Devin Lloyd Outlines Jaguars' 3 Keys to Defensive Success

The Jacksonville Jaguars are getting ready to take on the Buffalo Bills in the first round of the 2025 NFL playoffs. Had this been made known before the season began, there'd be some mixed reactions. For one, the thought of the Jags making the postseason would have been shocking. Once that initial surprise wore off, though, there would likely be a sense of dread with the idea of facing Josh Allen and the Bills' offense.

But Jacksonville has no reason to be afraid of Buffalo. It's the host team this Sunday for a reason. The Jaguars were flat-out better than the Bills this year, and they should be able to prove that in Wild Card Weekend. Allen and the offense have the firepower to get the best of anyone, but Jacksonville's defense should be well-equipped to slow them down.

Jacksonville Jaguars, NFL, Indianapolis Colts, Devin Lloyd — Jacksonville Jaguars linebacker Devin Lloyd (0) celebrates his interception during the first quarter of an NFL football game at EverBank Stadium, Sunday, Dec. 7, 2025, in Jacksonville, Fla. The Jaguars defeated the Colts 36-19. | Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

How Jaguars' defense found their success

A lot has been made of the Jacksonville Jaguars' offense this season. In their first year under Head Coach Liam Coen, the Jags reached a new level on that side of the ball, evidenced by Trevor Lawrence setting the franchise record for total touchdowns in a single campaign with three scores against the Tennessee Titans in Week 18.

However, the defense deserves just as much credit. They allowed the 11th-fewest yards per game and ranked eighth in scoring this season. Anthony Campanile's unit has been one of the best in football this year, and he's bound to get some consideration for head coaching gigs from other teams as a result. Star linebacker Devin Lloyd outlined the philosophy that led to their success:

Jacksonville finished the season leading the league in rush defense for the first time in team history, allowing a franchise-low 85.6 rushing yards per game. The Jaguars are the third team since 2000 to not allow a 75-yard rusher in a single game for an entire season. pic.twitter.com/fgQsfumnji
— JaguarsPR (@JaguarsPR) January 4, 2026

"Yeah, stop the run, limit explosives, and create takeaways. I think, in that, it's just being very detailed with each level: eyes, feet, hands, violent finish. He always preaches that, and so, for us, it's every rep having those fundamentals at every level. So that is the standard. It is just executing, doing your job with great fundamentals and technique, every play. That's the standard.”

It's safe to say that the Jaguars hit on all three of their defensive pillars this season. They were No. 1 in rushing yards allowed per game and tied for second in yards per carry. They finished behind only the Chicago Bears' 33 in takeaways, with 31. Going into Week 18, they were seventh in explosive play rate allowed at five percent, according to Sharp Football Analysis. They only let up three explosive plays to the Tennessee Titans in the finale, or 5.5 percent of their 54 defensive snaps.

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