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Chiefs v. Jaguars: Can Nick Foles lead Jacksonville to victory?

By Jordan Mannix

KANSAS CITY, MO - OCTOBER 7: Tyreek Hill #10 of the Kansas City Chiefs makes a catch along the sideline in front of Jalen Ramsey #20 of the Jacksonville Jaguars during the third quarter of the game at Arrowhead Stadium on October 7, 2018 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by David Eulitt/Getty Images)
KANSAS CITY, MO - OCTOBER 7: Tyreek Hill #10 of the Kansas City Chiefs makes a catch along the sideline in front of Jalen Ramsey #20 of the Jacksonville Jaguars during the third quarter of the game at Arrowhead Stadium on October 7, 2018 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by David Eulitt/Getty Images) /
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Defensive notes and players to watch

While the team as a whole struggled, the Jaguars defense was still a very high-quality unit in 2018. According to both basic statistics and advanced statistics, for all the talk of the defense not being as good as they were in 2017, they were one of the top units in the entire league. Specifically, according to ESPN they were the fifth best defense overall and Football Outsiders had them sixth best overall.

This defense is good, and they’re likely going to play well on Sunday on their home turf. What’s more, they have something to prove. Players like Jalen Ramsey, who rarely stops talking, have had to bite their tongues for the last six to eight months because of how poorly their team did last season. We’d be foolish as fans to expect them not to have a chip on their shoulder.

Ramsey is obviously a player to watch, and for good reason. In his three years as a professional, he has made the NFL Pro Bowl twice and was named First Team All Pro in 2017. He’s one of the most notable corners for a reason, and he’ll reportedly be shadowing Tyreek Hill for the entirety of Sunday’s contest.

While Ramsey may get the majority of the headlines for the Jaguars defense, he is by no means their only superior talent. The team has a bevy of good pass rushers at their disposal. Over the last two seasons, Yannick Ngakoue has put up 21.5 sacks and 23 tackles for loss from his spot at defensive end.

On the opposite side, Calais Campbell has been even better. Over the last two seasons Campbell has been to the NFL Pro Bowl twice and been named First Team All Pro once. It’s easy to see why. He’s surpassed Ngakoue’s numbers with 25 sacks of his own and 34 tackles for loss in that time frame.

Add to that pass rushing college phenom and first-round draft pick Josh Allen. David Levin over at Black and Teal insists the Jaguars haven’t had a pass rushing talent like Allen in years. Based off the last two player profiles, that’s saying something.

While he’s a rookie, and thus his impact on Sunday’s game may be slightly diminished, it’s expected he will be the future of the pass rushing unit. It’s likely the team will look to incorporate some 3-4 packages in the future which will help them leverage Jackson’s talent to the fullest.

At every single level, this defense has great talent. I didn’t even mention A.J. Bouye, a Pro Bowler in 2017, or Myles Jack, who just commanded a major extension. This will be a great test to begin the year, but fortunately the Chiefs have plenty of players on offense that can create challenges for the Jaguars defense.

Player Numbers to Watch:

  • Josh Allen – Linebacker – Number 41
  • Jalen Ramsey – Cornerback – Number 20
  • Calais Campbell – Defensive End – Number 93
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