Where is the Jaguars' Pass Rush? Josh Allen and K'Lavon Chaisson Promise It's Coming

“Sacksonville” is without a mayor.

When Calais Campbell was traded to Baltimore Ravens this spring, followed by Yannick Ngakoue’s request for a trade finally being granted, there was no question the Jacksonville Jaguars (1-2) front seven would take a hit. You don’t just lose two Pro Bowl players and not feel the effects.

But few could have predicted the immediate and staggering step back the pass rush would take. The Jaguars had already accumulated 13 sacks through three games in the 2019 season. Through three games this season? Three sacks.

Save eighth-year veteran Abry Jones and defensive end Afam Gotsis, the unit is made up of third-year players or younger. Seventh-year veteran Cassius Marsh can line up at defensive end but will likely play mostly linebacker following the season-ending injury to Leon Jacobs.

However, even the Jaguars as the youngest team in the league, defensive Coordinator Todd Wash says the age isn’t an excuse.

“I think we’ve got four guys that are working towards developing into pass rushers. Like you said, we’re young, but that is not an excuse. We’ve got to be able to get in situations where they can pass rush.

“We’ve seen them have the ability to pass rush, they flash every now and then, but we consistently have to get them in situations where you can just pin your ears back and get after the quarterback. And we’re not doing that on first and second down to give those guys a true opportunity. I think the jury is still out a little bit, if we can or can’t pass rush. I have faith in them, but we’ve got to put them in situations where we can actually evaluate to see if they can.”

The young unit is led by 2019 first-round pick Josh Allen. He has one sack thus far, notched in a loss versus the Miami Dolphins and if he nabs another one versus the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday, he’ll have 12.5 in his career, the most through 20 games in Jags history. He has to be able to make it to the backfield for the sake of the entire defense.

Coverage begets pass rush begets coverage. In other words, the secondary and the pass rush have to be on the same page timing-wise or the whole system breaks down. Josh Allen is taking that responsibility upon himself.

“If we’re not doing a good job getting back there, that puts a lot of stress on our DBs, because they can only cover for so long. That works vice versa, so not only me, but everybody else, we all have to do a better job of getting to the quarterback quicker, so we can give our DBs the opportunities to make a lot of plays," Allen said. "Because if a quarterback is back there chopping it up, they can make any throw in the game. You know, I’ve just got to get there a little quicker, but it is what it is and I know my opportunities are going to come.”

But he needs help.

Enter K’Lavon Chaisson, at least in theory.

The LSU outside linebacker/defensive end was the Jaguars' second pick in the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft, selected No 20 overall. He was brought in specifically to help Allen along the line. He had an interception versus Philip Rivers but it was negated by a holding penalty on the line. Then he had what appeared to be a clean pass break-up in the red zone versus the Dolphins, but he was hit for pass interference. In total, he has six tackles and one sack through three games.

It’s not enough and he knows it better than anyone.

“I mean, it’s not secret about it, I’m not getting there,” admitted Chaisson on Friday.

“I mean, that was the purpose of me getting [drafted] here. That was the purpose of you know, the head coach [Doug Marrone] and general manager [Dave Caldwell] taking a chance to get me in the first round, is to get after the quarterback and I haven't been getting there on a consistent basis and it's something I need to get better at every day and every week, and I'll promise you I've been working my butt off every week just to make sure not only that I'm you know, I’m just getting better in the pass rush but also in a run game. Just help contribute as much as possible."

“But there’s no secret behind it, you know we watch the film and I look at it and I know it’s a lot of things I can get better in," Chaisson continued.

"And it's a game where I got to grow up fast. I don't really have too much time to, to try to fill it out. I feel like the defensive line and the pass rush is dependent on me, as well as Josh [Allen] and [Dawuane] Smoot and all other guys rushing. So I need to pick it up fast and I need to get it going. And so that's what I plan on doing starting Sunday.”

With Chaisson now having a sack and Allen grabbing his first (Myles Jack has the third), the duo is hoping a flurry has begun. The entire team is depending on that being the case.

“It’s always a little frustrating when you don’t bring them down,” admits Allen.

“But just being able to win your one-on-ones and just apply pressure consistently, that’s something that we need to harp on and that’s something that I feel like we are going to do. We’re starting to get—just like I said, man, we’ve just got to get put in a situation—well, we have to put ourselves in situations to where we can get after the passer. And I feel like once we do that, it’s going to open us up a lot.

“I feel like once you get that first one early, that just opens the book up to a lot of better situations. You know, honestly, we have to put the offense in a better position. I feel like the first couple games, we had to put the offense in a situation to where we can have the momentum and now we’re playing catchup.

“So, we all have got to do a better job, but I feel like once we get the offense in those situations, because I know they’re going to put up points, I feel like that’s when the opportunities are going to come to rush the passer. But once one comes, then they’re all going to come and I feel like that just builds confidence.”

Chaisson (here vs. Ryan Fitzpatrick) says he was brought to the Jags to get after the passer and must do a better job. Mandatory Credit: Douglas DeFelice-USA TODAY Sports

Their best opportunity yet will come on Sunday against the Bengals and Joe Burrow, who’s been sacked a league-leading 14 times. Chaisson, who won a National Championship with Burrow at LSU last season, says the quarterback almost likes being hit because it motivates him.

Allen and Chaisson plan on capitalizing on the Bengals anemic offensive line and Burrow’s willingness to leave the pocket as a way to grab their own momentum as well though. The future of “Sacksonville" depends on it.

“Once you get that one tackle, you’re in the game, you’re in the groove. So, once you get one, they come in bunches,” says Allen.

“So, I’m excited for this matchup and like I said, we prepare well, we are preparing well and we’ve just got to stop them [on] first and second [downs] and be able to get after them on third.”

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