The Jacksonville Jaguars' offense spent the first three weeks of the 2023 season simply not clicking.
Miscues at every position group, with many coming at critical moments in games, led the Jaguars to a disappointing first three weeks. Instead of making widespread and wholesale changes, though, the Jaguars gritted their teeth in Week 4 and worked to make their offense, well, work again.
Despite this strategy, there was one significant change in the 23-7 win over the Atlanta Falcons. Starting left guard Ben Bartch, who started each of the first three games, was replaced in the lineup by veteran guard/center Tyler Shatley, becoming the first member of the Jaguars' 2023 offense to lose his starting job due to the unit's struggles.
Shatley started 14 games last year after Bartch went down in Week 5 with a season-ending knee injury, but Bartch was the Jaguars' handpicked answer at guard entering the 2023 season.
Despite this, Bartch struggled over the first month of the season, perhaps due to a quick return from his injury. Facing a physical Falcons front in London, the Jaguars elected to turn back to the reliable Shatley in favor of Bartch.
"You know, we felt, too, like this defensive front was a little bigger, heavier, stronger front," Jaguars head coach Doug Pederson said on Sunday. "We just felt like Shatley gave us the best opportunity there. Was nothing really against Ben Bartch. We just as a staff just felt like it was Shatley's time to get in there."
Whether that remains the case in Week 5 is a complete unknown. Starting left tackle Cam Robinson's four-game suspension for violating the NFL's performance-enhancing substance policy is officially over, giving him a chance to return to the lineup in Week 5 vs. the Buffalo Bills.
If Robinson does return vs. the Bills, the Jaguars would then have to make a decision at left guard between Shatley, Bartch, and left tackle Walker Little. But for now, that decision is a tomorrow problem.
"It's hard to say. We'll look at the film, evaluate it, but yeah, I'll let you know on Wednesday," Pederson said.
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