The Jacksonville Jaguars will be taking on the Denver Broncos this Sunday at Empower Field at Mile High and a victory could help them close the first quarter of their season with a .500 record. As usual, fans shouldn’t expect a win to come easy despite the Broncos’ struggles, however, as they’ll certainly put up a fight to avoid going 0-4 on the season.
Of course, a victory will require contributions on both ends for the Jags who have a great deal of momentum currently. After looking at the key offensive players for a Week 4 win, here are four defensive players we think could aid the Jags to their second consecutive win:
DE Yannick Ngakoue
The Jags pass rush simply couldn’t be stopped last Thursday, and though Yannick Ngakoue didn’t register a sack, he certainly was a big part of Marcus Mariota’s rough night. Sunday could present him with a chance to register his first sack of 2019 as left tackle Garett Bolles has struggled this year and has been a penalty machine so far.
Additionally, Flacco is probably the least-mobile quarterback the Jags have faced thus far, which partly explains why he’s been sacked 11 times (sixth-most in the league) so far in 2019. With the Broncos coming off a six-sack game this past Sunday against the Green Bay Packers, it’s hard to imagine things getting better against the Jags’ defense who lead the league in sacks (12) alongside the New England Patriots.
DT Marcell Dareus
For the most part, the Broncos haven’t shown the ability to get a lot going aside from tailback Phillip Lindsay and it’s clear the game will go through him offensively. That means the Jags’ best run defender, Marcell Dareus, will need to have a strong day just as he did against the Tennessee Titans last Thursday.
It’s no secret that the Jags have struggled against the run throughout the last three years, even despite having an elite pass rush. Luckily for Denver, that’s the one thing they can somewhat do right and Lindsay has been one of their only bright spots. Considering that, the Jags need Dareus to disrupt the young tailback in the backfield and around the line of scrimmage because things could get ugly if he reaches the second level.
LB Myles Jack
As most are aware, Myles Jack exited Thursday’s game against the Titans in the second half after sustaining a concussion after tackling tailback Derrick Henry. He practiced as a full participant both Wednesday and Thursday which is a good sign in terms of his status for Sunday’s game.
Jack made this list for the same reason Dareus did, and that’s because Week 4’s game is one in which the Jags will need to pursue the run well. Jack does that well for the second level when he’s on his game. Additionally, Jack hasn’t exactly played up to his new contract this year and there have been times where he’s missed tackles or simply couldn’t make a play on the ball. Maybe playing this Denver defense can get him going in the right direction.
CB Tre Herndon
It wouldn’t be shocking if Jalen Ramsey didn’t step foot in a Jags’ facility again when looking at how his trade debacle has gone. The All-Pro left the city Wednesday to be with his family for the birth of his daughter in Nashville, however, one has to wonder if he’ll return after everything checks out medically with his newborn.
If Ramsey does return, it probably won’t be by Sunday which means Tre Herndon will likely get another shot to start like he did Week 2 against the Houston Texans. In guessing, the Jags may place A.J. Bouye on veteran receiver Emmanuel Sanders when he lines up on the outside, leaving Herndon to go one-on-one with the 6-foot-4, 216-pound Courtland Sutton. Of course, quarterback Joe Flacco will be well aware of that and could test Herndon early and often.
In Herndon’s last start he showed promise when lining up against Will Fuller. However, Sutton is a different type of receiver who will be physical and will try to use his height to his advantage. Herndon should also be mindful of Sutton’s 15.4 yards per catch average, which could mean some deep shots may come his way. If he holds his own, that would bode well for the Jags who need to start considering their future without Ramsey who is disgruntled.
