STAND AGAINST VIKINGS
JAGS TRY FOR HOME WIN IN WEEK 14
JACKSONVILLE – With four games remaining in the 2016 season , the Jags need a win in the worst way .
After climbing out of an early-season 0-3 hole , the Jaguars won back-to-back games – against the Indianapolis Colts and Chicago Bears – to get to 2-3 . Since then : seven consecutive losses , dropping to a 2-10 record . Following today ’ s game the Jaguars finish the season with three division games , at the Texans ( 6-6 ), at home against the Titans ( 6-6 ) and at the Colts ( 5-6 ).
Today the Jacksonville Jaguars play a secondconsecutive game at EverBank Field , this time against the Minnesota Vikings ( 6-6 ), who sit in second place in the NFC North . After starting 5-0 , the Vikings have dropped six of their last seven games to fall behind the Detroit Lions in the division , and behind the Giants , Buccaneers and Redskins in the Wild Card hunt . The Vikings finish the season with today ’ s game , followed by games at home vs . the Colts , at the Packers ( 6-6 ) and at home against the Bears ( 3-9 ) to wrap up the season .
JAGUARS
Easily the strength of this Jaguars team is on the defensive side of the ball . The group is ranked fourth in the NFL in total defense , and ranks second in the league against the pass .
Last week the Jaguars defense held the Denver Broncos to 206 total yards and only 1-of-13 ( 8 %) on third downs . They nearly pitched a shutout in the second half , forcing punts on the first six Broncos possessions . The Broncos then kicked a game-sealing 41-yard field goal after gaining only six yards following a fumble recovery to set up a short field .
It is a similar script to the game against the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 9 . In that game , the Jaguars defense held the Kansas City Chiefs to only 231 yards and 1-of-14 ( 7 %) on third downs .
In fact , there are a handful of games this season where you could argue that the defense played very well , even winning football .
One piece of the puzzle is still missing for the Jaguars .
Turnover margin .
At minus-18 , the Jaguars ’ turnover margin is the worst in the NFL , and the offense , the defense ans special teams have ownership .
On defense , the Jaguars have only seven takeaways for the season , the lowest total in the NFL ( five on defense , two on special teams ). It ’ s the only thing missing from a defense that has proven that they can hold serve late in games to get the ball back for the offense . Stealing as many possessions as possible is key for an offense still trying to find consistency in December .
As for the offense , the giveaways are far and away the most pressing issue for quarterback Blake Bortles and the entire unit . The Jaguars have 25 giveaways for the season , the most in the NFL .
Bortles threw two interceptions in last week ’ s loss to the Broncos , increasing his league-high season total to 15 , including a third-quarter