Green Bay Packers: 3 X-Factors against Struggling Jaguars
By Paul Bretl
Billy Turner
As a defense, the Jaguars aren’t very good at pressuring the quarterback, not to mention that their eight sacks are worst in the NFL. And while I don’t foresee the 2019 seventh overall pick, Josh Allen, necessarily destroying this game like Za’Darius Smith can, Allen is someone who can wreak some havoc if given the opportunity.
As a rookie, Allen posted 10.5 sacks, which was the 14th most in football, along with 49 total pressures. This season, he isn’t on the same pace with only 2.5 sacks and 20 pressures, but he has missed three games. From an efficiency standpoint, Allen has still been effective. By Pro Football Focus’ ($) pass-rush productivity metric that measures pressures created on a per snap basis, Allen ranks 15th out of 40 eligible edge rushers when lining up on the left side, which is where he primarily rushes from.
So with David Bakhtiari looking like he will return, that means Billy Turner will move back to right tackle, where he has been very good this season, allowing only one sack and one quarterback hit. Given his play, I have confidence that Turner can handle this matchup. However, Allen has shown that he knows how to get after the quarterback, and his speed could be problematic for Turner out in space.
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We saw in Tampa Bay how a pass rush can really disrupt Aaron Rodgers and the Packers’ offense, and while Jacksonville doesn’t have nearly the same stable of pass rushers that the Bucs do, taking Allen out of this game will still be a key for the offense. And if they can do that, Rodgers will pick this defense apart.