Greg McMahon (pictured) has taught Mallory everything he knows about special teams coaching.  Let’s hope it pays off for the Jaguars.  Source:  Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports

With the offensive and defensive coordinator position filled by Jedd Fisch and Bob Babich, respectively, the Jacksonville Jaguars now turn to filling the void at the special teams coordinator position.  Meet Mike Mallory, the new ST coordinator.

Mallory comes to the Jags from the New Orleans Saints.  His work is cut out for him in Jacksonville.  The Jaguar special teams units flubbed kick and punt returns all season long before having the entire season of special teams miscues encapsulated in the Week 17 game against the Tennessee Titans.  Mallory will hope to fix that.

During his tenure as assistant special teams coordinator for the Saints from 2008-2012, Mallory has managed to field a competitive special teams unit.  The Saints website praises Mallory as “an experienced coach who has built a reputation for attention to detail, preparation, and intensity throughout his career…”  Most of Mallory’s time in New Orleans was spent under coordinator Greg McMahon while he learned how to coach special teams, having focused most his coaching career in college on linebackers.

Mallory’s special teams units have been good but not spectacular.  The Saints had 20 missed tackles on special teams (five less than the Jaguars) in 2012 to go along with 20 penalties (eight more than the Jaguars).  The return game did not have a return touchdown all season in 2012 and have only had five since 2008 (Reggie Bush had three that season).  The Jaguars have had problems covering kickoff and punt returns over the past couple of seasons and have failed to field a legitimate return threat since Maurice Jones-Drew’s rookie and sophomore seasons.  The Jaguars have only had one return touchdown since 2008.

Mallory’s tenure with the Jaguars will be his first as a special teams coordinator and his first as a coordinator in the NFL.  He was the defensive coordinator/linebackers coach for Rhode Island and Northern Illinois from 1993-1999 before moving back to linebackers coach with Maryland and Illinois before returning to DC for the Fighting Illini 2004-2005.

- Luke N. Sims

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Will this game be a distant memory when the regular season rears its ugly head? Source: Derick E. Hingle-US PRESSWIRE

This preseason the Jags are 2-1.  With some strong performances against the Giants and Saints the Jaguar faithful went into week three against the Ravens riding high.  But that’s when the benefit of watching second and third stringers play the ending of the game ended.

Teams like to use the third preseason game as a dress rehearsal for the regular season.  Starters tend to stay in the game into or through the third quarter.  No longer could the fans just count on the starters playing safely and then watching hopefuls play it out on the gridiron.  If the Ravens game was a dress rehearsal for the Jags, then they’re in for a rough season.

Let’s clarify what I mean by the benefit of watching the second and third team battle it out.

That tense first quarter/half when the starters are playing the score doesn’t matter.  They are showing a new offense, a new look, a new defense, what have you.  But if they are ahead or show some flashes, it’s something special.  You can rely on those flashes to get you through the week.  When the second stringers take over you no longer have to worry about the score because these players are simply trying to show the coaches they can distance themselves from the competition.

But if the team wins, you feel invincible.  The starters set the team up for success, the new look worked, the players have made strides in the offseason.  If the team loses, it’s because the depth just wasn’t as good as the other team’s or the coaches wanted to see particular players perform.

The third preseason game and the regular season removes the benefit of the second and third stringers. Instead you get to see the success or struggles of the first team.  The team is exposed for all to see.  That one look tried earlier in the preseason no longer matters because it doesn’t help in the all important first three quarters.  Being stomped by a passing attack doesn’t show bad depth, but bad scheming, bad movement, poor anticipation.  Those first three quarters actually do dictate the game – and the Jags got beat.

As far as dress rehearsals go, the Jags versus the Ravens was horrendous.  If this was my wedding’s dress rehearsal, I’d call it off.

The Jags looked slow, they looked confused at times, they looked unprepared.  They simply couldn’t keep pace with the movement that the Ravens brought to the game.  No longer can we think about a late Jordan Palmer pass lifting the third string receivers over the third string defense.  No longer can we take pleasure in seeing Keith Toston bowl over defenders as he crushes through men like they are nothing more than ants.

We can no longer think about these things because, like it or not, the preseason is essentially over.  Outside of late tinkering in the next game, what we’ve got is what we’ve got.  And what we’ve got simply wasn’t good enough on Thursday night.  The Jags were exposed in their dress rehearsal.

To be honest, even with the small bright spots, I didn’t like what I saw.

- Luke N. Sims

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On almost every play the Ravens receivers burned Middleton (especially Torrey Smith) and made the evening look like pitch and catch between Joe Flacco and anybody wearing purple.  Going 27/36 for 266 yards and two touchdowns, Flacco looked unstoppable as he calmly read the defense, looked to Middleton and saw a man open on almost every down.

This wasn’t just a problem with the secondary, poor pass coverage from the linebackers, or a problem with the pass rush…the Jags D was simply outplayed against a team they stymied to a mere 6 points last season (ending with a Coleman interception to ice the game mind you).  You win some and you lose some.  It is a game after all.  But nobody expected the sixth ranked defense from last year to be abused like they were by the Ravens.  Maybe it was the shorter prep week or the expectation of repeating strong performances against the Saints and Giants, either way Mel Tucker’s unit looked woefully unprepared.

Andre Branch also forced a Joe Flacco fumble in the game. Good work rookie! Source: US-Presswire

This is not to say that there weren’t bright moments.  Terrance Knighton played terrifically and wrapped up Flacco for a beautiful sack on third down.  Rashean Mathis seemed to get more into the game the more he played.  Paul Posluszny seemed to be everywhere (even if he was tackling a guy who beat him).  The starting defense was stout against the run early and limited the backups who replaced Ray Rice early.  The Ravens quickly went to a heavy passing attack which was far more effective than a balanced or run-heavy scheme would have been against this Jaguars D.

The main concern about the pass coverage seemed to be the coverage on the outside.  Outside the Ravens’s big receivers Anquan Boldin and Smith were able to dominate against Mathis, Middleton, and Aaron Ross.  This would suggest that more help is needed on the outside from the safeties when possible.

Mel Tucker’s 4-3 defense relies on players being effective at their positions (what scheme doesn’t, right?).  Rush four, linebackers move swiftly to cover gaps and close off plays, defensive backs must play their man effectively and know where and when they have support over the top and when they don’t.  When they don’t, it turns ugly fast. Derek Cox was out again with his hamstring injury, but with his return the Jags hope that the secondary will improve to avoid situations like this again.

I hope the team is getting a whole lot of what happened on Thursday rubbed back in their face.  After rising above challenges during the first two games, it’s time for the team to remember that they aren’t a miraculous feel-good story.  They need to get back to work and know that sometimes the better team humbles you.

Move on and be happy the Ravens aren’t on the regular season schedule.

- Luke N. Sims

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