JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- A few thoughts on the Jacksonville Jaguars' 17-9 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers at EverBank Field:
What it means: The Jaguars finally got a better performance out of the defense, but this time it was the offense that could not get the job done in front of 66,198.
The Jaguars' defense that had been a sieve the first four weeks of the season, giving up an average of 451.3 yards per game and 38 points per game, responded with its best performance of the season. The Steelers scored just 10 points on offense and, with a few exceptions, receivers weren’t running wide open. The unit also got its first turnover since the first half of the season opener when defensive tackle Abry Jones sacked Ben Roethlisberger and forced a fumble that Andre Branch recovered at the Jaguars’ 17-yard line.
That was the kind of performance the Jaguars had thought they’d get out of the unit to give the young offense time to develop. The Jaguars managed only 243 yards, including 56 rushing, and just three field goals. Rookie quarterback Blake Bortles also threw an interception that was returned for a touchdown.
Stock Watch: It was a terrible day for rookie receiver Allen Hurns. He dropped three passes, committed a holding penalty, and missed a block on a screen pass that resulted in a 2-yard loss on the first play after the defense forced a turnover. Bortles threw an interception that was returned for a touchdown on the next play after the 2-yard loss. Hurns, an undrafted rookie from Miami, had a fantastic debut, catching four passes for 110 yards and two touchdowns against Philadelphia in the season opener. Since then he’s had four drops, including a sure touchdown against Washington. He also had a 63-yard touchdown catch against Indianapolis, but he’s not playing with the consistency the Jaguars desperately need at receiver with Cecil Shorts in and out of the lineup with a hamstring injury.
Nice sub: Cornerback Demetrius McCray was forced into the starting lineup in place of Dwayne Gratz (concussion) and the 2013 seventh-round draft pick did a solid job. He was matched up on receiver Antonio Brown and helped limit him to five catches for 84 yards. Brown’s longest reception was a 30-yarder in which Will Blackmon was in coverage, so McCray essentially held him to four catches for 54 yards.
Game ball: It comes in a loss but the defense that had played so poorly throughout the first four weeks kept the team in the game. The Steelers had nearly 400 yards of total offense but scored just 10 points. The Jags forced one turnover and had four sacks.
What’s next: The Jaguars go on the road for the fourth time in six weeks to take on the Tennessee Titans in Nashville next Sunday at 1 p.m. ET. Nashville was the site of the Jaguars’ first victory after an 0-8 start in 2013.
