Quote:Last year, Babich was being lauded for making the defense look better than the talent level he had to deal with.


I'm not a fan of Babich, but I don't think he's the problem. The Jags finished the 2014 season with a top 10 rated defense for total yards, 11th ranked passing defense, 6th against the run, and 6th in sacks.


Everything starts up front. If we can't generate a pass rush that disrupts the timing and pressures the QB consistently, the defense is going to struggle. People love to hammer the DBs for giving up big plays, but they usually ignore the fact that on big plays, these guys are usually being tasked with covering a receiver for several seconds because QBs have all day to stand back there and scan the field. That pass rush was expected to be fortified with Fowler. Aside from him, you've got a bunch of DPRs who need scheme to get to the QB. You've also got an aging veteran who is well past his prime coming off the edge, and you've been without a healthy Marks for the entire season. He's back now, but he's going to take some time to get back to where he was prior to the injury.


Despite the injuries, the defense has flashed at times this year. They completely shut down a very good rushing attack this past weekend. They did get better pressure on the QB, but still aren't getting the sacks, and that's an issue. They're not being disruptive enough against the passing game to create turnover opportunities.


Babich isn't a great coordinator, but he can do the job when he has the tools to work with. At the end of the day, his fate is tied to his boss'. I don't see him getting fired, but the same can't be said with any certainty for Gus. The key here is that if you were to fire Babich mid-season, nothing would change.