Saturday

Jacksonville Jaguars vs Seattle Seahawks nfl preview



This quote is about all the Jacksonville Jaguars have going for them heading into Sunday’s game against the Seahawks. But coming off of one of the most highly anticipated regular season matchups in team history, Seattle will have to concentrate on not suffering a massive letdown against arguably the worst team in the NFL.The Jags are led by former Seahawks defensive coordinator Gus Bradley in his first head-coaching job. Heading into the season, the Jags’ roster was considered one of the least talented in the league, and their performance through two games has done little to dissuade that assertion.The Jacksonville offense, whether helmed by former first-round pick Blaine Gabbert or former Dolphins starter Chad Henne, has been simply atrocious, averaging a dreadful 213 yards per game — by far the worst in the league. Gabbert is still out after cutting his hand against Kansas City in Week 1, so expect to see Henne starting on Sunday.The once-reliable Maurice Jones-Drew is still the team’s best offensive player. But after missing all but six games last season with a foot injury, he hasn’t resembled the running back who led the league in rushing as recently as 2011. After suffering an ankle injury against the Raiders last Sunday, it’s unknown if he’ll be able to go against the Hawks. Jordan Todman is the presumed starter if Jones-Drew isn’t able to suit up.Third-year receiver Cecil Shorts has been a bright spot for the Jacksonville offense, catching 11 passes for 133 yards, but with the Jags posing little threat on the ground, the Legion of Boom should be free to key on Shorts in the passing game.The Jags are a mixed bag defensively, ranking second in the league in pass defense — behind only the Seahawks — but second-worst against the run. That shouldn’t come as a surprise. After Jacksonville fell behind quickly in both of their first two games, opponents have been able to abandon the passing game and pound the ball on the ground. Defensive end/linebacker hybrid Jason Babin, linebacker Paul Posluszny and defensive end Tyson Alualu are names to watch.Meanwhile, the Seahawks are coming off of a dominant performance against the hated division-rival 49ers on Sunday night. But there’s still plenty to work on.The Hawks’ passing game hasn’t been in sync through the first two games, with Russell Wilson looking efficient, if not spectacular. With eight catches and 142 yards, Doug Baldwin has been the most consistent receiving threat, but that’s not saying a lot. Look for Wilson and the Seahawks to try and jump-start the offense through the air and test just how good that Jacksonville secondary really is.