JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- At the very least, the Jacksonville Jaguars were expected to be better this season than they were in Gus Bradley's first year as their head coach.
Sure, there were still gaping holes along the offensive line and legitimate concerns about the NFL's youngest starting secondary when the preseason ended. But the positives were beginning to outweigh the negatives.
Chad Henne was, if not the undisputed first-string quarterback, a source of greater confidence than Jaguars fans had with Blaine Gabbert. Wide receiver Cecil Shorts III and tight end Marcedes Lewis were bound to be healthier and therefore greater contributors than they were in 2013. There was stability on Bradley's staff, a draft which was widely praised, and an infusion of free agents from winning organizations.
Say so long to the days of finishing with a 4-12 record. A 6-10 mark, maybe even a flirtation with .500 in a division regarded as one of the league's weakest, was not unrealistic.
That goal officially went out the window Sunday when the Jaguars were beaten 27-13 by the Houston Texans, who have arisen from the ashes of a 2-14 season despite getting virtually nothing from No. 1 pick Jadaveon Clowney -- a cautionary tale to anyone clinging to the myth that choosing first is a required step on the road to recovery.
Unless they somehow run the table over the final three weeks, which would mean victories at Baltimore and Houston as well as at home against Tennessee, the Jaguars will either tread water or worse in terms of wins and losses from a year ago.
With an offense which has scored just two touchdowns in the last three games and a defense on pace to finish near the bottom of the league against the run for the third year in a row, there are more questions than answers surrounding the team.
"Sometimes the answer is we've got to do it longer and harder than the other team," Bradley said Monday. "And we're not doing that right now. But we'll be good. We'll be all right."
Try telling that to anyone who sat through less than ideal weather conditions during the second half against the Texans to see the Jaguars give up 17 unanswered points before they could so much as cross the 50-yard line on offense.
Since ditching Henne and going with Blake Bortles as their starter, the Jaguars have gone 2-8. He is capable of moments of brilliance, such as his 31-yard completion to fellow rookie Marqise Lee in full stride and his eluding two pass rushers to find Lewis for a 14-yard gain. But at other times, there are reminders that he would still be a senior at UCF if he stayed in college.
Bortles' 16 interceptions are two more than Henne had after taking over for Gabbert. The franchise single-season record of 20 set by Mark Brunell in 1996 could well fall in the weeks ahead.
The Jaguars are averaging only 200.9 net yards passing a game this season compared to 215.1 yards in 2013. Part of the reason for that is a line which has permitted 54 sacks and still has to face J.J. Watt a second time to end the season.
Shorts has just one touchdown catch, with that coming in the closing seconds of a drubbing by Indianapolis, while Lewis again missed a considerable length of time due to injury. No one is longing for the return of Maurice Jones-Drew, who has been a total non-factor with the Oakland Raiders, but the running game has regressed since Denard Robinson's three-week stretch of averaging more than 100 yards a contest.
While the defense won't give up 49 touchdowns like it did last season, the yardage stats are virtually the same. That's an indication of how much the loss of middle linebacker Paul Posluszny has been felt over the past six games.
Sen'Derrick Marks is playing at a Pro Bowl level at tackle, but that hasn't been enough.
"If you want spirit, where guys can play with enthusiasm and excitement, along with that emotion comes frustration," Bradley said. "You can't have one without the other sometimes."
That frustration has yet to take on the form of raging sideline arguments or open finger-pointing. If you're looking for drama, the Jaguars are not your team.
What kind of team they are, other than one which still loses far more often than it doesn't, remains subject to debate.
"We're all going through this challenging time right now," Bradley said. "But I think that's when they look for strength. I always believe that you give people strength in time of need, and that's what we do."
The rebuilding process continues. So do the losing ways.
You can follow Ken Hornack on Twitter @HornackFSFla or email him at khornack32176@gmail.com.
