JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The Vic Fangio system, adopted and inherited by the Jaguars’ DC Anthony Campanile, is one that prioritizes shoring up the back end at the cost of some run defense. The idea is to drop as many men into coverage as possible in order to prevent threats through the air. In turn, the run defense often can suffer as a result.
Oddly enough, the Jaguars’ run defense has been one of the NFL’s best through four games. The unit is allowing just 82.8 yards per game and 3.9 yards per carry. Those figures rank fourth and eighth in the NFL, respectively.
This past weekend, one of the NFL’s best backs, Christian McCaffrey, didn’t even muster three yards per carry, rushing for 49 yards on 17 carries (2.9 AVG). Truth be told, this Jaguars’ run defense has no business being as good as they have been. Yet, here they are.
The Jaguars are running some of the lightest boxes in the NFL. According to Next Gen Stats, Jacksonville is running heavy boxes (8+) on just 7.1% of run plays, dead last in the NFL. It’s much of the same story when looking at their use of light boxes, running light boxes (6 or fewer) on a whopping 48.2% of run plays. That’s the seventh-highest mark in the NFL.
To add to just how impressive the team’s run-defense has truly been, the vast majority of snaps (77.3%) on defense are run out of either nickel or dime packages.
The Jaguars are running some of the lightest boxes with some of the lightest personnel, yet remain one of the league’s better run-defending teams. It’s almost uncanny and unfathomable. It’s a testament to the play of the Jaguars’ defenders at all three levels.
Josh Hines-Allen and Travon Walker’s run defense is some of the best at their position. Foye Oluokun and Devin Lloyd are arguably the NFL’s top linebacking duo right now, and the Jaguars’ secondary has been instrumental in coming up to help attack the run game as well.
Tyson Campbell, Jourdan Lewis, and Eric Murray all rank in the top ten in run stops at their respective positions. Their level of play in run-defense has allowed Campanile the flexibility in play-calling to run the defense that he wants and the defense that best helps this team win. And, as a result, the Jags are reaping those rewards.
It’s unlikely that the Jaguars’ proclivity for turnovers remains at the level of which it’s been at for a month now, but there’s a lot more than just turnovers that make this defense tick. The Jaguars’ run defense and the players’ willingness to step up so that Campanile can run his defense have been a big reason why they have been so successful.
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