Jaguars End the Debate on How to Defend Sliding QBs

The dirty hit on Jacksonville Jaguars QB Trevor Lawrence has sparked many conversations on how to defend quarterbacks sliding once outside of the pocket. The Jaguars definitively answered how to do so.

Dec 1, 2024; Jacksonville, Florida, USA; Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence (16) slides down in front of Houston Texans linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair (0) in the second quarter in the second quarter at EverBank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images | Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

The hit that knocked Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence was seen countless times since the hit occured. It has also become a significant conversation for teams around the league, as it is an issue that has the potential to impact every team.

The hit Lawrence sustained was a play that happened quickly, as most plays in the National Football League do. Jaguars defensive coordinator Ryan Neilsen noted that while he understands the speed of which things move in the NFL, there is still no place in the game for hitting a sliding quarterback.

Nielsen explained how he and the Jaguars coaching staff coach the play.

“Sure, that's obviously a hot topic,” Nielsen said. “As we talk about the quarterback a lot of times, if we can make a form tackle,  that's the kind of tackle we want to make. Then when the quarterback is running, he goes in to get into the slide as we have an aiming point that we want, and if that aiming point then drops, then we try to jump over the top of them."

Nielsen noted that while defenders want to avoid a quarterback faking as if they will slide, only to continue running up the field, they must be smart when approaching a quarterback that is outside of the pocket.

“We don't want the penalty," Nielsen said. "Like that's the extra yards on the thing. Sometimes it's tricky, sometimes the fake slide, and so that's why we try to form tackle it first. Then, if he does fake, I'm going to take that shot and then go over the top if he goes and slides down. So, it's something that we're going to continue to coach. 

“Obviously, in this situation, I think it's something that we need to revisit and make sure  that we don't have something like that happen because obviously you don't want that to happen, and also, the penalty yards on top of everything that happens to you. That's a  big—15-yard penalty is a big—it could put you in point situations. Obviously, you don't want it to happen to our guy. But if we're just coaching this particular play and taking Jacksonville out of it and just talking about how to coach the thing, then yeah, we need to eliminate the hit to the head and go over the top.” 

“It gets to a point where the form tackle part of it is. When you're  wrapping and trying to clamp a guy and not leave your feet, that's the important thing. It's  particularly on the quarterback. That's part of the fake slide. You want to be able to come in  and wrap them up and get them to the ground.” 

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