LB unit ravaged by injuries, poor production
JACKSONVILLE — There’s been such a significant amount of turnover at linebacker due to injuries that Jaguars defensive coordinator Todd Wash was forced to scale back his scheme this week so some of the newcomers would not be overwhelmed.
Among the six linebackers on the team’s 53-man roster, Dakota Allen, Preston Brown and Joe Giles-Harris have a combined three snaps this season.
Giles, who was promoted from the practice squad last week, has all three of those snaps coming against the New York Jets in Week 8.
Allen was signed Tuesday off the Los Angeles Rams’ practice squad and Brown was claimed off waivers from Oakland on Wednesday.
“If we get too creative, we’re not going to execute,” Wash said. “I think you almost have to go the other way and try to calm their world down as much as they can. Figure out what they do know within our package [for] the guys that have been here just a short time.”
Allen said he did what he could to catch on quickly this week and take advantage of his opportunity in Jacksonville.
“Wherever they need me, that’s where I’ll play,” Allen said. “Everything been real fastpaced. But everywhere you go, you find out it’s the same defense, just different terminologies. So I’m catching on and I am happy to be here.”
Even when fully healthy, the Jaguars linebackers were a mess.
Myles Jack couldn’t get off blocks. Rookie Quincy Williams looked lost, unable to make the right reads.
Najee Goode couldn’t avoid a few bad stretches that mostly involved missed tackles.
The result is that the linebackers have been missing tackles and misreading plays. The Jaguars’ defense surrendered 525 total yards, 195 rushing, in last week’s 45-10 loss to the Chargers.
Another test comes Sunday against the Raiders, who will playing their final regularseason game in Oakland before the franchise relocates to the Las Vegas for the 2020 season. Raiders rookie running back Josh Jacobs, the team’s leading rusher with 1,061 yards, was limited in practices this week with a shoulder injury but is expected to play Sunday.
Raiders quarterback Derek Carr has passed for 3,106 yards with eight interceptions and 18 touchdowns.
“He’s got a good touchdown-to-interception rate,” Jags coach Doug Marrone said. “Obviously, he has a high completion percentage, 70 or 71% He’s got some good weapons. They do a good job schematically in different formations, different personnel groups, so I think Derek’s a heck of a football player.”
Meanwhile, Williams (hand) became the fourth linebacker the Jaguars placed on injured list earlier this week. He was benched early in the second half in Sunday’s loss.
Jake Ryan (hamstring) was placed on injured reserve Tuesday and starting middle linebacker Jack went on the list last week after undergoing a surgical procedure on his knee. Goode (knee) went on injured reserve last month.
Regardless, if changes are made in the front office or coaching staff after the season ends, one of the Jaguars’ biggest needs to address is restocking their linebacker unit with more proven talent, especially in the middle. A decision also must be made on whether to keep Jack at middle linebacker or move him to outside, where he appears to be better-suited to make more plays because of his athleticism.
Some of the top free-agent inside linebackers for 2020 are Tennessee’s Wesley Woodyard, Tampa Bay’s Kevin Minter and the Rams’ Cory Littleton.
For now, Austin Calitro, who was signed in September after he was released by the Seattle Seahawks, is expected to earn his second start of the season on Sunday against the Raiders at weak-side linebacker.