Jaguars: 3 studs and duds following amazing win over Bills in Week 9
![Jacksonville Jaguars safety Andrew Wingard (42) celebrates after Jacksonville Jaguars linebacker Josh Allen (41) intercepted. [Bob Self/Florida Times-Union]Jki 110721 Bsjagsvsbuffalo 40](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_fill,w_1080,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/shape%2Fcover%2Fsport%2Fhttps-3A-2F-2Fblackandteal-com-2Fwp-content-2Fuploads-2Fimagn-images-2F2017-2F07-2F17118825-850x560-22b9057546f98962cf44675de3ff8786dc29b8cb3d56705cfe422b9d494e6b29.jpg "Jacksonville Jaguars safety Andrew Wingard (42) celebrates after Jacksonville Jaguars linebacker Josh Allen (41) intercepted. [Bob Self/Florida Times-Union]Jki 110721 Bsjagsvsbuffalo 40")
The Jaguars’ front seven disrupted the Bills’ defense all the long.
1. Rudy Ford, safety/slot
Fifth-year safety Rudy Ford has mostly played special team throughout his NFL career but started to get more defensive snaps in Week 6 of the 2021 season. This doesn’t come as a surprise though. Urban Meyer has praised the Auburn product several times and has insisted for months that he’s more than just special teams player.
Cornerback Tre Herndon isn’t 100 percent healthy after suffering an MCL injury in the preseason, so the team gave Ford a chance to see what he could do in the slot. The 2017 fifth-round pick made the most of his chances in Week 9 and registered his first career interception. His effort also earned him a Pro Football Focus overall grade of 78.0.
After the game, he had to be assisted. He told the media he left everything on the field, based on his performance is hard to argue that.
2. Taven Bryan, defensive tackle
You will hear Jaguars players and coaching staff gush about defensive tackle Taven Bryan’s strength and talent. However, he hasn’t done much of note since being selected with the 29th overall pick in the 2018 draft. In fact, the team declined to exercise the fifth-year option on his rookie deal and is set to become a free agent in 2022.
Sunday was different though and Bryan played like a first-round pick, registering two sacks and two tackles for a loss. Even if he doesn’t do much the remainder of the season, his impact in the Jags’ win over the Bills is undeniable. What makes this even more rewarding is that he was made inactive as recently as Week 6.
3. Josh Allen, edge rusher.
No other player had a bigger role in the Jaguars’ win than edge rusher Josh Allen. Even though if his numbers don’t stack up favorably against those of Myles Garrett (Cleveland Browns) or Harold Landry (Tennessee Titans), he’s played hard all season long. The 2019 first-round pick is constantly applying pressure up front and even if he doesn’t get the sack, he’s influencing every play.
Against the Bills, he had one of the best games of his professional career. He finished the game with eight total tackles, two tackles for a loss, an interception, and a fumble recovery (courtesy of teammate Dawuane Smoot). He won’t likely have a similar performance the rest of the season but he will continue playing at a high level.