5 things to know about the Vikings and Jaguars for Week 13
By Dustin Baker
When they run the ball, the Jaguars are effective
More often than not this season, Jacksonville falls behind its opponent on the scoreboard and subsequently abandons the run. The problem is that they rank 31st in the NFL in rush attempts. When they do run the ball, though, the Jaguars rank ninth in the business in yards per rush. It’s a strange situation for a head coach to encounter. The ground game generally sets the tone for a game, but when a team immediately trails, the deficit must be overcome by throwing the ball (that’s how Jacksonville does it, anyway).
Again, this stat is gift-wrapped and handed to the Jaguars by James Robinson. He averages 4.6 yards per rush attempt, and this notably better than players such as Ezekiel Elliott, Josh Jacobs, and Kenyan Drake. It’s borderline criminal that Jacksonville so frequently is forced to vacate its rushing strategy.
As for this week, the Minnesota Vikings rank 13th in the NFL in yards per rush allowed. Per game, the Vikings are the league’s 19th-best team in rushing yards per game surrendered.