve list after Week 5. They sorely missed his pass-catching abilities and his blocking chops against the Seahawks. Pass rusher Travon Walker has also been limited by a wrist injury, and linebacker Devin Lloyd will miss the London game while he deals with a tight calf.
The silver lining is that many of the issues that have plagued the Jaguars in recent weeks are correctable. If they fix them, and a handful of unsung contributors step up (center Jonah Monheim, linebacker Ventrell Miller, tight end Hunter Long), they may just be able to get back into the win column and get back into the top 10 of power rankings.