JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Run the football, play tough defense and take care of the football. That formula led the Jaguars to a blowout win over Houston in Week 1 and they copied and pasted that plan on Sunday against Baltimore. It led to a dominating 44-7 win over the Ravens.
All week the Jaguars faced questions of who they are as a football team – the version that crushed Houston or the team that was embarrassed by Tennessee?
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The Jaguars' offensive and defensive lines set the tone for a dominating performance against the Ravens. The defense forced a three-and-out on the Ravens' first drive that ended with a Dante Fowler Jr. sack. Jacksonville’s offense responded with a nine-play, 58-yard drive that gave it a 3-0 lead with a field goal from Jason Myers.
After another 3-and-out by the Ravens, the Jaguars offense responded with a seven-play, 80-yard drive that resulted in the first of three touchdown receptions for tight end Marcedes Lewis. On the drive, quarterback Blake Bortles was a perfect 5-for-5.
At the end of the first quarter, the Jaguars had out-gained the Ravens 170 yards to minus-1. Those numbers were even more impressive by halftime when the Jaguars led 23-0:
Total yards: JAX 261 - BAL 15
First downs: JAX 16 – BAL 1
Turnovers: JAX 0 - BAL 1
Time of possession: JAX 21:50 – BAL 8:10
For a player who nearly lost his job less than a month ago, Bortles was sharp in London. The Jaguars quarterback completed 16 of 24 passes for 184 yards and two touchdowns in the first half.