The AFC South is a spiraling mess this season, but there's plenty of hope for the future.
The Tennessee Titans have hope under center in Marcus Mariota while the Jaguars have Blake Bortles and a surrounding cast of talent that currently has Jacksonville ranked as the 15th-overall offense after finishing 31st over the past two seasons.
"I definitely think there's a swagger and a confidence to this offense," said offensive tackle Luke Joeckel, per the team's official website. "We've been doing a good job moving the football. There were those weeks there we just didn't do a good job in the red zone. We've definitely gone out there and fixed some things."
It starts with Bortles, who in his second season stands as just the fourth player in NFL history with 30-plus touchdown throws at age 23 or younger. On the receiving end of those heroics, uber-talented receiver Allen Robinson (12) and fellow pass-catcher Allen Hurns (8) have combined for the most receiving scores in a single season by any duo of wideouts in Jaguars history.
The club has also seen tight end Julius Thomas heat up over the past four games with 21 catches for 213 yards and a touchdown grab in each of those tilts. At 27, Thomas feels like an elder statesmen next to Robinson (22), Hurns (24), Bortles (23) and second-round running back T.J. Yeldon (22).
The leap taken this season by Jacksonville's collection of young talent begs the question: Can this be the NFL's next great offense? It feels entirely possible.
"Blake has a ton of different options he can go to," Robinson said. "Me, I'm pretty confident in all of our options that if he goes to anyone we'll continue to be successful."
It's not crazy to imagine the Jaguars (5-8) mining their way into January play. Just a game back of the up-and-down Texans and Colts, Jacksonville faces a manageable remaining slate against Atlanta, New Orleans and Houston. That finale against the Texans could ultimately serve as an epic opportunity for this intriguing team to upset the apple cart.Â
Either way, coach Gus Bradley and general manager David Caldwell are beginning to see the plan come together. This Jaguars can't be shrugged off as just another easy out. Young players are beginning to develop and mesh, giving Jacksonville one of the NFL's more intriguing rosters heading into 2016.
