Evaluate the Defense Game #1

[petegz28]

I thought they looked improved from several aspects. Keep in mind this was Jax and not a high-powered offense.

Tackling = Much, MUCH better

Coverage = Tighter. Few plays without a defender right on the WR

Run Defense = Stellar start, let's not get cocky

Pass Defense = Not a ton of pressure today. Missed a huge sack which ended up leading to a TD. Coverage overall was decent. Made a backup look all-world but that happens when a backup comes in mid-game.

Overall it looked like we were more sound fundamentally. Run gaps were getting filled, screens were getting blown up and not a ton of YAC. Hopefully as the season progresses our defense will as well.

Overall grade today: C+

[Aspengc8]

Originally Posted by Mecca

So basically what I got from everything I've seen is.....Frank Clark needs to be a superstar and Ward is a pile of shit that killed us.

Not quite. Clark played fine. Ward is terrible. Clark was routinely set up to get chipped, so instead you collapse the pocket and maintain pass rush lane leverage, taking away throwing lanes as well as areas for the QB to escape (as such in that sack video a few pages back).

[Mecca]

I think the most surprising thing I saw was that Wilson got nickel snaps and Darron Lee was a weakside base set LB and nothing else.

[Lzen]

Originally Posted by DJ's left nut

Leonard Fournette is a 'stud rusher' in the same sense that Ward is a 'stud Corner'.

Dude averages 3.7 YPC for his career. He was at 3.3 last year and was on his way to healthy scratch territory. Any sort of in-depth analysis of the Jags offense last season was that it was less efficient and less productive with him on the field than it was with TJ Yeldon.

Fournette ain't good, man.

The Jags were never a threat to win. They shouldn't have been - the Chiefs are MUCH better than they are. And winning in a cakewalk with a 1-footed QB and your top offensive weapon injured makes that clear. Especially when the pass-rush DIDN'T perform.

But the Chiefs are a contender and when the SB is your bar to clear, everything should come with heightened importance. The Cardinals can go out there and tie the Lions and claim a moral victory because their rookie QB didn't puke on his shoes. The Colts can go out there with Brissett, push the Chargers to OT and be pleased with their performance. Because neither of those squads are relevant.

The Chiefs...well they need to see where they were struggling and ignoring some of the issues from yesterday because they hung a W doesn't help there.

I think you're being a little dishonest. First, he has only played 2 seasons prior to this year and everyone knows about his struggles last year. I don't think Fournettee is bad. Actually, he had a few really good games in his rookie year. And for that the players voted him the 58th best player in the league. So let's not act as if he's some kind of 4th stringer.

[RunKC]

Interesting note: the 2007 SB Giants amazing defense under Spags gave up 80 combined points in the first 2 weeks of that season.

[ModSocks]

I thought they tackled well. I thought they flowed to the ball well. The LB's actually hit the gaps, which was nice.

Breeland was invisible out there, which is a good thing.

Sadly, HBD was also invisible out there which is a bad thing.

And Frank Clark was disappointing. Dude was going up against a 3rd string LT and got very little pressure.

We made what could be a career day for a backup QB that no one has ever heard of before. But, some of it is a bit-misleading. The bulk of his work were throws into the flats and screens.

The pass rush was poor, which was my biggest worry about this D.

[O.city]

Originally Posted by Detoxing

I thought they tackled well. I thought they flowed to the ball well. The LB's actually hit the gaps, which was nice.

Breeland was invisible out there, which is a good thing.

Sadly, HBD was also invisible out there which is a bad thing.

And Frank Clark was disappointing. Dude was going up against a 3rd string LT and got very little pressure.

We made what could be a career day for a backup QB that no one has ever heard of before. But, some of it is a bit-misleading. The bulk of his work were throws into the flats and screens.

The pass rush was poor, which was my biggest worry about this D.

This is why I was as disappointed in Clark as I was. He's being relied on a lot for the pass rush.

Everyone assumes that Spags is gonna run all these games and stuff and maybe he will, but they need to get pressure with 4 and let the backs drop

[ModSocks]

Originally Posted by Mecca

So basically what I got from everything I've seen is.....Frank Clark needs to be a superstar and Ward is a pile of shit that killed us.

Ward is taking a lot of heat. I mean, dude got schooled by Chris Conley. But then again, i was never in the camp that thought Conley was a bad receiver.

And while Ward's coverage did in fact suck, he too, like the rest of the D, did pretty well in the tackling department.

There were some plays early on around the LoS where i was like, "Who's that? Oh shit that's Ward, nice tackle"

[Aspengc8]

Originally Posted by Detoxing

I thought they tackled well. I thought they flowed to the ball well. The LB's actually hit the gaps, which was nice.

Breeland was invisible out there, which is a good thing.

Sadly, HBD was also invisible out there which is a bad thing.

And Frank Clark was disappointing. Dude was going up against a 3rd string LT and got very little pressure.

We made what could be a career day for a backup QB that no one has ever heard of before. But, some of it is a bit-misleading. The bulk of his work were throws into the flats and screens.

The pass rush was poor, which was my biggest worry about this D.

Clark was getting chipped and doubled. Jags went to a 3 step game the second foles got hurt, so your not going to see much from a 4 man rush against that. The big play throws were all off a 7 man protection with 2 guys going out and a leak for a checkdown. Defense played fine overall sans a few coverage mistakes.

[DJ's left nut]

Originally Posted by O.city

This is why I was as disappointed in Clark as I was. He's being relied on a lot for the pass rush.

Everyone assumes that Spags is gonna run all these games and stuff and maybe he will, but they need to get pressure with 4 and let the backs drop

If you think about him as the point guard of the pass rush, I don't think you'll be too far off.

Lonzo Ball can't be a premier PG in this league because for as good as his court vision is, he can't shoot. If you can't shoot, teams will back off you and close up your passing lanes. A premier PG, even if he's not an amazing shooter in his own right, has to be a credible threat to force other teams to respect him. That makes the job easier for everyone else on the court.

Even on days that Clark isn't racking up sacks, he's gotta be a credible threat. He has to be occupying double teams and making the job easier elsewhere. And at times Jones will be doing that as well. Even when Clark isn't the one getting the sacks, the pass rush will still go 'through' him when its at its best.

Teams will be forced to reckon with him, provide more help out wide and give Jones some space to work.

He simply has to draw more attention than he did Sunday.

[Lzen]

Originally Posted by Detoxing

I thought they tackled well. I thought they flowed to the ball well. The LB's actually hit the gaps, which was nice.

Breeland was invisible out there, which is a good thing.

Sadly, HBD was also invisible out there which is a bad thing.

And Frank Clark was disappointing. Dude was going up against a 3rd string LT and got very little pressure.

We made what could be a career day for a backup QB that no one has ever heard of before. But, some of it is a bit-misleading. The bulk of his work were throws into the flats and screens.

The pass rush was poor, which was my biggest worry about this D.

Who is HBD?

[O.city]

Eh, if Aspen8 is saying that, i'll trust him on it.

[Lzen]

Originally Posted by Detoxing

Ward is taking a lot of heat. I mean, dude got schooled by Chris Conley. But then again, i was never in the camp that thought Conley was a bad receiver.

And while Ward's coverage did in fact suck, he too, like the rest of the D, did pretty well in the tackling department.

There were some plays early on around the LoS where i was like, "Who's that? Oh shit that's Ward, nice tackle"

Conley was actually a nice, possession, 3rd down receiver for us last year. It's just that he got a case of butter fingers late in the season.

[DJ's left nut]

Originally Posted by Lzen

Who is HBD?

I believe that's 'honey badger'...uh...'dawg'?

Maybe just a spare consonant in there.

[O.city]

Really hope that was Jones’ gap. Good job by Wilson, Hitchens and Thornhill in run support. #JacobsEyeInTheSky pic.twitter.com/Jh1o46laB8

— Nick Jacobs (@Jacobs71) September 10, 2019

Think that was Jones gap?

[ModSocks]

Originally Posted by Aspengc8

Clark was getting chipped and doubled. Jags went to a 3 step game the second foles got hurt, so your not going to see much from a 4 man rush against that. The big play throws were all off a 7 man protection with 2 guys going out and a leak for a checkdown. Defense played fine overall sans a few coverage mistakes.

There were plenty of plays in which Clark simply did not win his 1v1. They were not chipping him all game long. He needs to do better considering the competition he was facing.