- The Jaguars defense has allowed only 6 points in the final two video games, the finest efficiency in back-to-again video games in franchise history
- The previous time the Jaguars did not permit a landing in again-to-back video games was in 2001 to the Steelers and Titans
- The Jaguars authorized the fewest details to the Texans due to the fact a 27- shutout in 2003
The Jaguars’ protection, heavily criticized just after offering up 40 details to Detroit in the team’s very last decline on Dec. 4, has roared back again in a enormous way in the last two game titles.
And just like quarterback Trevor Lawrence and the offense have been provided credit rating for peaking at just the ideal time all through the Jags’ playoff run, the defense also has stepped up — and accomplished it in historic trend.
The Jaguars had two sacks, 12 quarterback hits and a touchdown by Tyson Campbell on a fumble return in Sunday’s 31-3 victory around the Houston Texans, the next video game in a row in which the opposition has been held out of the close zone.
The Jags defeat the New York Jets on Dec. 22 19-3 and last gave up a touchdown on Dec. 17 towards Dallas.
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The very last time a Jags protection did not enable a touchdown in back again-to-again game titles was in 2001 when they opened the period with a 21-3 victory above Pittsburgh and a 13-6 victory over the Titans. Those opponents combined for three industry objectives.
In the Jaguars’ put up-recreation demonstrate with Bucky Brooks, exterior linebacker Josh Allen stated it was about time the Jags broke a 9-game getting rid of streak versus Houston that dated back again to 2017 when he was even now at Kentucky.
“We owed these guys,” said Josh Allen, who experienced a few quarterback hits, compelled the fumble that Campbell returned for a 12-garden touchdown on a sack of Davis Mills and broke up a go in the stop zone on fourth down. “We owed them and we preferred to show them it is really the exact group but a various mind-set, a unique attitude and they bought a great dose of it.”
Very best two-activity overall performance in franchise background
The Jaguars (8-8) pressured Houston (2-13-1) to flip the ball over on downs 4 instances as the Texans pulled out each and every cease they could to score. They managed only a 56-property area objective in the 3rd quarter by Kai Fairbairn (his ninth in a row from 50 or far more yards, the longest streak in the NFL) as the Jags allowed the fewest factors to their pesky AFC South nemesis considering the fact that a 27- shutout on Dec. 7, 2003, the 3rd time they had ever played the Texans.
Houston had only 84 yards speeding (Mills led with 33 yards and finished 22 of 30 passes for 202 yards in his to start with-at any time loss to the Jaguars as a starter) and 277 complete yards. The protection gave up 218 yards to the Jets.
In conditions of permitting points, the Jaguars have posted their greatest back-to-back online games in franchise record. The former best two-sport stretch was when the 2017 team conquer the Colts 27- and Cincinnati 23-7.
And they were an eyelash from two extra turnovers: Andre Cisco enable one pass bounce off his hands and Andrew Wingard experienced an interception in the fourth quarter overturned when it was ruled that a Mills move to Jordan Aikins that appeared to bounce up and into Wingard’s arms was incomplete.
Fourth-down stops the key
Nevertheless, the fourth-down stops were just as great as an interception or fumble restoration. And it started off on Houston’s first possession when the Texans went for it on a fourth-and-one at their possess 45 and Jeff Driskel, who rotated with Mills, was stopped for no acquire by Corey Peters.
The most significant fourth-down perform arrived following Lawrence was intercepted by Desmond King in the next quarter and Mills obtained the Texans to the Jaguars’ 15 on a 26-garden completion to O.J. Howard. Immediately after a 5-lawn completion to Brandin Cooks, Phillip Dorsett dropped a pass, Roy Robertson-Harris rushed Mills into an incompletion and Allen, dropping into coverage, knocked absent a go in the corner of the finish zone intended for Rex Burkhead.
The Texans went for it on fourth down two times in the fourth time period. On a fourth-and-3 at midfield, Chad Muma blitzed Mills and Dorsett experienced a further fall and later on, on a fourth-and-18, Cooks was held to a 12-garden completion.
The Jaguars took more than the NFL guide in fourth-down stops. They entered the working day tied with New England in letting offenses to convert 33.3 p.c of fourth-down tries but lowered that to 28.6 p.c even though the Patriots allowed Miami to convert two of 3.
On a working day when Jaguars coach Doug Pederson was likely to consider each individual possibility to get in touch with the offense conservatively and rest starters this kind of as Lawrence and managing again Travis Etienne, the defense was the essential purpose he was ready to shut issues down.
“The defense did a awesome position,” he reported. “When you can rating on defense, it just allows the situation. The defense did an exceptional career keeping them to the a few details.”
Chaisson emerges
The Jags also received a contribution from an not likely resource: 2020 No. 1 draft select K’Lavon Chaisson bought his first sack of the period (and his 1st in 18 online games) and the second of his vocation, and had four tackles participating in in his hometown.
Defensive coordinator Mike Caldwell has been slowly and gradually functioning Chaisson into the edge dashing rotation due to the fact he came off hurt reserve but Chaisson will be needed additional than at any time with the personal injury to Dawuane Smoot in opposition to the Jets knocked him out for the yr.
“Wonderful … felt great,” he said. “I couldn’t have a far better feeling.”
I have pretty a couple of. Thrilled to be listed here
Rookie exterior linebacker Travon Walker, who has missed the last two video games, played 27 snaps without the need of a tackle. But he confirmed his ankle has manufactured ample development for the group to rely on him against Tennessee future week.
The Jags emptied the bench in the fourth quarter as cornerback Gregory Junior experienced 6 tackles and backup linebacker Shaq Quarterman had three.