Run Defense Issues Fall on More than Just Jacksonville's Linebackers
Jacksonville Jaguars head coach Doug Marrone didn't mince words about the state of his team's defense on Wednesday. He knows what they are getting from the unit right now, specifically against the run, isn't good enough.
Over the last six games, Jacksonville has allowed over 200 rushing yards three times, a staggering figure. The Jaguars have allowed 480 yards rushing and four rushing touchdowns in the last two games alone, both against AFC South opponents. The run defense is among the worst in the league, taking away chances for Jacksonville to do what it does best defensively; get after the passer on third down.
Jacksonville's linebackers have shouldered a good bit of the blame publically for the issues, especially middle linebacker Myles Jack, who before the season signed a four-year, $57 million contract with $33 million in guaranteed money.
But when speaking during his Wednesday press conference at TIAA Bank Field, Marrone said the run defense issues fall on the entire defense and not just the linebacker unit.
“Really, it’s everything. It’s not just the linebackers," Marrone said. "It starts up front, we have to do a better job up front and then it gives us a better opportunity to do a good job at the second level, and then obviously at the next level. So, we have to attack blocks, we have to get off of blocks. That’s what everyone has to do, and then we have to tackle well. So, it’s not just one group [or] one unit, we all have to do that better.”
Defensive lineman Calais Campbell, the leader of the Jacksonville front seven, is said the team's big bodies on the defensive line have to start doing their part to help the entire defense. When the front stops the run, it gives them more chances to get sacks and gives the secondary more chances to make plays.
"We have to stop the run. That starts with the D-line," Campbell said. "We definitely haven't played up to our standard; not even close yet."
"When we do stop the run and get them into 3rd-and-long situations, we have a lot of guys who can rush the passer. But we gotta make it happen," Campbell said. "To me, all the sacks and stuff will take care of itself but we have to shut down that run game."
Starting nose tackle Abry Jones concurs with Campbell's sentiment. When JaguarMaven asked him Wednesday what the defense has to do to find consistency in their run defense, his answer was quick and simple.
"Show up on Sunday. That is the only day that really matters," Jones said. "I feel like we prepare well enough and we practice hard enough, and I feel like it really comes down to Sunday."
A lot of it too is scheme. The Jaguars' deploy a one gap, attacking scheme that asks its front to get upfield and its linebackers to get sideline to sideline. As defensive coordinator Todd Wash said Thursday, the scheme isn't asking for the Campbells and the Joneses to cover for the linebackers.
"In our system, we're an attack front so it's not like we sit and try to cover up linemen and keep them off the second level so within our system that's not what we do, some systems they do," Wash said. "But for us, we're attack system and then when you get on a block you gotta get off a block is basically the way our system is built."
