Buccaneers play Jaguars in Week 14 with hopes to end six-game losing streak – NFL Preview
The Jacksonville Jaguars are playing the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at EverBank Field stadium in Jacksonville into National Football League (NFL) week 14 this Sunday amid uncertainty and issues confronting both sides respectively.
The visitors Buccaneers, who had luck last year (2010) to turnaround their performance to finish 10-6 in the league, falling just short of playoffs are struggling this season at 4-8 with loss of six consecutive games.
The young Buccaneers side will be hoping to find the last year’s click against the Jacksonville Jaguars despite that it will be too late for them. They are too far of even having a hope for playoffs this season.
Out of the total 12 games that the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have played this season, they won four and lost eight, including the six losses in a row. Defeat against the Jaguars will be their seventh straight loss. They however are
aiming to end the streak.
A majority of wins for the Buccaneers has come at their home ground. They have won three out of the four games they played against their visitors. Their road losses are greater than their road wins with three losses and one win
respectively.
The team ranks 30th in the NFL professional football league with average points 27.4 allowed per game.
Given the situation the Buccaneers stand losing nothing even if they are defeated in Jacksonville. However if they fight hard and win it will be a good confidence boost for the young side. This is what their coach Raheem Morris
wants at least.
"We've got to go out and play better. We've got to figure out a way to be smarter. We have to figure out a way to be more consistent," Morris said.
The Jacksonville Jaguars meanwhile are in situation similar to the Buccaneers. The team 3-9 in the current league season is struggling for past few games to get together. The recent management problems and reshuffling has taken
focus of the players away from the game.
They have lost their head coach Del Rio and Mel Tucker is in charge of the coaching affairs on an interim arrangement. The franchise has been sold while a number of players reshuffled and cut.
They are facing issues with their starter Blaine Gabbert. He had been the main source of criticism against former coach Del Rio. Newly elevated Mel Tucker now also faces questions about Gabbert performance. He had lost seven of
his eight starts he made so far. In last match too his performance remained insignificant.
"I'm not at all disappointed in where he's going and the progress he's making," interim coach Mel Tucker told the team's website. "He's showing the willingness to put the work in and I think he has tremendous support from his teammates.
He needs to get better, and we need to get better around him."
The hosts Jaguars however have historical edge over their visitors. Both sides have played four games in between them with the Jaguars winning three of them. Apart from their issues the Jaguars are being projected to topple the
Buccaneers this weekend.
Having played 12 games the Jaguars stand 3-9 on the points table with no hopes to making it to playoffs this season. This included their two home and one road wins. They lost four home games and five on road.
Tags: