JACKSONVILLE – The Jaguars' defense had something to prove Sunday.
It proved a lot, and did so with one of the unit's most dominant – and significant – performances in recent memory.
Defensive end Josh Hines-Allen broke the franchise's all-time career sacks record, and safety Antonio Johnson secured victory with a big interception, as the Jaguars’ defense keyed a dominant 35-6 victory over the Los Angeles Chargers at EverBank Stadium Sunday.
"When we play well on defense, typically we win, and that's the reality," Head Coach Liam Coen said.
The Jaguars on Sunday played as well defensively as they have all season, allowing:
- No touchdowns.
- Eight first downs.
- One hundred thirty-five total yards.
- Forty-five yards rushing.
- Ninety-yards passing.
All were season-lows for the Jaguars' defense, with the performance coming a week after the unit allowed three touchdowns on three extended fourth-quarter drives in a road loss to the Houston Texans in which the Jaguars squandered a 19-point fourth-quarter lead.
"It felt great," said Josh Hines-Allen, who moved into sole possession of the franchise's career sacks record when he registered his 56th career sack late in the second quarter – a 14-yarder on quarterback Justin Herbert that forced the Chargers' second and final field goal of the game.
"Our energy was up all game from the beginning, from the first play," Hines-Allen said. "To affect the game and then first, second, third down, just getting off the field, our energy was high."
Said Coen, "I know that those guys, they were specifically pissed off about the way last week ended and really wanted to set the tone for our team today and I thought they did that."
The Jaguars after registering two sacks against the Texans – none on 24 fourth-quarter dropbacks – pressured Herbert quickly and consistently, with defensive end Travon Walker forcing an intentional grounding penalty on the game's first play. They also registered three sacks – a shared sack by Walker and defensive end Danny Striggow, one by Hines-Alllen and one by defensive tackle Arik Armstead.
Rookie defensive end B.J. Green II had a sack negated because officials ruled he roughed Herbert.
"It was a huge response, obviously, from our defense," Coen said. "I thought the defensive staff led by Campy (defensive coordinator Anthony Campanile) did a great job. We had some different guys playing in some spots. We made it about what we do best, putting the players in a position to be successful as much as possible and just letting them go.
"That was the biggest thing about our defense today was they played with their own creativity. 'Just go play, guys. Just go play. Can't be a perfect play all the time, guys. It's about you just going out and causing chaos and doing your job to the best of your ability.'
"That set the tone, obviously, for the defense but for really our whole team."
The Jaguars, after allowing the Chargers 100 first-half yards, allowed just 35 yards and two first downs in the second half. Safety Antonio Johnson registered the defense's lone takeaway, intercepting an overthrown pass by Herbert and returning it 30 yards to the Chargers 13 early in the fourth quarter. Running back Travis Etienne Jr.'s 13-yard run two plays later gave the Jaguars a 35-6 lead with 11:02 remaining.
"We knew what we did last week was unacceptable," Johnson said. "We came out with a chip on our shoulders, so we preached all week: 'Just be us and finish the game. Four quarters; we have to play four quarters.' That was the message not just for the defense, but for offense and special teams."
NOTABLE
Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence on Sunday for the first time this season played with a wristband denoting specific play calls. Lawrence wore a similar wristband during his first four NFL seasons. "It was something we talked about earlier in the season potentially doing and just got used to not using it, so we stayed away from it," Lawrence said. "Then after last week, felt like we were kind of down on the play clock a couple times and we just decided let's do it for situational stuff – third down, red zones, some other things and some of the longer calls and just try to get the operation moving a little quicker, maybe limit some of the penalties just because we're getting to the line a little late. I think it helped today. We got out of the huddle pretty quick. There's still some stuff we can work on getting in and out and getting up there and we got a few off late, but I thought it helped for sure." Coen said the move to the wristband Sunday "really helped us," adding that the wristband wasn't for the whole game plan. "It was some specific stuff that we wanted to maybe play a little bit faster and just have a little bit more tempo in and out of the huddle and just more clarity on some of the things. It definitely helped us, I think today."
NOTABLE
Jaguars punter Logan Cooke did not punt Sunday, marking the first time in his nine-year career he did not punt in a game. Cooke, Lawrence and long snapper Ross Matiscik posed for a photo with a "zero" following the game. "Good day for the specialists," Lawrence said.
