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"Blitz-heavy"? Really? I'll argue that point. Maybe the Jags blitzed a little more as the season went on, but it was not a significant increase. They still rushed just four on most pass plays. The Jags defense was 31st in 3rd down percentage, and then only because the Giants collapsed in week 17. I watched the pass rush. There were very few 3rd down plays where the Jags rushed 5 or more.

 
 
 

I agree with most of this, but I don't agree that we had problems with coverage, at least not as far as personnel. If you call playing 10-yards off the receiver a problem in coverage, that's on the coaches. House and Colvin were fine when they didn't have to cover all day. The safeties and LBs weren't great in coverage, but not as bad as people make them out to be. There are probably fans of 30 teams who claim their team can't cover the TE or RBs.


 

If the Jags blitz and get to the QB with reasonable speed, the Jags CBs can cover well enough to prevent a completion. Sure you risk get burned doing that. But if you're giving the opposition all day if you don't blitz it's a risk that should be taken. Look at it from the others side; how many times did the Jags beat a blitz for a big play compared to giving Bortles time to throw?


 

And it's more than just blitzing. When a team has one particular receiver who is much better than the rest, why just single-cover him all game? Hopkins? Gates? Walker? Gates was wide open in the end zone twice!!!


 

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According to the Houston/Jags article, we blitzed over 70% of the time on 3rd and medium. I consider that a high enough amount (and it might be higher since I think their stats were cumulative for the season, and they noted the fact that we have been more aggressive since the first time we played the Texans).

 

As for the single-cover philosophy, I agree some of that was questionable. Gates killed Cyp, but two years ago when we played them in SD, Cyp did a good job on Gates. House did "ok" on Hopkins, but they definitely schemed him a lot a 2nd time to get him open.

 

I'll also disagree that our LBs are good enough in coverage. IMO, they along with the safeties were a big reason why this passing defense struggled.

 

My point is...we tried just about everything. To blame just the coaches and say we kept running the same thing over and over and refused to change...well, that's just blatantly false. 

 

We did try everything, but the problem is whatever we tried, while it helped one thing...it also exposed another weakness (because we have weaknesses at each level of the defense)

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