Jacksonville’s defense has a growing problem it must fix quickly

The Jacksonville Jaguars entered Week 2 believing their pass rush might have turned a corner. One game later, some familiar concerns have returned.

Jacksonville failed to sack Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix during Sunday’s 20-13 loss, managing only three quarterback hits. Even more troubling for the Jaguars was their inability to generate pressure late as Denver erased a 10-point third-quarter deficit.

The performance was dramatically different from Jacksonville’s season opener. The Jaguars recorded five sacks and eight quarterback hits against Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson, with Travon Walker and Josh Hines-Allen each contributing 1.5 sacks.

Against Denver, however, Nix frequently operated without significant disruption.

According to ESPN Research, Nix completed 16 of 18 passes for 205 yards and a touchdown when Jacksonville rushed four or fewer defenders. When the Jaguars sent at least five rushers, he completed only six of 13 attempts for 83 yards with an interception.

That could tempt Jacksonville to become more aggressive with blitzes, but coach Liam Coen acknowledged the risk. Denver recognized some of Jacksonville’s pressure looks before the snap and adjusted its protections accordingly.

Jaguars’ pass rush vanishes

Coen also credited the Broncos’ offensive line and their ability to move Nix around with play-action and bootlegs.

Jacksonville’s struggles brought back memories of last season. Despite finishing third in the NFL in pressures in 2025, the Jaguars ranked only 27th in sacks. Similar problems surfaced during their wild-card playoff loss to Buffalo, when Jacksonville managed just one sack of Josh Allen and failed to hit him during the fourth quarter.

Linebacker Foyesade Oluokun believes fixing the problem requires more than improved performances from Jacksonville’s edge rushers. Better execution on early downs could create longer third-down situations and allow the defensive front to attack more aggressively.

The urgency is only increasing.

Jacksonville’s upcoming schedule includes quarterbacks Drake Maye, Joe Burrow, Jalen Hurts and C.J. Stroud over the next four weeks.

If Jacksonville cannot consistently pressure opposing quarterbacks without relying heavily on blitzes, Sunday’s performance could become more than an isolated concern.

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