There are loads of attention-grabbing questions surrounding the Falcons’ London conflict with the Jaguars, and we’ve enlisted the assistance of Big Cat Country’s Gus Logue to supply some perception into the state of the crew heading into Week 4.
The Atlanta Falcons (2-1) acquired their first style of defeat in Week 3 by the hands of the ascending Detroit Lions (3-1). Things don’t get any simpler in Week 4, because the crew now heads to London to face the Jacksonville Jaguars (1-2)—who had been clear AFC South favorites coming into the season however have struggled out of the gate after a powerful season-opening win.
Here at The Falcoholic, we prefer to suppose we hold you extremely well-informed on all issues Falcons. We’re not almost as diligent in protecting the Jaguars, so I’ve enlisted the assistance of Jacksonville knowledgeable Gus Logue. Gus is the location supervisor over at Big Cat Country, SB Nation’s web site protecting all issues Jacksonville Jaguars.
I introduced 5 inquiries to Gus on quite a lot of subjects, together with the Jaguars sudden 1-2 begin to the season, the play of Trevor Lawrence and Calvin Ridley, and the protection’s means to decelerate the Bijan Robinson/Tyler Allgeier pairing.
1) The Jaguars appear to be on a curler coaster journey to start out the 2023 season after a really encouraging 2022. What are the largest points in Jacksonville at this level, and what are the crew’s largest strengths?
Gus Logue: Almost all the things appears to be the problem proper now after the Jaguars had been embarrassed at home in opposition to the Texans. As Doug Pederson mentioned on Monday, “This was a game that — it’s very rare — where all three phases really had a hand in this loss yesterday.”
The largest subject for Jacksonville is its depth on either side of the road. Cam Robinson (serving a four-game suspension) is sorely missed and we would see veteran backup Tyler Shatley get some run this week over beginning left guard Ben Bartch (recovering from 2022 season-ending knee harm; allowed 9 pressures by means of three video games). On protection, Josh Allen is a one-man present. Former first-round picks Travon Walker and Ok’Lavon Chaisson have mixed for a similar quantity of quarterback hits (3) as Arden Key, who Jacksonville let walk to Tennessee in free company.
The energy of this crew is meant to be its offense. Until Calvin Ridley turns it round — extra on him quickly — the Jaguars will proceed struggling to attain greater than anybody anticipated. The protection’s energy is in opposition to the run; Jacksonville ranks top-three in each Expected Points Added (EPA) per play and success fee allowed on the bottom.
2) Coming off his finest NFL season, how has Trevor Lawrence appeared within the first three video games? How’s former Falcons receiver Calvin Ridley becoming into the offense to this point?
GL: Trevor Lawrence remains an elite quarterback. But the Jaguars lead the league in drops and EPA misplaced on these drops, as lots of them have come within the endzone. One such prevalence was a dropped landing by Calvin Ridley within the first quarter of Week 3, which started a snowball impact of comical errors for Jacksonville. Ridley has two endzone drops in every of the previous two weeks together with two false begin penalties final week. He ranks first on the crew in targets, and sixteenth amongst all NFL gamers, however is sixty fourth in each whole EPA and EPA per goal amongst 88 broad receivers with 10-plus targets (per Sports Info Solutions).
It’ll be attention-grabbing to see whether or not Jaguars coaches hold their confidence in Ridley and proceed feeding him the ball — particularly in a ‘revenge game’ in opposition to his former crew this week — or in the event that they focus extra on pass-catchers like Christian Kirk and Evan Engram, who’re of their second season in teal and have been extra constant to this point.
3) The secret to slowing down Atlanta’s offense is limiting the run sport, and the Jaguars have fared fairly properly in that space to start out the season. What’s your stage of confidence in bottling up the Bijan Robinson/Tyler Allgeier combo?
GL: I’m assured the Jaguars can include Tyler Allgeier. Nothing in opposition to the gifted second-year again, however Jacksonville’s high precedence is stopping the run on early downs. It’s a philosophy that defensive coordinator Mike Caldwell introduced over from his former mentor Todd Bowles in Tampa Bay: restrict as many yards as potential on first and second down so the move rush and secondary have simpler jobs on third down. (Seems like Arthur Smith might need the same method on offense concerning the run organising the move.)
Roy Robertson-Harris — who has been one in every of Jacksonville’s finest gamers this yr — was requested by 1010XL’s Mia O’Brien on Wednesday about the place the crew must develop so as to generate sacks. (The Jags rank sixth in pressures however twenty fourth in sacks.) He answered, “Stop the run so we can have fun, point blank period. We stop the run, that’ll lead to getting us more rush opportunities, and then we’ll go from there.” When O’Brien requested if the Jaguars — a top-10 run protection by any metric — have stopped the run to date, Roberston-Harris replied, “Uh, we’ve done okay. I feel like we do need to be a little more solid, we know what our standard is and we need to uphold that.”
As for Bijan Robinson… that’s a unique story. Texans fullback Andrew Beck broke 5 tackles on his technique to changing into the heaviest participant to return a kickoff for a landing in league historical past final week. Yes, that occurred on particular groups versus protection, nevertheless it doesn’t give me a lot hope for this crew slowing down Robinson in open area. Caldwell mentioned earlier than the season that tackling was an space they wished to scrub up this yr, however the Jaguars at the moment sit at sixth for many missed tackles on protection after ending with the identical rating final season.
4) Desmond Ridder has been inconsistent at finest over the primary three video games, with some flashy moments and game-winning drives alongside the very best turnover worthy play fee within the league. How will Jacksonville look to restrict Atlanta’s hot-and-cold passing sport?
GL: The Jaguars will dare Desmond Ridder to beat them. Caldwell’s protection leads the league in stacked field utilization (34%, per Sports Info Solutions) and is aggressive up entrance. Jacksonville despatched 9 blitzes in opposition to C.J. Stroud final week however he accomplished two big throws to fellow rookie Tank Dell. Expect the Jaguars to get beat a number of instances — probably by Bijan Robinson or Kyle Pitts, as I like Tyson Campbell’s matchup in opposition to Drake London — however typically be capable of capitalize in opposition to an offense that doesn’t appear to belief its quarterback.
Ridder leads the league in each whole turnover-worthy performs and fee of turnover-worthy performs (per PFF). Jacksonville ranks tenth in each stress fee and turnover fee, in addition to fifth in passes deflected. If Bijan Robinson doesn’t get going it could possibly be a protracted day for the Falcons.
5) The Jaguars are at the moment 3-point favorites in London heading into Week 4. What’s your prediction for Sunday’s sport?
GL: After Week 3, the Jaguars had been coming off a sloppy offensive efficiency and I mentioned they’d bounce again in opposition to an inferior Texans crew. After Week 4, the Jaguars are coming off a fair worse efficiency by your entire roster, but I nonetheless consider they’ll bounce again of their subsequent sport.
It’s fairly potential that I’m simply Trevor Lawrence pilled, however in my eyes, the offense and total crew can be advantageous as quickly as Calvin Ridley regains his type. It helps that Jacksonville’s protection matches up properly in opposition to Atlanta’s offense on paper, so there shouldn’t be a ton of stress on Pederson’s group to attain on Sunday. I’m prepared to wager on Ridley and the Jaguars yet another time earlier than I admit this franchise is in whole disarray. If he and his new teammates don’t discover their confidence this week, I’m undecided they ever will.
Many because of Gus Logue for taking the time to reply my questions. You can comply with him on Twitter at @gus_logue, and should you’re within the temper for a Jaguars perspective on issues, comply with Big Cat Country at @bigcatcountry.
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