Blackmon offers hope for offense
ing a game unless you do something to take care of him.” DAVIE — The Dolphins With the defending NFC JACKSONVILLE — have to do a better job proSouth champions off to a The Jaguars still rank last tecting their home field. 1-4 start before the bye in the NFL in total offense.
And it has to start with week, rumors spread that However, with receiver today’s game against BufGonzalez wouldn’t mind Justin Blackmon back in falo. returning to the Chiefs the lineup, the Jaguars
Over the last 10 years the (6-0), who selected Gonmight not be in the offenDolphins are 36-44 (.450) zalez in the first round of sive cellar much longer. at home. They haven’t had the 1997 draft. The second-year reback-to-back winning sea“I didn’t ask for a trade,” ceiver has dominated in sons at home since said Gonzalez, who the two games since re2001-02. changed his mind about returning from a four-game
In a way, you could say tirement this spring to resuspension to start the seathe Dolphins (3-2), whoare turn for a fifth year with son for violating the riding a two-game losing the Falcons. “There is no league’s substance-abuse streak, don’t only need to way I would think about policy. Blackmon has defeat the Bills (2-4) bejumping ship because I caught 19 passes for 326 cause this is an AFC East love playing for this team yards and a touchdown game. and this city. I don’t have over the last two games.
They need to win beany regrets; I’m still as The 19 receptions are cause there’s value in prohappy as I can be to be a five more than any player tecting your home field. Falcon. We still have a in the league over the same
Last year, 11 of 12 playoff chance.” period. Blackmon’s 326 teams were at least 5-3 at With White sidelined, yards are 58 more than any home. Two years ago, nine the Bucs figure to devote other player over the last of 12 were at least 5-3 at additional resources to two weeks. Of his 19 catchhome. Three years ago, 11 of cover Gonzalez, who has es, 13 have gone for first 12 playoff teams won at only two touchdown downs, which also topped least five home games. catches in 11 career games the NFL in Weeks 5-6. In
Going 5- 3 at home against Tampa Bay. Sunday’s 35-19 loss at Dendoesn’t ensure a playoff “He’s been doing it for a ver, Blackmon caught 14 berth, but it’s a big part of while at a very high level,” passes for 190 yards. the formula. said Bucs second-year safe“He played really, really
“If you want to be a great ty Mark Barron, who well and he competed as football team, you have to knocked away a fourthhard as you can ask for in play extremely well at down pass intended for terms of his effort,” Jaguars home,” Dolphins coach Joe Gonzalez to seal Tampa offensive coordinator Jedd Philbin said. “We’re no difBay’s season-ending win in Fisch said. ferent. That’s got to be part 2012. “He knows how to The Jaguars were averof what we do.” play the game.” aging 224 yards a game
The Dolphins are 1-1 at Only Jerry Rice has through their first four home, defeating Atlanta more career catches than contests. That total not (27-23) and losing to BaltiGonzalez, who has hauled only was last in the league more (26-23). in at least one pass in 200 but was 50 yards a game
But now they have a consecutive games. That’s back of 31st-ranked Tampa chanceBay.to turn Sun Life the second-longest streak Stadium into a home-field in NFLhistory to Rice’s run Now the gap is closing. advantage. of 274 games. The Jaguars have averaged
The Dolphins play four “We’re certainly going to 362.5 yards in their last two of their next six games at pay attention to Tony Gongames. That’s good for 12th home: Buffalo, Cincinnati zalez; he’s a great player,” among the 25 other teams (Oct. 31), San Diego (Nov. Bucs coach Greg Schiano that have played the last 17) and Carolina (Nov. 24). said. “But we also have to two weeks without a bye.
During this stretch the make sure we cover everyIn that time frame, the JagDolphins, who were 5-3 at body. Matt Ryan is very uars have more total ofhome last year, have a good about distributing the fense than New Orleans, chance to ensure back-tofootball, reading out the New England, San Franback winning seasons at play and taking what the cisco and Detroit. home for the first time in defense gives you. We’ve The Jaguars’ season avmore than a decade. got to make sure we cover erage has jumped to 270.2
To defeat the Bills, the all our bases.” yards a game, now 20 yards back of the Buccaneers.
Blackmon’s return has also helped on the scoreboard. The Jaguars averaged 7.8 points in their first four games but have averaged19.5 in the last two.
After throwing for 700 yards in the first four games combined, the Jaguars have gained 558 yards through the air over the last two games.
Sacks are also becoming less of an issue. The Jaguars have allowed four sacks the last two games after giving up 18 through the first four.
That stat becomes more impressive considering the Jaguars traded left tackle Eugene Monroe to Baltimore after the fourth game. Monroe’s replacement, rookie Luke Joeckel, didn’t last long. The second overall pick in April’s draft broke his ankle late in the first quarter against St. Louis, Blackmon’s debut game.
The passing resurgence has also opened up room for running back Maurice Jones-Drew. The threetime Pro Bowler carried 57 times for 138 yards (a 2.4 average) in the first four games. He has 141 yards over the last two games with a 3.7-yard average per carry.
The Jaguars have lined up Blackmon at different spots to make it harder for defenses to scheme against him. The strategy has worked. Blackmon has caught 11 passes for 189 yards on the left side of the field, compared to eight catches for 137 yards on the right side.
“We moved him everywhere,” Fisch said. “We put him in a lot of different places to put him in a position to go against all of the different matchups. I was really proud of him throughout the whole game.”