The Jacksonville Jaguars dropped to 2-6 with a loss to the New York Jets on Sunday, due mostly to turnovers on an otherwise big day offensively. It was the most yardage the Jaguars have tallied in a game since the 2012 season and the team can thank Allen Robinson and Allen Hurns for the yardage.
The Jaguars aren’t good, but their wide receivers are budding stars
Allen Robinson and Allen Hurns continue to put up big numbers for the Jaguars and are one of the best duos in the NFL on an otherwise poor team.
Reinhold Matay-USA TODAY Sports
Among players in the NFL with 25 receptions or more, Robinson leads the NFL with 17.7 yards per reception while Hurns is second with 17.6. The pair combined for 243 receiving yards in Week 9, which is the most they’ve ever tallied together.
The only other teams with two players who have averaged more than 75 receiving yards per game are the 8-0 New England Patriots and the 7-1 Denver Broncos. Demaryius Thomas and Emmanuel Sanders lead the three duos with 1,384 yards, just ahead of the 1,342 gained by Robinson and Hurns, and the 1,332 gained by Rob Gronkowski and Julian Edelman.
The problem for the Jaguars on Sunday was turnovers and the inability to force them on defense. Blake Bortles threw for a career-high 381 yards, the most for any Jaguars quarterback since Mark Brunell, but threw two interceptions and fumbled in the red zone.
For now, the Jaguars have a passing attack with tremendous promise and potential, but young players who make mistakes too often. For all the great statistics that Robinson and Hurns have combined for, and there’s plenty, the Jaguars are No. 22 in points scored, despite the No. 11 pass offense.
One of the biggest problems is that the 22-year-old Robinson and 23-year-old Hurns are playing so well, while the offensive veterans have been non-factors. After sitting for the first four games of the season with a hand injury, prized free agent addition Julius Thomas has just 13 receptions for 116 yards in four games played. Against the Jets he caught just three passes for 14 yards.
In the putrid AFC South, the Jaguars would only need to string together a few wins to climb from 2-6 to postseason contention, and while the team certainly hasn’t played like a playoff contender, its pair of budding star receivers gives it a chance.
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