Last week marked the beginning of the NFL season, and it certainly did not disappoint. Matt Ryan and the Falcons won a thrilling game against the Saints, the Cowboys defense had more holes than the Roger Goodell’s story about the Ray Rice incident (too soon?), and Peyton Manning showed why Jon Gruden calls him The Sheriff in a victory over the Colts. Perhaps the most interesting game last week, though, was the interconference matchup between the Jacksonville Jaguars and the Philadelphia Eagles. The Jags stormed out to an early 17-0 lead before the Eagles pulled off the miraculous comeback to win 34-17.
Coming into Week 2 with an 0-1 record, the Jaguars have a lot to prove against the Washington Redskins. (And yes, I will use the term Redskins in this article. If this offends you, I am sorry. It’s just the team’s nickname.)
Introduction
Simailar to the Jaguars, the Redskins also played their first game of the season on the road and lost. Houston beat Washington 17-6 in a game that did not have much offense. Redskins QB Robert Griffin III had only 269 total yards and did not score a touchdown. Known for his big-play ability, Griffin III only had three rushing attempts and also fumbled twice. J.J. Watt and the Texans D had a great gameplan, and I believe Jacksonville will look to use a similar scheme this week against the Redskins.
Jacksonville started their game against Philadelphia fast by scoring fourteen first quarter points. However, starting safety Johnathan Cyprien left the game with a head injury, and the defense looked vastly different without him. Chip Kelly’s offense thrashed the Jaguars defense in the 2nd half, and the Eagles pulled away by the end of the game. It goes without saying, but both teams are looking for much better outcomes in the second week of the NFL season.
3 Players to Watch
Robert Griffin III, QB (Washington): Griffin III enters his third NFL season with a lot to prove. He struggled through injuries and inconsistent play last season, in route to a 3-13 finish. To make matters even more difficult for Griffin III, the Redskins brought in new head coach Jay Gruden (Wow, an article with a mention to both Gruden brothers!) to install a new offense. Based on the Week 1 performance, Griffin III still has some work to do. He has shown the ability to be very productive in the past, and Redskins fans are hoping that he can channel his inner Heisman trophy winning style of play for the rest of the season.
Marqise Lee, WR (Jacksonville): Lee had a solid first game last weekend against the Eagles. He posted six catches for 62 yards and seemed to be comfortable in the offense. If the Jaguars want to take the next step and win this week, though, Lee must play better. He dropped a pass in the third quarter that would have been huge for the Jaguars confidence on offense. Twenty-four of Lee’s sixty-two yards came on the last drive of the game, so he was not a huge threat throughout the game. If he gets involved early, continues to block well in the running game, and plays well the Jaguars have a great chance to win.
Andre Branch, DL (Jacksonville): Branch is a key cog in the Jaguars defensive line, and he had a very good game last week. The third year man out of Clemson had two sacks and three total tackles. Branch only recorded seven sacks in his entire first two seasons. Hopefully, Gus Bradley’s defense is beginning to make sense to Branch, and he can continue to improve. If he and the other Jaguars defensive players can contain the Redskins’ running game this week, Jags fans should expect a positive outcome.
Fantasy Sleeper
Niles Paul, TE (Washington): Tight End is one of those fantasy positions that can drive you crazy. They can score 15-20 points in one game and then throw up a goose-egg in the next. Paul played well last week and had 86 yards receiving. If you’re playing in a regular ESPN league (like I am) then he put up 8 points for you last week. I do not suspect him to have that many yards again this week, but he should find the end zone. The Eagles TE’s played well against Jacksonville last week, especially once Cyprien got injured. Look for Paul to have about 50 yards and a TD this week (Fantasy = 11 points).
Prediction
Washington was given the luxury of playing two of the worst three teams from last season in the first two weeks of the 2014 season. Unfortunately for the Redskins, they were also a bottom-three team last season. I predict that the Jaguars defense will hold up for four quarters this week, instead of checking out at halftime. Griffin III has struggled to become a pocket-passer, and I believe the Jaguars will make him throw from the pocket this week. Toby Gerhart should have a more productive game for the Jaguars this week, which will open up the passing game for Chad Henne, too.
Final Score: Jaguars 24 – 17
The post Jacksonville Jaguars: Week 2 preview appeared first on isportsweb.