Where Joe Cullen Sees the Jaguars' Pass-Rush Improving During Recent Surge

After a few months of patiently waiting, the Jacksonville Jaguars and defensive coordinator Joe Cullen have finally seen a development they knew would eventually fuel the success of the unit -- a pass-rush that has come alive. 

“I think when you at it, it was like okay, we rushed well against Buffalo, but they didn’t have this guy in, they didn’t have that guy in. It doesn’t matter who plays, you have to still rush. I think our rush and coverage are really working well together," Cullen said on Thursday when asked about a recent surge from his defensive front that has punished Geno Smith, Josh Allen, and Carson Wentz in recent weeks.

There have been individual efforts that have stood out in the recent three-week span in which the Jaguars have recorded eight sacks and 63 pressures per Sports Info Solutions. Josh Allen has recorded three of those sacks and had nine of those pressures all by himself in Week 10. Taven Bryan has become a dynamic pass-rusher in the middle of the defense. The list can go on and on. 

But as Cullen explained, it has been more than just any one or two performances. It has been an improvement from the entire defense, with the pass-rush working in sync and with each defender playing off of the other, while the backend of the defense has proved to limit more big plays.

"The defensive backs and the underneath coverage are getting their depth and making the quarterback maybe hold the ball a little bit and then our rush is getting there," Cullen said. 

"We’re getting great pocket collapse is what you call it from Roy [Robertson-Harris], from Taven [Bryan], from Jihad [Ward], and from Malcom [Brown], from DaVon [Hamilton]. All those guys are doing a great job and I think that’s what’s really helped. Our edge guys were getting pressure, but now we’re starting to get that push up the middle. Then you mix in a pressure or two when you want to blitz and then the blitzes are coming home.”

While the sacks didn't come in bunches in Week 10, the Jaguars did pressure Wentz 22 times and known him down eight times total per SIS -- their second-most pressures and their most knockdowns of the season. The first-most pressures came in Week 9, while Week 8 and 9 together saw the Jaguars record seven sacks. No other two-game stretch has seen the Jaguars record more than five sacks. 

In short, the Jaguars are finally beginning to pressure opposing quarterbacks at a high clip while also turning those pressures into big plays. The amount of pressure on Allen in Week 9 led to two of the Jaguars' four interceptions on the year, while the pressure on Wentz in Week 10 limited the Colts' offense for three quarters. These have been stark contrasts from earlier games in the year where opposing quarterbacks were rarely threatened by the Jaguars' front.

“Yeah, I thought as the season [went on], we were going to get better and better. Unfortunately, it took a little longer than we wanted, but I just think that’s really helping," Cullen said. "The guys are getting a feel for one another, how to rush together in terms of talking about pass rush scheme, how to rush with one another. You can have four great rushers and everyone’s doing their own thing, nothing works. It takes four to get to the quarterback, not just one. You can have a great rusher and they chip them, but when all four start doing what the plan wants them to do and they start doing that, [it works]." 

But for as improved as the Jaguars' defensive front has been during their recent hot streak, Cullen doesn't want it to go under the radar that other factors have played a role as well. Factors such as the Jaguars' coaching staff working hard to develop and improve plays since Week 1, as well as the fact that the Jaguars' secondary is playing its best ball of the season.

"The big thing, yeah, I think we’re being physical inside and that’s really helped. Tosh, [Defensive Line Coach] Coach Lupoi, and [Assistant Defensive Line] Coach [Sterling] Lucas, those guys have done a great job, [Outside Linebackers Coach] Coach [Zachary] Orr, with all those guys, honing them in and getting to the quarterback," Cullen said. "Again, I think the coverage has really helped as well."

The Jaguars will next turn their pass-rush focus to the San Francisco 49ers and Jimmy Garoppolo. The hope is that it can look like the last three weeks. If it does, then the Jaguars' defense has a chance to keep them in the game and potentially bring the Jaguars their third win of the season.