How the Jaguars Shutdown Josh Allen and the Bills Without a Pass Rush

The Bills scored 20 points Sunday, and the Jaguars defense shut down Josh Allen and the offense most of the day. Usually, in the NFL, the recipe for a win is to protect your quarterback and get to theirs. This past Sunday, the Jacksonville Jaguars did not do either of those two things. Officially, the Jaguars “hit” Josh Allen six times. In reality, Allen had all the time he needed almost every time he dropped back, and the Jaguars defense still figured out a way to dominate the Buffalo Bill offense.

After dominating the entire first half, the Jaguars were only up 11-7 at halftime. The offense squandered opportunities, failed to convert in short-yardage situations, and fumbled the ball in the red zone with 10 seconds to go in the first half. All signs pointed to the Bills coming out in the second half and taking over the game. The Jaguars defense, however, had other thoughts. They forced a punt on the opening drive and continued to outplay the Bills on almost every series.

How the Jaguars Defense Dominated the Bills Offense

Trevor Lawrence lost two fumbles in the red zone. Josh Allen threw for 359 yards and two touchdowns. Stefon Diggs had 121 yards receiving. Even with all of those things being true, the game was never in doubt. As soon as the Jaguars defense came out in the second half and forced two punts and an interception in the Bills’ first three possessions, the game was over. The Jaguars offense played well all game, but it was the defense that led the team to a 2-0 record in London.

Jaguars Defensive Backs Shore Up Defense

Tyson Campbell and Darious Williams make up one of the best cornerback duos in the NFL so far in 2023. Both cornerbacks are shutting down wide receivers almost every game and Williams now has two interceptions to go with Campbell’s one. Andre Cisco and Rayshawn Jenkins are also playing really well from their safety positions. Cisco has two interceptions so far this year and had a few other balls go right through his fingertips. The Jaguars defensive backfield is a lot better than many people thought it would be, and they are making up for any deficiencies the team’s front seven have shown.

Making the First Tackle

Any time a Bills receiver made a catch, there was a Jaguar right on top of him. The team did not give up many yards after the catch on Sunday even though Allen completed a lot of passes. The same thing was true in the running game. The Bills never got going on the ground partly because they were playing from behind, but also because the Jaguars’ defense just did not miss many tackles.

Time of Possession for the Offense

At some point, the Jaguars offense is going to figure out how to score touchdowns. When that happens, this team will be very difficult to beat. The Jaguars offense controlled the ball for more than 38 minutes of the game, they just could not get into the end zone. The time of possession was a real factor in the Jaguar defense’s ability to shut down the Bills. The Jaguars defense looked fresh throughout the game while the Bills defense looked old and worn out by the end of the game. 

The Difference in Rushing Yards

The Jaguar defense gave up 29 yards rushing all game. The Bills only rushed the ball 14 times and largely went away from the running game. That was partly because they were playing from behind but partly because the Jaguars defense only gave up two yards per carry. Whatever the case, the Jaguars shut down the running game and made the Bills a one-dimensional team.