Jacksonville Jaguars defensive coordinator Anthony Campanile hugs safety Andrew Wingard (42) before an NFL football matchup at EverBank Stadium, Sunday, Sept. 21, 2025, in Jacksonville, Fla. The Jaguars defeated the Texans 17-10. Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Jaguars Defense Thriving in Unexpected Area

Originally posted on Jacksonville Jaguars on SI
By Andy Quach | Last updated Oct 31, 2025 11:00 AM ET

The Jacksonville Jaguars are looking to rebound on both sides of the ball after their Week 8 bye. The team was severely disappointing on offense and defense during their two-game skid against the Seattle Seahawks and the Los Angeles Rams. The D held up decently well versus the 'Hawks, but gave up a handful of explosive plays that ultimately made the difference in that game.

In London, they were repeatedly bludgeoned by Matthew Stafford and the Rams. The Jaguars allowed LA to pass for five touchdowns, giving Stafford the NFL all-time record in an international outing. Jacksonville's defense was able to turn things around in the second half, forcing four consecutive punts after intermission, but it was already far too late.

On the bright side, they should be significantly healthier and more consistent after the bye. Trade acquisition Greg Newsome II will have four weeks of practice under his belt before the Jaguars' next game against the Las Vegas Raiders. So will Travon Walker playing with his new arm club. Devin Lloyd will be back after missing the London trip.

Andrew Boyers-Reuters via Imagn Images

One encouraging sign

It wasn't all bad for the Jacksonville Jaguars' defense despite the two-game losing streak. They might not have been able to force any takeaways like they had grown accustomed to doing during the team's 4-1 start to the season, but there were some encouraging signs for Head Coach Liam Coen and his staff to build on in the bye.

On top of a solid showing against the Seattle Seahawks and the second-half stand versus the Los Angeles Rams, the Jaguars' defense discovered that it can be pretty darn effective on third downs when it wants to be. On the year, they're allowing a 38.64 percent conversion rate. However, in their last three games, they dropped that number down to 25.81 percent.

Considering the elite offenses they matched up with in that stretch, that's nothing to scoff at. Defensive Coordinator Anthony Campanile recently spoke on his unit's effectiveness on third downs as of late:

This article first appeared on Jacksonville Jaguars on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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