My Week 1 prediction was correct!
The regular season is truly under way and so are the new-look Jacksonville Jaguars.
Was it a masterclass straight out of the gate? Absolutely not! However, it did show that something is brewing in Duval county.
A fast start
It was a refreshing change to see the Jags score on their first drive.
It was not a touchdown but I will take a field goal.
Last year we could not even score on our first possession. Later in the second quarter, I got my wish of a more comfortable first half lead with Trevor Lawrence throwing a touchdown pass to Hunter Long.
Then came the storm clouds. Last season, this meant a series of disastrous plays by the Jags resulting in us losing the lead and putting ourselves in a difficult position.
This time, I am relieved to say it was a storm of the meteorological variety. With the game delayed for just over an hour, this gave Jags fans a period of time to reflect on how far we have come.
Post-storm
This team looks like it could be the start of something special.
I am not going to say we are going 17-0 or that we are going to go all the way this year. For sure, there are things that need to be cleared up: the numerous penalties for holding and delay-of-game need to be ironed out.
However, there was a spark. We have a defense that looks confident – an interception thanks to Foye Oluokun helped the Jags to dominate the field.
We did not get an interception until Week 5 last year so this really speaks to the fast start.
Did this match what Liam Coen promised? It was certainly FAST football.
For the most part we did look fundamentally sound and far more attacking than last year. We were situational masters in defense and tough when dealing with penalties.
Let us see if the Jags can prowl into Bengals territory and cause an upset in Week 2.
