NFL Jacksonville Jaguars

Storm Johnson Will Be X-Factor For Jacksonville Jaguars In Week 6

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By @MWCompton

Storm Johnson Jaguars

David Manning-USA Today Sports


Jacksonville Jaguars rookie running back Storm Johnson made his NFL debut last week, sharing snaps with Toby Gerhart, Denard Robinson and Jordan Todman against the Pittsburgh Steelers. It didn’t take long for Johnson to make his presence felt. In his first appearance of the season, he recorded the Jaguars’ longest run from scrimmage this year, rambling 20 yards in the third quarter.

Johnson concluded the game with just four carries for 27 yards (6.8 yards per carry), but his performance should earn him more snaps this week when the Jaguars hit the road to play the struggling Tennessee Titans on Sunday. Despite being hampered by an ankle injury that has slowed his development, Johnson, the Jaguars’ x-factor in Week 6, is sorely needed to pick up the slack in the backfield and bolster one of the league’s worst rushing attacks.

During the preseason, head coach Gus Bradley indicated that Johnson possessed the best instincts of the team’s running backs. Bradley indicated this week that the running back position is an open competition. While Bradley’s statement, which reflects his committee approach to the position, doesn’t bode well for the team this far along in the season, it represents opportunity for Johnson.

Bradley is all but begging his backs to earn more touches with their play. If given the ball more often, Johnson will make the Jaguars faster and stronger. It wouldn’t be surprising if he establishes himself as the No. 1 running back this season based on what Gerhart and Robinson have shown thus far.

Taken in the seventh round of this year’s NFL Draft, Johnson could prove to be a steal for the Jaguars. A hard-nosed runner out of UCF where he played in the same backfield as Jaguars’ franchise quarterback Blake Bortles, Johnson has size and speed and can catch the ball out of the backfield, something he did plenty of with Bortles last season. His hands make him an ideal check-down receiver for Bortles.

Johnson is also capable of picking up tough yards between the tackles, which Gerhart was expected to do but hasn’t through the first five games. Gaining yards after contact is an area the Jaguars’ backs need to greatly improve on to finish drives and take pressure off of the passing game.

The Jaguars’ running back rotation has its best chance of the young season to step up and help balance the offense, squaring off against a Titans defense that ranks No. 26 in the league against the run (136.6 yards per game). Establishing an effective running game will open up passing lanes for Bortles and likely limit his costly rookie mistakes.

The patience of Jaguars fans is running thin. With expectations for a team that was believed to be better than 0-5 ratcheting up, the Jaguars must deliver a win on Sunday. Whether or not the running attack makes a difference in determining the outcome of the game remains to be seen, but if the inexperienced offensive line can run-block better, the Jaguars’ rushing attack should finally put up decent numbers against the Titans with Johnson jump-starting the offense and leading the way.

Michael Compton is a Jacksonville Jaguars writer for RantSports. Follow him on Twitter at @MWCompton and connect with him on Google.

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