Examining the Unsung Hero of the Jaguars Defense

Jaguars' pass rush is heating up

In Week 12, the Jacksonville Jaguars racked up another 17 pressures on Justin Herbert and the Los Angeles Chargers. They were able to get home for two sacks, moving their opponent back 18 yards in the process. They should have had a third, but B.J. Green II was flagged for a controversial roughing-the-passer call that wiped his off the board.

Josh Hines-Allen and Travon Walker bounced back admirably in the game, totaling eight pressures between them. They weren't the only dominant forces along the defensive line, though. Arik Armstead continued his fantastic season with three pressures and a sack on Herbert. Defensive Coordinator Anthony Campanile spoke on his impact on the defense:

"He's doing a good job for us. He made some big plays in the game the other day, not just in the pass game, but in the run game, even some of the rushes that didn't exactly get home, he affected the QB. And he's another guy, just from a leadership perspective, what he's brought to some of the younger guys on the team, and the message for the defense — I think Arik's been awesome that way, and we appreciate him for the effort that he's given us out in the field and also what he's doing in the building.”

Armstead is currently tied for first among all defensive tackles for sacks with 5.5, while he's tied for sixth in pressures at the position. His ability to wreak havoc from the interior has been a huge boon for this Jaguars defense and could wind up leading them to become the elite pass rush they were thought to be.