Sunday’s game was a painful one for Jacksonville Jaguars fans. The team lost its fourth straight game, this time at home against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The game started miserably. Nick Foles had turnovers on the first three offensive possessions for the Jags. The boos started early and it was only a matter of time before going back to the rookie sensation became inevitable. Yes, the Jaguars lost Sunday. But momentum shifted when Gardner Minshew came off the bench and lined up under center once again. Minshew orchestrated a few scoring drives and gave life to the team. He’s obviously the better option at this point and with four games remaining on the season, the Jaguars should stick with Minshew for the duration.
There are thousands of people screaming “Minshew” right now
Never seen a revolt quite like this #Jaguars @FCN2go #DUUUVAL pic.twitter.com/OYm4ml5EKj
— Mia O'Brien (@MiaOBrienTV) December 1, 2019
Gardner Minshew Should Be the Starter Going Forward
The Woes of Nick Foles
Though three games and about a quarter of play, Foles has not lived up to the $88 million contract he signed earlier this year. He threw an interception and had a pair of lost fumbles in Sunday’s contest against Tampa Bay. The once Super Bowl MVP looks nothing of the sort as of late. He’s been a statue in the pocket, missing on many throws, and can’t extend plays when the pocket collapses.
Perhaps the most egregious example of Foles’ poor play on Sunday was the interception he threw. It appeared as if the ball was meant to find the defender and not whichever receiver he intended the ball to go to. Dede Westbrook was the closest receiver to the ball, but he wasn’t that close. The throw was over the middle of the field and all linebacker Devin White had to do was catch the ball. Luckily for Jaguars fans, the team decided to bench Foles for the second half and go with Minshew instead.
Minshew Mania Returns
Minshew is the quarterback a large contingent of fans have wanted all season. Now it looks as if he’s the quarterback they need too. Though the Jags were not able to overcome a 25-0 half-time deficit, Minshew provided a spark to both sides of the ball. The Jaguars scored 11 points in the second half while the Bucs only scored three points.
Minshew finished the game 16 of 27 passing with 147 yards along with one touchdown and one interception. He also had a lost fumble but largely played well and easily better than Foles. In fact, Minshew’s interception came on a would be touchdown that Westbrook should have brought in.
At 4-8, the Jaguars are by no means playoff contenders this year. But with four games left the team should do its best to end the losing streak. Minshew is young and does have room to improve. However, he’s played much better than Foles has this season and undoubtedly gives the Jaguars a better chance to succeed. Is he the future of the franchise? Maybe. The only way to tell is to give the young signal caller more experience under center.
The Decision Should Be Easy
This is not a situation like last season with Blake Bortles and Cody Kessler. We’ve already seen Gardner Minshew play for an extended period of time. Minshew can play and the team seems to respond well to his swagger. Foles’ performance in the three games since his return have not been good. The offense has looked sluggish with Foles back.
It’s a losing argument to say that Foles gives the team the best chance to win. In fact, it’s becoming increasingly obvious that the opposite is true. The right decision would be to stick with Minshew for the remainder of the season. What happens after the season is anyone’s guess and can wait. For now, Minshew Mania should be back in Duval.
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