Buffalo Bills vs Jacksonville Jaguars: 3 keys to the game
By Justin Moore
Dec 15, 2013; Jacksonville, FL, USA; Buffalo Bills quarterback EJ Manuel (3) tries to get away from Jacksonville Jaguars defensive end Andre Branch (90) during the first half at EverBank Field. Mandatory Credit: Melina Vastola-USA TODAY Sports
2. Get after the Quarterback
When you have a young inexperienced secondary like the Jaguars do, it’s essential to pressure the quarterback, that way the young players in the secondary won’t be expected to keep the wideouts covered for too long. Several times last week the Jaguars defensive line hung their secondary out to dry and it led to some heart breaking pass plays. Sen’Derrick Marks will make his second start of the season which is a big positive for the Jaguars defense but he can’t be expected to carry the pass rushing load. Chris Clemons, Andre Branch and Jared Odrick will most definitely need to step up their performances if they want their losing streak to end.
Despite only getting three wins last season, the Jaguars did a solid job of pressuring the quarterback. They finished the season with 45 sacks which was good for the sixth best in the NFL. The Jaguars spent a lot of money this offseason to help bolster the defense and it has yet to really translate. The additions of Jared Odrick and Dan Skuta were supposed to help improve the pass rushing numbers but the two players have combined for a total of 2.5 sacks.
One problem that comes to mind with the Jaguars pass rushers is that Ryan Davis leads the team in sacks but he usually only sees the field on third down. Whether it’s more playing time for Ryan Davis or a bigger performance from the veterans on the Jaguars defensive line, the Jaguars will need to find a way to pressure EJ Manuel if they want to get their second win of the season.
Next: Get Julius Thomas Involved