The Jacksonville Jaguars’ offensive line had an absolute rollercoaster ride in their Week 2 loss to the Broncos. While there were some glimmers of positive play, the unit’s miscues proved crucial, and it was a collective effort, not just one player making mistakes.
Run Game Showed Some Muscle, Pass Pro Was a Different Story
Offensive coordinator Liam Coen pointed out that the run game actually performed better than it might have felt at times. He said they had “some decent movement” and handled “some pressures decent” on the ground. Bhayshul Tuten specifically found some serious traction, ripping off 65 rushing yards on just 13 carries, averaging a solid 5.0 yards per attempt. That’s the kind of production you love to see in the run game, creating momentum and giving the offense a spark.
But where things got dicey was in pass protection. Trevor Lawrence was under duress on a staggering 35.5% of his dropbacks, according to Pro Football Focus. He got sacked twice, but was hit seven times. That kind of pressure made a huge difference for the Denver defense. When Lawrence had time, he and the passing game were tough to stop, but the Broncos capitalized big time when he was under duress. Coen bluntly stated that in pass protection, they “got edged a little bit,” singling out Zach Allen for disrupting things inside. He made it clear that “we all kind of took our turns a little bit up front” and it wasn’t just one guy.
Coaching Adjustments Are Coming, But the Stakes Are Real
Coen knows the coaching staff has to do a better job helping the offensive line out moving forward. He mentioned they’ve got to focus on “moving the launch point” and “doing some things to be able to help those guys so they’re not just getting teed off on” in longer down-and-distance situations. That means getting the ball out quicker and not holding onto it for those longer developing routes. He admits they didn’t help the linemen enough with some of that. Despite the tough outing, Coen remains confident in the group and their ability to respond.
However, the Broncos aren’t unique; most good teams boast a very strong defensive front. This caliber of defensive line play is exactly what the “playoff-hopeful” Jaguars will have to contend with all season long. Coen and the offensive line need to sort this out fast, because protecting Lawrence is paramount if they want to make any noise in the league.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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