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Chiefs v. Jaguars: Can Nick Foles lead Jacksonville to victory?

By Jordan Mannix

KANSAS CITY, MO - OCTOBER 7: Tyreek Hill #10 of the Kansas City Chiefs makes a catch along the sideline in front of Jalen Ramsey #20 of the Jacksonville Jaguars during the third quarter of the game at Arrowhead Stadium on October 7, 2018 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by David Eulitt/Getty Images)
KANSAS CITY, MO - OCTOBER 7: Tyreek Hill #10 of the Kansas City Chiefs makes a catch along the sideline in front of Jalen Ramsey #20 of the Jacksonville Jaguars during the third quarter of the game at Arrowhead Stadium on October 7, 2018 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by David Eulitt/Getty Images) /
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Chiefs, Nick Foles
BALTIMORE, MD – AUGUST 08: Tanner Lee #3, Nick Foles #7 and Chris Conley #18 of the Jacksonville Jaguars look on from the sideline during the second half of a preseason game against the Baltimore Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium on August 8, 2019 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Will Newton/Getty Images) /

Offensive notes and players to watch

After a very competitive season in 2017, where the Jaguars offense was the sixth most productive in the league and one spot behind the Chiefs, the 2018 campaign was abysmal.

According to ESPN, the Jaguars fell 21 spots all the way to 27th in total offense. They only out-produced a handful of teams including the likes of the Arizona Cardinals and the Miami Dolphins. Not surprisingly, given their benching of Blake Bortles, the passing game was the primary culprit.

They were 27th in passing with a paltry 194 yards per game. Bortles had the worst season of his career, and the team was unable to makeup for the poor performance. Fortunately, for fans and the defense, the team went out and signed a more proven signal caller.

Foles has had a unique career to this point. Originally drafted by the Andy Reid led Philadelphia Eagles, he wouldn’t play a significant role until Reid was fired and Chip Kelly brought his college-style, hurry up offense to the NFL. Foles performed well in this offense in his first season, throwing for 27 touchdowns and only two interceptions. Even with this early success, he struggled to find a foothold bouncing from team to team before eventually winning a Super Bowl in Philadelphia.

While his career has been filled with ups and downs, that last point is why the Jaguars organization brought him to Jacksonville. The hope is that he will be enough of a boost at the quarterback position to bring the offense back to it’s 2017 level of production and bring balance to the team.

Some are pretty high on Foles, believing the journeyman signal caller to be the missing piece of the puzzle to bring the Jaguars back to the AFC Championship Game. While that last statement seems a bit optimistic, there are some good reasons for that optimism.

Not only did the Jaguars upgrade at the games most important position, but Foles will have plenty of young weapons to throw to. On the one hand is Dede Westbrook, who has reportedly been Foles’ favorite target this offseason. Westbrook is entering his third year with the team, and has improved each season. Even in a poor offense, Westbrook had 66 catches for 717 yards and five touchdowns.

On the other side is Marqise Lee. Lee is entering his fifth year with the team, and while he missed all of 2018 with an injury, he’s caught 119 passes for 1,553 yards and six touchdowns the last two seasons he’s been healthy. At 27 years old, he should still have a decent amount left in the tank. One of these two receivers, if not both, could easily push for 1,000 yards receiving this season.

That’s not all. As Chiefs fans know, the Jaguars signed long-time Chief Chris Conley this offseason. While Conley struggled to be consistent in the Chiefs’ offense, averaging 42 catches and only 310 yards per season, he has great straight line speed. As a second or third receiver, he should help stretch the field and make it easier for Foles to find open receivers.

Last but not least, there’s the running game. Leonard Fournette is one of the most imposing runners in the NFL. However, he had a very down year in 2018. He struggled with injuries that kept him out for half the season. It’s reported he’s refocused himself this offseason and shed some weight. Can he stay healthy and rebound from his poor performance last season?

It’s also reported that the Jaguars aim to make him a focal point in the passing game. His physicality and speed will be a challenge for anyone to deal with in space. Without question, the offense will ultimately run through Fournette, and he will be a main focus for Steve Spagnuolo’s defense going into Sunday.

Interestingly, last season the Jaguars offense ran 78 plays against the Chiefs’ defense. Of those 78 plays, 61 were passing plays. This was more than likely due to Jaguars coaches scheming against the Chiefs’ historically bad secondary.

While I’d expect a more balanced attack on Sunday, it wouldn’t surprise me if the Jaguars threw the ball far more than they run in an attempt to pressure the Chiefs corners and keep up with the Chiefs offense.

Player Numbers to Watch:

  • Dede Westbrook – Wide Receiver – Number 12
  • Chris Conley – Wide Receiver – Number 18
  • Marquise Lee – Wide Receiver – Number 11
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