Foyesade Oluokun making his presence felt as Jaguars defense hits its stride

The Jacksonville Jaguars were 2-7 heading into Week 10. If you had told anyone that they would upset the Minnesota Vikings, you would've probably gotten a blank stare. After all, their only two wins this season came against other teams that aren't doing so great. But against all odds, the Jags are keeping the Minnesota Vikings at bay, and linebacker Foyesade Oluokun is a big reason why.

While Mac Jones is doing a good job of moving the football in his first start ever in Jaguars uniform, the defense is also doing its part, holding the Vikes to a measly three points. On top of that, Olukun wasted no time reeling in a tipped pass that cornerback Tyson Campbell defended to record his first interception of the season.

Not long after Oluokun's interception, Campbell left the field and was checked by the medical staff. Fortunately, he only left for a few plays and was able to get back into the game.

The Jaguars Public Relations account on Twitter posted after Oluokun's interception that it was his first this season and his second one in Jaguars uniform. He got his first one in 2023, when he picked off Derek Carr in a Thursday Night Football victory over the New Orleans Saints. The play was noteworthy because he took it to the house for the first defensive touchdown of his career.

Earlier this year, Oluokun dealt with plantar fasciitis and sat out four games after landing on the Injury Reserve. He returned against the Green Bay Packers in Week 8 and hasn't missed a beat.

Montaric Brown is also coming through for the Jaguars

As impressive as Foyesade Oluokun has been, he's not the only defender who's stepping up for the Jacksonville Jaguars.

The Minnesota Vikings drove down to the Jags' end zone but cornerback Montaric Brown made a stand, picking off Sam Darnold on the goal line. This was the former Arkansas Razorback's first NFL interception ever.

A seventh-round pick in 2022, Brown has seen extended playing time the past two years. While he's had ups and downs, he's generally being reliable. Before Week 10, the third-year corner allowed a 71.7 completion rate and a solid 10.5 yards per reception. On the other hand, he's registered 40 total tackles and two passes defensed.

Whether it's Olokun and Brown, the defense has limited the Vikings to just three points ahead of halftime. That's encouring when you take into account that the Jaguars have had trouble stopping oppponents from gaining yards and scoring in 2024. Maybe Ryan Nielsen's unit is finally hitting its stride. Ideally, you would want that to happen from the start of the season, but as the saying goes, it's better late than never.

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