Jacksonville's impressive win over the Cleveland Browns has them rising in NFL power rankings, while rookie guard Emmanuel Pregnon is singled out for his strong debut.
The Jacksonville Jaguars made a statement on Sunday by dismantling the Cleveland Browns 34-10 at EverBank Stadium.
It was a dominant, efficient performance by both the offense and the defense.
Quarterback Trevor Lawrence had a masterful showing, going 18 for 23 for 245 yards and four touchdowns. Nine different Jaguars caught at least one pass. For a QB trying to prove he deserves to be in conversations about the NFL's elite at the position, Lawrence couldn't have asked for a better start.
Jacksonville's defense overwhelmed the Browns offense all afternoon. After winning the coin toss and electing to receive, a decision the Jaguars' defense took personally, it took five plays for Cleveland to turn the ball over.
While the impressive showings from the defense and players like Lawrence and wide receiver Parker Washington came as no surprise, there was at least one position group that greatly exceeded expectations.
The offensive line.
Jacksonville's line, despite having both tackles switching sides from last season, Ezra Cleveland moving from left to right guard, and rookie Emmanuel Pregnon now starting at LG, had a very strong showing. The line neutralized a very strong Cleveland defensive front, allowing only one sack, and paved the way for the running game to rack up 129 yards (not counting kneel-downs).
Jacksonville's emphatic victory saw the team move up four spots in ESPN's power rankings. The Jaguars were 17th in ESPN's last rankings. Now they are up to 13th.
ESPN also highlighted one non-QB newcomer from each team who made an impact in Week 1. For Jacksonville, it was Pregnon. The rookie had a very successful debut and looks like he will hold down the LG spot for years to come.
"Pregnon allowed only one QB pressure on 25 pass-block snaps in Week 1. That 4% pressure rate was tied with left tackle Anton Harrison for the best of any Jaguars offensive lineman. Pregnon, a third-round pick out of Oregon, didn't move into the starting lineup until the second half of training camp. He was impressive enough that the Jaguars moved starting left guard Ezra Cleveland to right guard just to get Pregnon on the field. -- Michael DiRocco"
Earned Starting Job Late
As DiRocco mentions, Pregnon didn't even earn a starting job until late in the offseason.
Jacksonville had offensive linemen dropping like flies during training camp and the preseason. One of them was starting RG Patrick Mekari, who underwent back surgery and will miss significant time. That led the team to move Ezra Cleveland to the right side and elevate Pregnon into the starting lineup.
He did not disappoint in Week 1, and looks like the draft steal he was said to be after falling to the Jaguars in the third round.
Final Thoughts
Even though they moved up four spots, the Jaguars being ranked 13th still seems very low.
It may have only been the Browns, but Jacksonville had a fantastic overall game on Sunday and looked like one of the best teams in the league. The Jaguars were also the only team in the AFC South to start the new season with a victory.
If Jacksonville walks out of Denver next Sunday with a victory over the Broncos, expect the club to be much higher in next week's rankings.
