Colts Describe How Jaguars' Secondary Created 2 Takeaways During Week 1

How did the Jaguars force Philip Rivers into two interceptions on Sunday? Rivers and head coach Frank Reich explained following the game.

Despite the Indianapolis Colts out-gaining the Jacksonville Jaguars by just over 200 yards and never punting once, they could muster just 20 points against a defense which is in a major transitional phase.

Even with Philip Rivers completing 78.3 % of his passes for 363 yards (7.9 yards per attempt average), the Colts struggled to put the Jaguars away for the entirety of Jacksonville's 27-20 Week 1 victory. 

But why? Well, a failed fourth-down and a missed field goal played big parts, but the most significant factor was the Jaguars' secondary forcing Rivers into two interceptions, each of which would lead to a Jaguars score. 

Last season, the Jaguars recorded just 10 interceptions, but they are already at 20% of that mark through one game thanks to rookie cornerback CJ Henderson and second-year backup safety Andrew Wingard capitalizing off of Rivers' mistakes. 

Henderson, the No. 9 overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, intercepted Rivers at the start of the second quarter for a 22-yard gain to set up Jacksonville's first touchdown of the day. It was a big play by the rookie, but it was particularly impressive because both Rivers and head coach Frank Reich would say after the game that it was due to the Jaguars adding a wrinkle to their coverage scheme. 

Florida #Gators CB CJ Henderson grabs his first career NFL interception. #Jaguarspic.twitter.com/bJbtF0kfBv

— OnlyGators.com: Florida Gators news (@onlygators) September 13, 2020

"You know, the corner just came off the outside receiver, which they had not shown and then they really didn’t show again," Rivers said after the game.

"So whether it was two-man and he trapped it or not, I don’t know. I thought the guy was out of there. He wheeled back and made a play off, [I] felt it right as I let it go. So obviously that was a big one. 

"The first one, again, you can say they fooled me, but they really didn’t. It was something they had not shown, the corner falling off, two deep, and two man or anything they had done," Rivers would go on to explain further. 

"Whether it was two man or not, there was just a carry and then he turned, not to get overly football schematic with you. So the first one I have to chalk it up to [that] they got us. You know, they got us."

They got us. That is not something the Jaguars have been able to make Rivers say very often in his lengthy NFL career, but it was the case with Henderson's interception on Sunday. 

As a result, both Henderson and defensive coordinator Todd Wash deserve credit. Henderson for his execution and read on the ball and Wash for adjusting his coverage scheme after years of Rivers tearing through his defenses with ease.

"Obviously, the first interception, that was on me. It was a bad call. It was the wrong call. We set the formation the wrong way and it was on me. They played a two-man trap which they haven’t shown. It was not on tape and obviously we watched a lot of tape on them," Reich would say after the game, matching up with what River saw. 

"Good job by them on mixing it up. I made it even harder by putting the formation in the boundary and made it easier for them to make that play. It was just bad by me."

As for Wingard's interception, which came with about 5:00 left in the game and led to the Jaguars and kicker Josh Lambo extending their lead to 27-20, it was a play that was made in large part due to good recognition by Wingard. He sat in the zone and read Rivers' eyes all the way, and Rivers didn't deliver the ball one of his safer options.

WINgard.@deweywingard | #DUUUVAL

📺: 9/20 at 1pm on CBS pic.twitter.com/FwGHqvI09Q

— Jacksonville Jaguars (@Jaguars) September 13, 2020

Instead, Rivers targeted Wingard's zone and the backup safety, who was only in the game due to an injury to Jarrod Wilson, was able to break on the ball and make Rivers pay in a major way.

"The second one, I think that’s probably one I pull back now, but it wasn’t thrown with the intention of us being reckless," Rivers said. 

"If I had it back again, I would even throw the swing to Nyheim [Hines] or get back to the end cut to [Michael] Pittman or Zach [Pascal] on the other side, I think it was Pitt on the other side. And then we’d have to be faced with the fourth down where we could have gone for it there with whatever it was, five minutes left, or we could’ve punted. But again, those are decisions you have to make there in the heat of it and certainly those turnovers hurt."