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Week 6 Game Recap: Jacksonville Jaguars 24, Denver Broncos 17
What you need to know
| Jacksonville Jaguars |
Fred Taylor suffered an injury early in the first quarter, allowing Maurice Jones-Drew to receive the bulk of the carries and take on the role of a featured back. Jones-Drew made the most of his opportunity, finishing the day with 125 yards on 22 carries and two touchdowns. Taylor returned to the game in the fourth quarter, but was used minimally.
QB David Garrard did an excellent job of managing the game, completing 25 of 34 passes for 276 yards and a touchdown. Garrard benefited from excellent play from the offensive line, often having all day to throw, but even when he found himself under pressure he stayed calm and was able to find receivers downfield.
The Jaguars defense came up with three big turnovers in the first half, which was a big part of why they won the game. One of the turnovers came when Denver was deep in Jacksonville territory, but a Jaguars' defender stripped the ball from Marshall, robbing the Broncos of a scoring opportunity.
| Denver Broncos |
QB Jay Cutler looked strong out of the gate, leading the Broncos to a touchdown on the team's opening drive. However, Cutler fumbled the ball on the first play of the Bronco's next drive, starting a string of three consecutive Bronco drives with turnovers. The only interception Cutler threw was on a deep ball to Marshall, but he overthrew him allowing the safety to pick off the ball. Cutler finished the day with 192 yards passing and two touchdowns.
Michael Pittman received all of the Broncos' carries, running for 109 yards on 20 attempts. Pittman looked explosive all afternoon, often racking up extra yards after contact and making defenders miss. As long as Selvin Young and Ryan Torain remain inactive, look for Pittman to continue to receive the bulk of the work.
What you ought to know
| QB David Garrard, Pass: 25 - 34 - 276 - 1 TD / 0 INT, Rush: 8 - 7 - 0 |
Despite losing a fumble, Garrard did everything the Jaguars asked of him, throwing for 276 yards and a touchdown. Garrard showed a good arm, completing a 70 yard pass that would have taken the team down to the one yard line, but it was called back due to a holding penalty. Garrard's lone touchdown came in the third quarter when he found his tight end Mercedes Lewis wide open for a 30 yard touchdown.
| RB Maurice Jones-Drew, Rush: 22 - 125 - 2, Rec: 2 - 23 - 0 (2 targets) |
In Taylor's absence, Jones-Drew received the bulk of the Jaguars' carries, making the most of his opportunities. Jones-Drew scored his first touchdown in the second quarter on a one yard run, giving Jacksonville a lead that they would not relinquish. Jones-Drew's second touchdown came in the third quarter, when he found a hole up the middle and busted off a 46 yard touchdown run. When Jones-Drew wasn't scoring, he was living up to his reputation as a human bowling ball, often pushing the pile and breaking tackles to gain important extra yards.
| RB Greg Jones, Rush: 1 - 13 - 0, Rec: 3 - 21 - 0 (3 targets) |
Jones made the most of his playing time, racking up 34 total yards on four touches. His lone carry went for 13 yards, and his long reception of the afternoon was for 11 yards.
| RB Fred Taylor, Rush: 3 - 10 - 0, Rec: 1 - 10 - 0 (3 targets) |
On Taylor's second touch of the game, he took a big hit, the majority of which was absorbed by his head and neck. The hit caused Taylor to fumble the ball, but the Jaguar's main concern was his health as he left the game and didn't return until the fourth quarter. Upon his return he was used minimally, only being targeted on two passes and getting one carry. However, Taylor came through on this carry as he fought for some big extra yards to get the Jacksonville first down, allowing them to run out the clock and win the game.
| WR Matt Jones, Rec: 7 - 69 - 0 (10 targets) |
Jones was the most targeted Jacksonville receiver in this game, hauling in seven of his ten targets for 69 yards. Jones mostly caught short passes, his longest on the afternoon going for 14 yards.
| WR Reggie Williams, Rec: 4 - 21 - 0 (4 targets) |
Williams caught all of his targets for 21 yards. His longest reception of the game was for eight yards, as he was utilized only in the short passing game.
| WR Dennis Northcutt, Rec: 3 - 42 - 0 (5 targets) |
Northcutt caught three of his five targets, good for 42 yards. His long reception on the afternoon came at the end of the second quarter, when he caught a pass for 20 yards to put the Jaguars in field goal range. Unfortunately, Garrard fumbled on the next play and Jacksonville didn't score.
| WR Mike Walker |
As expected, Walker didn't play due to a knee injury.
| TE Marcedes Lewis, Rec: 3 - 64 - 1 (5 targets) |
Lewis caught three balls, two of which went for long gains. He first caught a 27 yard pass where he found himself wide open across the middle of the field. Later, he scored Jacksonville's final touchdown of the afternoon when Garrard found him for a 30 yard touchdown. Lewis caught the pass about five yards out of the end zone, but bounced off of two tacklers to get the ball in for the touchdown.
| TE Greg Estandia, Rec: 2 - 26 - 0 (3 targets) |
Estandia caught two balls for 26 yards in this contest. His long reception was for 19 yards in the third quarter, which eventually led to Jacksonville's final touchdown.
| PK Josh Scobee 1 - 1 FG, 3 - 3 XP, 6 points |
Scobee made all of his kicks, so there is nothing significant to report in the kicking game.
| JAX Rush Defense |
The Jacksonville rush defense struggled stopping Michael Pittman, who averaged over five yards a carry against them. However, they never found themselves backed up on the goal line and never allowed Pittman to score a touchdown.
| JAX Pass Defense |
The Jaguars' pass defense struggled out of the gate, allowing Denver's opening drive to go for a touchdown, but quickly buckled down as they frustrated Cutler the rest of the afternoon. The defense came up with big turnovers on the next three Denver drives, forcing two fumbles and an interception. Although Cutler threw for two touchdowns, the defense did enough to come away with the victory.
| QB Jay Cutler, Pass: 21 - 37 - 192 - 2 TD / 1 INT, Rush: 3 - 22 - 0 |
Cutler had ups and downs in this contest, opening the game with a touchdown drive but turning the ball over the next two possessions. Cutler lost his fumble on a play where he was running for the first down, but didn't secure the ball and dropped it when he took a hit on the arm. The next drive, on a third down, Cutler threw an interception on a deep attempt to Brandon Marshall, not very costly since it basically worked as a punt. Cutler finished the afternoon with 192 yards, two touchdowns, and two turnovers, certainly not his best day.
| RB Michael Pittman, Rush: 20 - 109 - 0, Rec: 3 - 16 - 0 (6 targets) |
Pittman was the only running back to take the field against the Jaguars, racking up 109 yards on 20 carries. Pittman showed great power and versatility, leaping over defenders and breaking tackles to gain extra yards. He had long runs of 20, 18, and 11 yards, with many of his other carries going over five yards as well. He certainly looked strong, and should continue to lead the running attack as long as Selvin Young is hurt.
| RB Selvin Young |
Young was inactive in this game due to a groin injury suffered against the Buccaneers last week.
| WR Brandon Marshall, Rec: 9 - 98 - 0 (19 targets) |
Marshall was targeted early and often, catching nine balls for 98 yards. He looked like he was on pace for a big day when he caught three balls for 45 yards in Denver's opening drive, however the Jaguars did a better job of containing him after that. A dark spot on Marshall's day was when he caught a pass in the second quarter deep in Jacksonville territory, but had it stripped from him and lost the fumble to Jacksonville. Later in the third quarter, Marshall was also overthrown on a deep ball that would have been a sure touchdown.
| WR Darrell Jackson, Rec: 3 - 18 - 0 (6 targets) |
Jackson only caught three of his targets for 18 yards. The majority of these yards came on an 11 yard reception, his long of the afternoon.
| WR Brandon Stokley, Rec: 3 - 29 - 1 (4 targets) |
Stokley caught an 11 yard touchdown on the Broncos' opening drive, fighting for an extra three yards after the catch to get in the end zone. However, early in the second quarter Stokley caught his final pass of the afternoon as he was injured on the play, and didn't return to the game. He finished the afternoon with 29 yards.
| WR Glenn Martinez, Rec: 2 - 20 - 0 (3 targets) |
Martinez caught two of his three targets for 20 yards, his longest going for 11 yards. Martinez also had a big punt return into Jacksonville territory to set up Denver's second touchdown.
| WR Eddie Royal |
Royal was inactive in this game as expected due to an injury in the game last week.
| TE Daniel Graham, Rec: 1 - 11 - 1 (1 targets) |
Graham made the most of his lone target in this contest, catching an 11 yard pass for a touchdown in the fourth quarter.
| TE Nate Jackson (1 targets) |
Jackson found himself wide open near the end zone early in the third quarter, but was overthrown on what would have been a sure touchdown. It was his only target of the game.
| TE Tony Scheffler |
Scheffler was inactive in this game as expected, due to a groin injury suffered in last week's game.
| PK Matt Prater 1 - 1 FG, 2 - 2 XP, 5 points |
There is nothing significant to report in the kicking game, Prater made all of his kicks.
| DEN Rush Defense |
Maurice Jones-Drew plowed through the Denver rush defense, scoring twice and racking up over 120 yards. Denver was never able to come up with a big stop, especially at the end of the game, as Jacksonville controlled the ball for the final five minutes and ran out the clock for the win.
| DEN Pass Defense |
Although Denver's pass defense only allowed one touchdown, Garrard was still able to pick them apart for key first downs and big gains. Denver struggled getting pressure on him, giving him plenty of time to make his throws, and explaining his success. All in all, it was not a good effort from the Denver defensive unit as a whole.