(08-05-2021, 01:06 AM)Eric1 Wrote:

(08-04-2021, 11:24 PM)Bullseye Wrote: While I desperately want the OL to improve exponentially, this brought a smile to my face.

Very encouraging to read.

These below are from yesterday, as I'm just now about to go through twitter/links from today's practice, but here's a little more on Allen, the Defense and some other nuggets in the links if you haven't seen them yet... Definitely worth the look.

Welcome Back Josh Allen

Defensive end/outside linebacker Josh Allen has teased his progress within this new defensive scheme under Joe Cullen. The former Pro Bowler was shoehorned into a position that didn’t fit his skill set last season, and for that matter during his rookie season as well. The latter was helped largely due to Calais Campbell drawing so much attention and double teams.

But under the change with Cullen, Allen has been allowed to return to the game that led to the Jags drafting him in the Top 10 in 2019. In one-on-one drills, Allen won every rep we watched him in, no matter the competition. He was successful against rookies, veterans, starters and third teamers. He has reemployed his swim move to get past linemen and it made him nearly impossible to defend on Tuesday.

In team drills, Allen got into the backfield twice, forcing throw-away passes with quarterback hurries. One of them would have likely been a sack had he been allowed to hit the quarterback.

Both Allen and Cullen have talked about the need for the third year end to be great this season; how much the defense will depend on him to step up his game. At least after the first day in pads, Allen looks to be back to his old self, with a physicality and finesse that makes him one of the best at the position.

https://www.si.com/nfl/jaguars/news/tren...ay-of-pads

Josh Allen can already see it; he’ll roam the line of scrimmage, dropping, then approaching. Disguising each move with another, watching the quarterback watch him.

“This dude does not know what I’m about to do, but I’m going to kill him regardless.”

It’s the luxury allowed to defensive ends—particularly guys like Josh Allen—in the scheme under new defensive coordinator Joe Cullen. After years of running an old Seattle-based scheme that was outdated in today’s NFL, the Jaguars are shifting to more of a 3-4/4-3 scheme that in and of itself allows for a more multiple defense.

“We will be multiple in our scheme where we can have four-man fronts and then basically we can have three-man fronts, five men fronts with five down," explained Cullen last week. 

Moreso, within this scheme, players like Josh Allen also have the freedom to move around at will, lining themselves up mere seconds before the snap, dependent on where they believe the play will take place. It’s the defense most commonly used in college now, as it combats the spread offense. So it’s a defense—and a mindset—with which Josh Allen feels extremely comfortable.

“I’m back to where I can just move around, I can disguise, and I can get back to the swag. I feel like defense is all about swagger. I feel like when you are moving around and you are standing, [the defense] doesn’t know what that person is going to do, that’s always a good [thing].”

https://www.si.com/nfl/jaguars/news/mult...ive-scheme

• Big year incoming for Josh Allen. Allen has looked great during 1 on 1′s against the offensive line. Showing some nice speed and power.

https://www.news4jax.com/sports/2021/08/...cranks-up/

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(08-04-2021, 11:55 PM)TheO-LineMatters Wrote: One day I read he's completely being held in check by everyone on the O-Line and the next day I'm reading he's unblockable. I'm very confused. I don't know what to believe. I've never seen such conflicting reports on one player.

You're likely confused because I was talking about Allen and you're thinking it was about Chaisson?

That is really encouraging. 

If you look at when this defense peaked in 2017, the rotation and depth of talent at nearly every level was one of the key elements. The Dline had Campbell, Jackson, Yannick, and Darius with Fowler, and a few other interior guys iirc, coming off the bench(None of which are on our current roster). At LB we had Smith, Poz, and Jack(only one left on the current roster). CB's had Ramsey, Bouye, and Colvin(none of which on our current roster).

 That is obviously a lot of talent, but those guys benefited from not being forced to play out of position and being able to rotate as needed. Bouye and Yannick are the perfect examples. When Ramsey is taking the #1 on almost every snap, a half competent DB should look like a pro bowler. 

Had Allen been on that roster he would have been an absolute monster. The only thing that could have held him back would have been playing time. 

When we drafted him, his ability to drop into coverage was one of his big features. I'm pumped to see what he can do when he is played in the proper position to highlight his skill set.

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