
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- The Jacksonville Jaguars' defense was badly missing star linebacker Devin Lloyd in Week 7, and it still remains to be seen when he will make his return.
Jaguars head coach Liam Coen updated Lloyd's status entering the bye week when speaking with reporters on Zoom, with the first-year head coach noting that nothing is definite for the post-bye tilt with the Las Vegas Raiders.
“It's still TBD on this week. Hopeful, but we're trying to be also smart with it. With figuring out, okay, what's the best to get him feeling as good as he can to go play at the highest level," Coen said.
Lloyd missed Week 7 with a calf injury that also limited him to his season-low snap count in Week 6 vs. the Seattle Seahawks. Lloyd did not travel with the Jaguars to London to face the Los Angeles Rams, and he was replaced in the starting lineup by third-year linebacker Ventrell Miller.
While Miller played well, the Jaguars failed to record a turnover for the second game in a row and allowed their most points all year in the 35-7 loss. The Jaguars have also struggled to generate pressure with blitzes the last two weeks after thriving with Lloyd in that role.
"I think you look at our third downs and I think in the last two games people are like two or three [out] of 20. It's like one of the most insane third downs going, that you can see out there. If we're able to do it on third downs and get after the quarterback and impact the receivers and the coverage, we've got to find ways to do it as well a little bit better on first and second down," Coen said.
"And some of our early down fronts, looking at what fronts we're playing. Are we getting more four down, five down, whatever it is, to be able to create an advantage for our guys to be able to go? And I think having Travon [DE Travon Walker] back a little bit more this week and get him going a little bit more on early downs, we kind of saved him a little bit more for the rush downs and we've got to give him some more opportunities. But yeah, it has to improve just like the rest of it.”
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