The Jacksonville Jaguars went into Sunday's game with understandable optimism about their chances of winning. A promising preseason and visible improvement should have meant a composed, respectable performance on both sides of the ball.
That was the case for the defense in the 20-9 loss. They made big plays, contained Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton relatively well and did all they could to keep the Jaguars in the game until the end.
However, the offense struggled mightily in a situation where they should have excelled. The Panthers were in striking distance all game, and there were multiple times when the Jaguars could have turned the game on its head.