Following a tough loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, with an unrecognizable defense (and without several starters), the Seattle Seahawks head to Florida looking for a win against the Jacksonville Jaguars,
crucial to their playoff hopes. Jacksonville is 4-1, and the Seahawks have had a hard time in recent years beating teams above .500. However, they have the best winning streak on the road. Which of these taboos will be broken next Sunday?
It’s going to be a great matchup.
Let’s go preview this game!
The Seahawks defensive game plan needs significant improvement compared to last week
As mentioned in the introduction, the Seahawks will be without many starters, with some going into the game less than 100%. Obviously, this absence of starters leads to a drop in performance, but it’s at this point that a game plan needs to be developed to minimize these issues.
The secondary formed with Ty Okada, Derion Kendrick, Josh Jobe, and Nehemiah Pritchett will likely be repeated this Sunday, and it’s necessary to “protect” these guys. Leaving them 1v1, without being effective in pressuring the QB, isn’t a good option for Seattle.
The Jaguars’ running back group is good; their biggest loss on offense was the injury to TE Brenton Strange, who led the team in receptions.
Trevor Lawrence has the sixth-best release rate in the league with a 2.67s pass attempt rate. Add to that the Seahawks’ difficulty in pressuring (and converting those pressures into sacks) the QB in the last game, and the result could be disastrous.
Still, game after game, the Seahawks have struggled to keep the QB in the pocket. This has been the case in every matchup, from the mobile Kyler Murray to the veteran Aaron Rodgers. Last week, Baker Mayfield managed to keep drives alive either by gaining yards with his own legs or by buying time to pass the ball.
Lawrence is a more talented QB than Mayfield by running the ball. Missed tackles and a lack of discipline in chasing the QB will give T-Law space to punish with his legs.
Other dangers of Jacksonville’s offense
Travis Hunter is one of the dangers of this offense, coming off his best offensive game as he adapts to the scheme. Travis Etienne has been used in different alignments, and at times playing with two RBs, as rookies Bhayshul Tuten and LeQuint Allen (an excellent pass protector) have been gaining momentum.
On this play, Liam Coen puts Hunter in the backfield, aiming to give him a free release and create opportunities for him to gain yards after the catch.
Seattle needs to take care of the ball
Darnold was intercepted in the last game, but I consider it more of a stroke of bad luck than carelessness. The Seahawks’ new QB has been choosing more conservative passes than taking risks at certain times, and that’s a very good thing. The defense, full of shorthanded players, probably won’t be able to “save the QB’s mistakes.”
The Jaguars have already stolen the ball from their opponents 14 times this season, the most by some distance from second place in this regard. These forced turnovers have even “saved” some mistakes made by the offense, from T-Law’s decision-making to putting himself in bizarre delay-of-game situations.
The Jaguars are a Cover-3 defense, and Darnold has had success against this defense. In the play above, the call spreads and stretches the defense, creating space for the QB’s beautiful pass.
It’s worth noting that this can open up seam routes for the TEs, where Elijah Arroyo can excel, and AJ Barner is coming off a two-TD game.
The Seahawks running game needs another solid showing
I believe the Seahawks delivered their best performance against the Bucs. Not in terms of numbers, but it was a sustained performance that clearly showed signs of improvement in synergy and blocking execution. The team has a chance to repeat this against the Jaguars.
The Jaguars are giving up five yards per carry on runs outside the tackles, which puts them in the top five (worst) in the league. This could be a chance for a big game for Ken Walker.
Final Thoughts
The Jaguars are on a roll, and a win against them, besides beating a 4-1 team, would help us put the Bucs game behind us. It’s worth remembering that we face the Houston Texans coming off a bye week next week.
Lian Coen is a great offensive mind who has options for his offense. Before his great season with the Bucs, he was responsible for Will Levis’ best year at Kentucky. If the QB ever dreamed of being a first-round pick, it was because of his spectacular year with Coen.
With a defense full of missing players and an extra day of preparation compared to his opponent, will Mike Macdonald be able to win this duel of great minds?
