Jacksonville Jaguars: Injuries to Determine Defensive Success
By Andrew Long
The defensive unit of the Jacksonville Jaguars limited the success that the team was able to achieve in 2015. If a few key players can return from injuries and perform at a high level, things may turn around.
The Jacksonville Jaguars appear to be a team on the cusp of playing quality football. Their offense has shown that they have the ability to post high totals when necessary, finishing as the league’s 14th best offense in terms of scoring with 376 points. Their offensive success only garnered them five victories, though, as their defense struggled to keep the opposition at bay.
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In fact, their defensive unit allowed 448 points, second worst in the league, and 6,000 yards, the ninth-worst among NFL teams. That equates to 28 points and 375 yards per game, totals that undoubtedly place enormous amounts of pressure on their offensive teammates. Asking an offense to regularly score more than 28 points is a tall task, meaning that the defense will need to improve quite a bit if they wish to become playoff contenders.
Knowing that their defense was lacking last season, Jacksonville made upgrading the unit their biggest priority of the offseason. From their draft strategy to the players that they signed on the open market, it was evident that management was on a mission to improve the ailing group.
They opted to select cornerback Jalen Ramsey with the fifth overall choice in the draft, a move that should improve their passing defense quite a bit. He possesses the skills to adequately cover opposing wideouts and take them out of the game, which in turn provides their pass-rushers with more time to get to the quarterback.
Obviously Ramsey can’t fend off the entirety of a receiving corps on his own, in fact, he’ll need an ample amount of assistance. That’s where free agent acquisition Tashaun Gipson comes into play. He will be expected to team up with the aforementioned rookie and roster holdovers Jonathan Cyprien and Davon House to limit the opposition in passing situations.
As I mentioned earlier, the play of the secondary influences the level of success that pass-rushers can achieve. However, if you flip the roles in this scenario, the statement still rings true, as a strong pass-rush absolutely makes the job of a defensive back easier – both parts of the equation are equally as important.
In an effort to improve interior pressure, the Jaguars signed Malik Jackson, a defensive tackle capable of bullying offensive linemen in the trenches. And while the presence of Jackson will certainly help the effectiveness of their pass-rush, I believe that defensive end Dante Fowler Jr. will be the game changer from here on out.
With Fowler Jr. possessing the potential to become a dominant force along the defensive line, and Ramsey taking over as the leader of the secondary, two levels of Jacksonville’s defense appear to be taken care of for the future. That leaves the linebackers, a group of players that carry a great deal of potential and playmaking ability in their own right.
At 25 years old, Telvin Smith is an up and coming player for the Jags, recording 99 tackles, two and a half sacks, two forced fumbles, and an interception for a touchdown last season. Next to Smith is veteran Paul Posluszny, a middle linebacker with the knowledge to lead the defense in tough situations.
Smith and Posluszny combine to form an adequate unit in the middle of the defense, but it’s Myles Jack, the linebacker that Jacksonville took a gamble on in the second round of the 2016 NFL draft, that will ultimately determine the success of the linebacking corps.
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If Jack’s able to perform at a high level post-injury, the Jaguars will have gotten a major steal and their linebackers will flourish. If he doesn’t perform up to his highest ability, though, the unit will likely remain average – something that can actually be said for the entirety of the Jaguars defense.
Their defense is loaded with young talent, but, sadly, much of their success will hinge on the health and recovery of young, injured players. Players that, if healthy, can provide the Jacksonville Jaguars with difference makers.