D.J. Hayden: Jags will be 'best defense in the league'

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000001...the-league


Following a 2018 season hampered by injury, cornerback D.J. Hayden believes the Jaguars defense will return to a dominant form when 2019 kicks off.

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The 2018 season for the defense was hampered by injuries to the offense.

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I'm not a fan of offseason prognostication from players generally, but he's got good reason to be optimistic.
On paper the Jags defense should be very good this season.

How things shake out at safety and Will LB are the only real question marks, and there's decent depth at most spots as long as we don't lose too many players to injury simultaneously.

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I'm not a fan of offseason prognostication from players generally, but he's got good reason to be optimistic.
On paper the Jags defense should be very good this season.

How things shake out at safety and Will LB are the only real question marks, and there's decent depth at most spots as long as we don't lose too many players to injury simultaneously.

And the performance of the offense will factor in. If they can be a true ball control offense and keep the opposing offense off the field that definitely won't hurt.

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I'm condescending. That means I talk down to you.

I'm not a fan of offseason prognostication from players generally, but he's got good reason to be optimistic.
On paper the Jags defense should be very good this season.

How things shake out at safety and Will LB are the only real question marks, and there's decent depth at most spots as long as we don't lose too many players to injury simultaneously.

And the performance of the offense will factor in. If they can be a true ball control offense and keep the opposing offense off the field that definitely won't hurt.

Moving the chains more consistently and hanging a few points early in games will benefit this defense greatly. 

When that pass rush can play aggressively with a lead...

... look out.

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i agree with him but it really falls on coaching. If we actually play man when its warranted, as well as zone, then we should be great. If we start the dumb stuff, that walsh sometimes does, then idk. Offense should be able to continue to run run pass or whatever the new look will be, so just avoid injuries this year and we should be a playoff contender/division winner come january.

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Season Tix, Section 409

2023 and still counting.....SB will finally be ours soon enough.
TLaw aka 'the prince that was promised' supporter.

WASH

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WASH

Thanks for the clarification.  I feel like im 2 years too late on the jokes about his name and his playcalling.  Jags in a close game with man coverage.  Todd will wash it and do something dumb.  ugh.  I need to get on it.

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Season Tix, Section 409

2023 and still counting.....SB will finally be ours soon enough.
TLaw aka 'the prince that was promised' supporter.

WASH

Thanks for the clarification.  I feel like im 2 years too late on the jokes about his name and his playcalling.  Jags in a close game with man coverage.  Todd will wash it and do something dumb.  ugh.  I need to get on it.

Wash actually calls a proportionate amount of man and zone coverages that is very normal compared to the rest of the league. 

What you are complaining about (I think) is probably a combination of three things:

1. players individually getting out of position or misunderstanding their zone responsibilities
2. players individually giving too much cushion/playing too deep
3. Wash calling one of his softer zone defenses late in the game with a lead

I wouldn't rule out Wash calling things a bit more aggressively this season.  Even though he's been doing a fine job IMO.

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Thanks for the clarification.  I feel like im 2 years too late on the jokes about his name and his playcalling.  Jags in a close game with man coverage.  Todd will wash it and do something dumb.  ugh.  I need to get on it.

Wash actually calls a proportionate amount of man and zone coverages that is very normal compared to the rest of the league. 

What you are complaining about (I think) is probably a combination of three things:

1. players individually getting out of position or misunderstanding their zone responsibilities
2. players individually giving too much cushion/playing too deep
3. Wash calling one of his softer zone defenses late in the game with a lead

I wouldn't rule out Wash calling things a bit more aggressively this season.  Even though he's been doing a fine job IMO.

That could be it.  I just get so frustrated when i know certain teams feast on quick throws(Brady) and YAC to move the chains; and we are playing 5 plus yards off the line.  When i see that and a 3 yard pass gets 2 yac to covert a 3rd and 4, im livid.  Its like c'mon man.  I just think if the players tighten up, we have 2 top man corners, to at least force teams to take chances in tight coverage or try trickery to move the ball.  Our pass rush should hit home without blitzing too much with the speed we have on defense for coverage from LB and the back end.  

I thought that was primarily the reason Jalen played out of position on purpose.  When teams keep eating up yards and you're just sitting in zone, i'm not mad at the player(s), im upset at the NFL level coach.  The D is tops regardless but i feel we can be even more dominant than before.  It could be the Brady game that has me so frustrated 2 years later, but the man feasts on short throws and we literally played zone to let him eat underneath and destroy our chances.  From that point forward, i was locked in on the D and what the heck they were thinking each and every game.

EDIT: I was also locked in on Offense from that point forward and tried to understand the playcalling on that side of the ball as well. Sadly, i still have no idea what we were trying to accomplish at all.

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Season Tix, Section 409

2023 and still counting.....SB will finally be ours soon enough.
TLaw aka 'the prince that was promised' supporter.

Get a lead and unleash the Dogs. This team could get 70 sacks this season if the offense can put them into advantageous down and distances.

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“An empty vessel makes the loudest sound, so they that have the least wit are the greatest babblers.”. - Plato

The performance of any defense, but especially our defense, depends on the performance of the offense, because elite pass rushers plus elite corners are so much more effective when the opposing offense is behind and has to throw the ball.

It’s pretty obvious that injuries to our offensive line in 2018 severely impacted our defense.

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I still hope one of the UDFA S's, Woods or Thor, manages to beat out Wilson. Now, if Wilson retains the start it's all good. The guy does his job. It's just, he's not really a special player. By that I mean, you never hear "Wow, will you look at that play by Wilson." I love him as a backup because he's not a liability out there by any means, but it's like, you want someone with a true talent for the position. Woods has his speed. Thor has his raw tackling gifting. I'd just like to see one of them rise to the top and win the spot. Is that too much to ask? 

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'02

I still hope one of the UDFA S's, Woods or Thor, manages to beat out Wilson. Now, if Wilson retains the start it's all good. The guy does his job. It's just, he's not really a special player. By that I mean, you never hear "Wow, will you look at that play by Wilson." I love him as a backup because he's not a liability out there by any means, but it's like, you want someone with a true talent for the position. Woods has his speed. Thor has his raw tackling gifting. I'd just like to see one of them rise to the top and win the spot. Is that too much to ask? 

Speed is only good if you know how and when to use it. A lot of pure runners have come and gone in the NFL but they lacked the instincts to become an exceptionally gifted football player. For every Ed Reed and Troy Polamalu you get at the Safety position you also get a guy like Taylor Mays or Matt Elam. 

Same goes for tackling. For every Brian Dawkins or John Lynch you get a guy like Bob Sanders or LaRon Landry who can't handle the punishment of dishing out their own punishment. 

Sometimes just being a "guy" in a very strong supportive group is "okay". I would rather have someone back there playing nice and quiet (sound football) instead of a player trying to be a hero and overcompensate on every play coming his way.

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"What do I know of cultured ways, the gilt, the craft and the lie? I, who was born in a naked land and bred in the open sky. The subtle tongue, the sophist guile, they fail when the broadswords sing; Rush in and die, dogs - I was a man before I was a king."

I still hope one of the UDFA S's, Woods or Thor, manages to beat out Wilson. Now, if Wilson retains the start it's all good. The guy does his job. It's just, he's not really a special player. By that I mean, you never hear "Wow, will you look at that play by Wilson." I love him as a backup because he's not a liability out there by any means, but it's like, you want someone with a true talent for the position. Woods has his speed. Thor has his raw tackling gifting. I'd just like to see one of them rise to the top and win the spot. Is that too much to ask? 

Speed is only good if you know how and when to use it. A lot of pure runners have come and gone in the NFL but they lacked the instincts to become an exceptionally gifted football player. For every Ed Reed and Troy Polamalu you get at the Safety position you also get a guy like Taylor Mays or Matt Elam. 

Same goes for tackling. For every Brian Dawkins or John Lynch you get a guy like Bob Sanders or LaRon Landry who can't handle the punishment of dishing out their own punishment. 

Sometimes just being a "guy" in a very strong supportive group is "okay". I would rather have someone back there playing nice and quiet (sound football) instead of a player trying to be a hero and overcompensate on every play coming his way.

Bob Sanders is a former Defensive Player of the year.  Although he couldn't stay healthy, if we could get a guy like that for a few years I would be more than happy.  Would of been one of the all time greats if he could of stayed healthy

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I still hope one of the UDFA S's, Woods or Thor, manages to beat out Wilson. Now, if Wilson retains the start it's all good. The guy does his job. It's just, he's not really a special player. By that I mean, you never hear "Wow, will you look at that play by Wilson." I love him as a backup because he's not a liability out there by any means, but it's like, you want someone with a true talent for the position. Woods has his speed. Thor has his raw tackling gifting. I'd just like to see one of them rise to the top and win the spot. Is that too much to ask? 

Yes it is from an UDFA. If either unseats Wilson, he's not worthy of being on our 53-Man roster. The past three years of NFL training was for NOT.

NH3...

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"AZANE"

I still hope one of the UDFA S's, Woods or Thor, manages to beat out Wilson. Now, if Wilson retains the start it's all good. The guy does his job. It's just, he's not really a special player. By that I mean, you never hear "Wow, will you look at that play by Wilson." I love him as a backup because he's not a liability out there by any means, but it's like, you want someone with a true talent for the position. Woods has his speed. Thor has his raw tackling gifting. I'd just like to see one of them rise to the top and win the spot. Is that too much to ask? 

First, they’d have to beat out Reavis or Davis to back up Wilson. That is a long shot in itself.

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I still hope one of the UDFA S's, Woods or Thor, manages to beat out Wilson. Now, if Wilson retains the start it's all good. The guy does his job. It's just, he's not really a special player. By that I mean, you never hear "Wow, will you look at that play by Wilson." I love him as a backup because he's not a liability out there by any means, but it's like, you want someone with a true talent for the position. Woods has his speed. Thor has his raw tackling gifting. I'd just like to see one of them rise to the top and win the spot. Is that too much to ask? 

Speed is only good if you know how and when to use it. A lot of pure runners have come and gone in the NFL but they lacked the instincts to become an exceptionally gifted football player. For every Ed Reed and Troy Polamalu you get at the Safety position you also get a guy like Taylor Mays or Matt Elam. 

Same goes for tackling. For every Brian Dawkins or John Lynch you get a guy like Bob Sanders or LaRon Landry who can't handle the punishment of dishing out their own punishment. 

Sometimes just being a "guy" in a very strong supportive group is "okay". I would rather have someone back there playing nice and quiet (sound football) instead of a player trying to be a hero and overcompensate on every play coming his way.

Woods has instincts. He's a very intriguing well-rounded SS who just happens to have world-class speed.

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I still hope one of the UDFA S's, Woods or Thor, manages to beat out Wilson. Now, if Wilson retains the start it's all good. The guy does his job. It's just, he's not really a special player. By that I mean, you never hear "Wow, will you look at that play by Wilson." I love him as a backup because he's not a liability out there by any means, but it's like, you want someone with a true talent for the position. Woods has his speed. Thor has his raw tackling gifting. I'd just like to see one of them rise to the top and win the spot. Is that too much to ask? 

First, they’d have to beat out Reavis or Davis to back up Wilson. That is a long shot in itself.

I'm still far from giving up hope for the rookies.

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I still hope one of the UDFA S's, Woods or Thor, manages to beat out Wilson. Now, if Wilson retains the start it's all good. The guy does his job. It's just, he's not really a special player. By that I mean, you never hear "Wow, will you look at that play by Wilson." I love him as a backup because he's not a liability out there by any means, but it's like, you want someone with a true talent for the position. Woods has his speed. Thor has his raw tackling gifting. I'd just like to see one of them rise to the top and win the spot. Is that too much to ask? 

Yes it is from an UDFA. If either unseats Wilson, he's not worthy of being on our 53-Man roster. The past three years of NFL training was for NOT.

NH3...

I wouldn't say that. S is not a strong position wherein often good ones will fall into undrafted FA.  Wilson is a fine backup. He doesn't need to start, even over a UDFA, in order to keep a roster spot. All he has to do is be better than the other guys vying for a backup role. 

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'02

Wash actually calls a proportionate amount of man and zone coverages that is very normal compared to the rest of the league. 

What you are complaining about (I think) is probably a combination of three things:

1. players individually getting out of position or misunderstanding their zone responsibilities
2. players individually giving too much cushion/playing too deep
3. Wash calling one of his softer zone defenses late in the game with a lead

I wouldn't rule out Wash calling things a bit more aggressively this season.  Even though he's been doing a fine job IMO.

That could be it.  I just get so frustrated when i know certain teams feast on quick throws(Brady) and YAC to move the chains; and we are playing 5 plus yards off the line.  When i see that and a 3 yard pass gets 2 yac to covert a 3rd and 4, im livid.  Its like c'mon man.  I just think if the players tighten up, we have 2 top man corners, to at least force teams to take chances in tight coverage or try trickery to move the ball.  Our pass rush should hit home without blitzing too much with the speed we have on defense for coverage from LB and the back end.  

I thought that was primarily the reason Jalen played out of position on purpose.  When teams keep eating up yards and you're just sitting in zone, i'm not mad at the player(s), im upset at the NFL level coach.  The D is tops regardless but i feel we can be even more dominant than before.  It could be the Brady game that has me so frustrated 2 years later, but the man feasts on short throws and we literally played zone to let him eat underneath and destroy our chances.  From that point forward, i was locked in on the D and what the heck they were thinking each and every game.  

EDIT:  I was also locked in on Offense from that point forward and tried to understand the playcalling on that side of the ball as well.  Sadly, i still have no idea what we were trying to accomplish at all.

There's a reason Brady feasts on quick short throws. That is, teams including the Jaguars do let him do have those because it's better than allowing him to have deep throws. The second you cheat up to prevent the short throw, Brady's throwing a deep TD pass.

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'02

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First, they’d have to beat out Reavis or Davis to back up Wilson. That is a long shot in itself.

I'm still far from giving up hope for the rookies.

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I'm not giving up on them at all. I really like both of the guys you mentioned and think they have great upside. 
I'm just reading the tea leaves from Marrone and Caldwell's comments. I think those two have an uphill battle to unseast a back-up, much less a starter.  I'm in a similar frame of mind with Savion Smith at CB, and I think it would be amazing to see Stallings land a back-up role at guard as well. Ain't nothing wrong with depth and competition. 

That could be it.  I just get so frustrated when i know certain teams feast on quick throws(Brady) and YAC to move the chains; and we are playing 5 plus yards off the line.  When i see that and a 3 yard pass gets 2 yac to covert a 3rd and 4, im livid.  Its like c'mon man.  I just think if the players tighten up, we have 2 top man corners, to at least force teams to take chances in tight coverage or try trickery to move the ball.  Our pass rush should hit home without blitzing too much with the speed we have on defense for coverage from LB and the back end.  
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There's a reason Brady feasts on quick short throws. That is, teams including the Jaguars do let him do have those because it's better than allowing him to have deep throws. The second you cheat up to prevent the short throw, Brady's throwing a deep TD pass.

It's true. Brady and Belichick used the same method against a number of teams.  You sew up the deep stuff and they'll small ball you to death. The shear number of quick hit plays they can call up is impressive and they've gotten really smart throwing to their RBs of late. Increased use of receiving backs seems to be a league wide trend that our own OC is very keen on as well. 

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