Chris Simms: Jaguars Have ‘One of the Best Secondaries in the NFL’
The Jacksonville Jaguars' defense has been downright dominant through six weeks. Save for a few miscommunications here and there, the Jaguars have suffocated opposing running games and quarterbacks on a consistent basis.
Josh Allen. Patrick Mahomes. Now, Gardner Minshew, who threw three interceptions in the Jaguars' 37-20 win over the Indianapolis Colts. Minshew also had a fumble and had a handful of other interceptions either dropped or negated due to penalty.
"I mean, it’s huge. They started off the day, their offensive drive, with a 15-play drive. We knew right then and there, they were not going to beat us doing that. They were not going to score if they kept dinking and dunking," Jaguars outside linebacker Josh Allen said after the game.
"For us, it was finding that moment, finding that opportunity to keep them to field goals and stop them on first down. Getting an opportunity for us to make a play and we just capitalized on all of them. All of our opportunities. If we continue to watch the tape, continue to evolve, we can be the defense that we know we could be. I think we still let something out there, 20 points. I am disappointed that we gave them that. But there is still room to grow. We are not where we need to be, but we are definitely heading in the right direction. I am excited for next week."
Through six games, the Jaguars lead the NFL in takeaways with 15, with two different defensive backs (Andre Cisco and Darious Williams) tying for the NFL lead in interceptions with three.
"Yeah, defense sometimes doesn't get enough credit for that. The takeaways are something that we as a team talk about," Jaguars head coach Doug Pederson said. "They talk about it as a defense. It just shortens the field for your offense. Pass rush again today, there was pressure on Gardner [Minshew], putting it in places that he maybe didn't want it to go. Again, just a great team effort on defense to play the way they did today.
Simply put, the Jaguars have one of the best defenses in the NFL -- and it is fueled by one of the NFL's best secondaries, with Cisco, Williams, Rayshawn Jenkins, and Tre Herndon coming together in their second year in Mike Caldwell's system.
"They were all over Gardner Minshew. He comes back for a homecoming, it wasn’t that nice, it wasn’t a welcoming party," NBC Sports' Chris Simms said on Sunday.
"Three interceptions and a strip sack fumble. Jacksonville playing great team football…the Jaguars are a complete football team, they’ve got one of the best secondaries in the NFL as well.”
“It’s a little bit like last year," former Dallas Cowboys head coach Jason Garrett agreed.
"They struggled early, they get a big win, they get some confidence…they’re a balanced team.”
