Cornerback Shaquill Griffin‘s impact goes beyond the football field. His positive influence on his younger teammates is priceless. He has gone on to establish himself as one of the defensive leaders in the locker room even though he has been with the team for less than a year. That’s why it’s always worth listening to what he has to say.
Ahead of the Jaguars’ matchup against the Seattle Seahawks in Week 8, Griffin met with the local media. He says he sees quarterback Geno Smith as elite and noted the 2013 second-round pick must be doing something right in order to last more than eight years in the league.
Just to set the record straight, Smith is not elite but it’s a good thing that Griffin is preparing as if he were. Moreover, the cornerback isn’t taking him lightly. Underestimating your opponent is a good way to ensure you lose a competition.
Due to the absence of starting quarterback Russell Wilson, the Jaguars have a realistic shot at beating the Hawks at home. They are coming off their first win of the 2021 season. Meanwhile, Seattle has lost three straight and have won only one more game than the Jaguars.
Of course, the Seahawks aren’t devoid of talent. Jaguars defensive coordinator Joe Cullen will need to find a way to slow down the wide receiver duo of DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett.
Speaking of Metcalf, Griffin will probably cover him for most of the game, and he acknowledges it will be a tough challenge.
"I know DK as a person. It’s just gonna be a hard-fought battle. That’s it, we’re just competing. That’s one thing, being in the same system for a very long time. I’ve seen DK come in as a rookie, to where he is now… we’re going to make it tough."
This season, Metcalf has hauled in 33 receptions for 537 yards and six touchdowns. He will be one of many Seahawks players the Jaguars will need to slow down if they want to win their second straight game. Here are other takeaways from Griffin’s sitdown with the media Wednesday.
The Jacksonville Jaguars are a close group that trusts each other.
It took them six weeks but the Jaguars earn their first win of the season against the Dolphins. If you ask Shaquill Griffin what the team is doing differently now, his answer is simple: “Trusting each other”. The cornerback believes that’s what was missing,
"I feel like we have so many plays, a couple of busted plays where we were playing man on man, and we might leave sometihng open or we make a call and everybody didn’t feel comfortable with, so we sit here trying to have a conversation on the field trying to make it right and bam! Another busted play. So now I feel like that trust is there."
Griffin went on to say that he and his teammates had a talk the night before they went to London. They emphasize the fact that winning is a team effort, “had a talk of going back to playing for us, playing for this team”. His points might sound corny but they’re far from it. The cornerback is holding everyone accountable and is reminding them what it takes to win (besides talent).
The Jaguars’ defense allowed a season-low 20 points in Week 6. On the other hand, the Seahawks have scored more than 20 points just once in the last five weeks. Jacksonville can hold them to 20 or less, they could come out of Lumen Field with their second win of the year.
Head coach Urban Meyer said rookie cornerback Tyson Campbell will be back after missing the last two games with a toe injury. His return could give the secondary a boost. Nevin Lawson and Chris Claybrooks took turns taking his place in the lineup during his absence. The Jaguars’ defense was solid against the Dolphins but can be even better. They’re allowing an average of 297 yards per game this season. The other side of the coin is that they’re 10th in passing touchdowns allowed.
Trevor Lawrence didn’t tune out during the Jaguars’ BYE.
Traveling to London from the U.S. is a hassle. Due to the time zone difference, it’s easy to suffer from jet lag. Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence told the local media he needed a few days to recover. He went on to say he’s glad they got to enjoy their BYE when they had it. However, he’s ready to move on and his eyes are now on Seattle.
During the sitdown with the media, Lawrence says he didn’t totally remove himself during the Jaguars’ BYE because it’s a long season.
"We’ve got a lot of progress up to this point. A lot of good progress. So we got to keep building on that but it is like we like I said before, you got to have a break. So I think just knowing how to snap back in and when son go to work when we clocked in on Monday. Break’s over, it’s time to go."
Heading into the 2021 draft, Lawrence had an interview in which he said football wasn’t everything. Some took it as a sign that he didn’t have what it takes to win in the NFL but that’s not the case at all. Just because he doesn’t live and breathe football doesn’t mean he isn’t fully committed to performing to the best of his capacities. Simply, he tries to have a balanced life and doesn’t let his job define him as a person.
Lawrence’s comments ahead of the games against the Seahawks show he’s taking his job seriously. He definitely has a laid-back attitude but knows when he has to work and when he needs to rest.
Looking at the progress Lawrence made in just six games and the role he played in the Jaguars’ victory over the Dolphins, it’s difficult to disagree with his approach. Simply, that argument about football not being his priority doesn’t hold water.