Can Jovaughn Gwyn Fix His Biggest Weakness?

In the run game, Gwyn is excellent at getting in front of defenders and sustaining blocks thanks to his combination of mobility and strength. One play that exemplifies this came in the first quarter against the Saints. Lamar Jackson takes the snap and hands it to Derrick Henry, who runs left. Gwyn not only holds his block against defensive tackle Davon Godchaux, but moves with him while staying engaged as Godchaux tries to work across the formation. That creates a crease inside, which Henry uses to pick up five yards.

The gain is modest, but it shows why Gwyn has such a high run-blocking grade. Across Henry’s 16 carries against New Orleans, Gwyn did not appear to lose a single rep at the point of attack.

The same cannot be said for Gwyn’s pass protection. In the second quarter, Jackson takes the snap from shotgun and drops back. Gwyn is matched up with Godchaux, who uses a quick swim move to attack the interior. Gwyn stays engaged, but loses his balance and can only recover enough to ride Godchaux past rather than stay square in front of him. Godchaux still gets free enough to lunge at Jackson, but the two-time MVP escapes and scrambles for an 11-yard gain. The play still ends positively for Baltimore, but that has more to do with Jackson’s individual ability than the quality of the protection.

In the next example, Jackson was not able to bail the offensive line out. With 56 seconds remaining in the third quarter, linebackers Pete Werner and Kaden Elliss came on a blitz. Gwyn initially appeared prepared to account for Werner before redirecting toward Elliss, leaving Derrick Henry very little time to adjust and pick up Werner. The linebacker came through for an eight-yard sack.

Henry appeared frustrated after the play, although the exact source of the protection breakdown is difficult to determine without knowing Baltimore’s call. Regardless of responsibility, the rep shows Gwyn struggling to sort out blocking assignments when the defense sends pressure on the inside.

Dallas could provide an opportunity for a better performance. The Cowboys rank 30th in defensive EPA, 29th in sack rate, and 18th in pressure rate, according to NFL Savant. If Gwyn can maintain his effectiveness in the run game while cleaning up some of these issues in protection, the massive gap between the two sides of his game could begin to narrow.