Jaguars’ No. 1 Rush Defense To Face Top Rusher Jonathan Taylor | Huddle up | Jacksonville Jaguars
Welcome to Huddle Up brought to you by the Fields Turtle Group. Jaguars senior writer John Oer, NFL Network analyst and former Jaguar Bucky Brooks, and senior reporter JP Shadrick bring you the latest on your Jacksonville Jaguars. Huddle Up starts right now. Welcome in. It is Wednesday. It is week 14. It is Huddle Up with Bucky Brooks. Busy show ahead. Our final look at the Jaguars Titans. Jaguars dominating win over Tennessee. 25-3 the final score to improve to 8-4. It’s our first look at the Indianapolis Colts this week. First of two meetings over the next four weeks between the division rivals. And this is with first place on the line in the AFC South. Jonathan Taylor, the number one rusher in the National Football League against the Jaguars number one ranked run defense. That is the that’s what’s on the marquee this week and it’s a huge matchup. We’ll dig into that. The AFC South lead of course on the line. JP Shadrick with John Oer from the Hyundai studios in Jacksonville. Bucky Brooks joining us from Los Angeles. And huddle up with Bucky Brooks. Brought to you by Fields Auto Group. Jacksonville. See Fields first. Jacksonville’s premier luxury auto group. Go to fieldsauto.com. Bucky. They play up to Thanksgiving to make the run after Thanksgiving. The Jaguars are in a great spot right now. First place in the division. The Colts are coming in. Battle of eight and four teams. Tickets available. Everbank Stadium Sunday one o’clock big ball game. Be there Bucky. How are you? I’m really convinced. I mean that was a nice tease, a nice seal. Like a lot of enthusiasm. I appreciate it. That was a really good job JP. The game sells itself, Bucky. Yeah, I mean it does. Like I mean this is what you want. You want meaningful games at this time and when we get into December, you want everything to matter. And to have a battle for first place between the Colts and the Jaguars in the bank doesn’t get much better than that. Becky, do you remember JP? I mean, he went here last week, so I don’t know if you remember. He shows big. I mean, he almost got Wally pipped. I mean, I have to be honest. He almost got show. I mean, if it ain’t big, it ain’t JP. I mean, that’s really what we’re getting. That’s what we’re getting down to. No, it’s it’s exciting. It’s uh I found a stat yesterday. It’s only the uh fourth time in franchise history that they have played a game between two division teams, Jaguars, uh in December with both teams over four over five over both teams four games over 500. Yeah. Um and never with both teams equal with first place absolutely at stake. They did it here in 2005 against the Colts, but the Colts were three games ahead of them. They did it up there against the Colts in 2007. Uh Colts won and they did it up in Tennessee in 99 where both teams were over. But those games only one of those was going to decide the division lead. This decides the division lead. And uh you know it’s it it it’s a real testament I think Bucky to what this franchise has accomplished this year. They said coming in it’s going to be different. We’re going to play meaningful football. It’s not going to be a long build. We’re doing it now. Uh and and credit to him because I’m not sure everybody thought that the this would change and feel like this in a hurry. Yes, the game’s big. Huge, Bucky, but that it’s here now and that this feels so right. Uh that’s a real thing and it’s impressive. Yeah, it’s really impressive and I can’t be more impressed with the job that Liam Coin has done in terms of shaping the franchise. uh him and Tony and James like shaping the franchise, but really the leadership job that Liam Coin has done with the team in terms of fostering an environment where you do have a tough, hardworking group, guys who buy in, guys who’ve exhibited more resilience and grit this season because it hasn’t been perfect. And I don’t even think they’re close to playing their best ball, but they found a way to be in a spot where they can make a legitimate run down the stretch. And for any team, that’s exactly what you want. you want to be in a position to make a run, a legitimate run into the AFC when we get into this part of the year. Yeah. And both you guys have been doing this here for a long time, just like I have, uh JP, and you know, you you and I came in around the same time in the early part of last decade. Uh which makes it old. This is a long time ago, buddy. But this unlike 22, this doesn’t feel miraculous. Yeah. I mean, this doesn’t feel weird, like an outlier. And maybe that year did. Maybe I’m just remembering because it fell apart, but there’s nothing about this that feels like, oh, they’re putting it together with miracle finishes. And this just feels like where this team’s supposed to be right now. Yeah. 22 was like they rallied down two scores in December. Every game it felt like. I’m not trying to dismiss that because every season’s it own thing. That was a great memory. I’m with you on that because you know what? And this is the start of something. In theory, they should only get better as the seasons go along if they’re drafting well and and playing free agency nicely and all that. Uh the fact that they’re in this spot now in year one with the roster they have and the injuries they have, that’s a great sign. Yeah. And that’s why I say they haven’t played their best ball yet because some of those guys that have been missing the middle part of the year, they’re poised to come back. We saw Brian Thomas Jr. come back. We’re hopeful about Trayvon Walker and Eric Armstead being able to come back and be major contributors and some other guys along the way that can come and help. But I’ll say this, um, watching Trevor play, watching him perform against Tennessee, the connection and the chemistry that’s, uh, being built with him and Jacobe Myers and what he’s established with Parker Washington, Britain Strange jumping to the mix, scoring a touchdown right away. And then you throw in the X factor, which I would say is Brian Thomas Jr., like you can begin to see this offense um make some way and be the offense that we envision because against Tennessee and we’ll talk about that game, they weren’t able to run the football, but the passing game was able to carry the water. And as we get into these games against these tough teams, the running game is not going to be a major factor. We are going to have to throw it to score points and do those things. So, I’m hopeful, I’m optimistic that the best is yet to come when it comes to this offense and the way that this team is going to perform. And they got the defensive side of course uh in last week’s game they gave up the the early field goal and then like 118 yards the rest of the day. 70 yards on the opening drive for Tennessee and they just shut it down from there and it was over and suffocated them. and they’re the number one rushing defense in football and they feel like that Josh Allen Allen at least in the locker room said today you know what consistently he’s been getting pressures as the season goes along and he’s kind of back on that train again which is good and uh they again they don’t have the full arsenal either up front right now the defensive line Armstead and Walkerwood out the secondary’s been rotating around but they’re finding a way to to scheme some things and and get in the back field yeah I I I never do a very good job is saying it. Um, which is, you know, when you work with words, words, you know, sometimes aren’t your work. Um, I think the the most defining characteristic of this team has been that it’s held to its identity as much as as possible. But, you know, every week, um, they’re either changing a position because they need better from it. They’re trying to get more to their identity. I think it’s what you’ve seen with Parker Washington and with Jacobe Myers. I keep on talking about the fact they’ve changed their receiving core on the fly then packaging with that with look Trayvon Walker I still think is their best defensive football player and he has not been right since week two or whenever he broke his hand. I mean not broke I misspoke there but whenever he hurt his wrist or you know since the San Francisco game he really hasn’t been like a super Trayvon. Uh Jordan Lewis out, Eric Murray out now, Eric Armstead out last week. Bucky, you know, next man up is such a cliche, but this team’s doing it, but it’s also finding guys who were good along the way in doing that. Strow and BJ Green and Montaic Brown. They really do they really do hold to true to their premise of look, we don’t care where you’re drafted. we don’t care about your 40. If you’re playing good football, uh you’re going to be the guy playing. And it feels Bucky like that has been embraced by the whole locker room. And that that’s sort of the core of what’s going on. Yeah, it has been embraced by that. And you know what that does is that f fosters a lot of optimism in the locker room that if I work hard, if I do all the things that I can do to put myself in a position to play on the practice field, I will be granted that opportunity. And when you get that, you get a more competitive team, a more competitive environment. And that leads to better development of the overall team. And what we have really seen is we’ve seen a bunch of concerns that we had about all these young guys going to have to play in the secondary. and what happened when they played, they played well. They played to the standard and the coaches have been able to kind of work around whatever deficiencies or inexperiences that they have to get this team playing really well. And I think it takes a very confident coaching staff to be able to say, “We’re going to play these young guys. We’re not going to go and try and find our answers outside the building. We believe in what we have here and we’re going to let them go.” And man, it has worked out because you look at the musical chairs, not only the secondary, but what about the offensive line? Yes. How many different combinations they’ve had to play with over the last four or five weeks and it’s worked. Um, it’s really one of the better coaching jobs that I’ve seen in terms of just getting a team ready to play and not making excuses for what you do have or what you don’t have when it comes on game day. I’ve never been around a team that says they’re going to not do that, JP. Yeah. But I haven’t been around very many who actually do it. Yeah. You actually got to follow it up and do it. And this team so far is doing it. And now it sets up a big ball game this week against the Indianapolis Colts. Both teams eight and four battle for first place in the AFC South. We’ll return and dig into the Colts. They’ve lost a couple in a row. We’ll get into some reasons why. And if you want customized Jags furniture for your home, check out zipchair.com and browse all customizable options. Zip chair furniture for fans. This is Huddle Up with Bucky Brooks. Hello, I’m Dan Fields. For over 50 years, Fields Auto Group has been America’s premier family-owned luxury auto group. Selling the most iconic brands in the world. We understand the luxury customer and provide an extraordinary car buying and service experience. It’s not just about selling cars. Fields is focused on building lifelong relationships. We invite you to visit Fields and enjoy an honest and memorable luxury car buying experience. The kick is up. It’s good. 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We have to be at our best this week in terms of clamp tackling, um, pursuit to the football. Um, it’s going to truly take all 11 when it comes to getting him down on the ground. Welcome back. It is huddle up with Bucky Brooks, head coach Liam Cohen earlier today discussing the Colts running back Jonathan Taylor. Glad you’re with us. Wednesday, week 14, the Jaguars and the Colts coming up for the first time of two meetings in four weeks between these division rivals. this one for the division lead. JP Shadrick, John Oer from the Hyundai studios and Bucky Brooks joining us in Los Angeles. And let’s dig into the Indianapolis Colts. And Jonathan Taylor, the league leader in rushing yardage, just under,300 yards for the season, 15 rushing touchdowns. That’s number one in the NFL. He has the longest run in the league this year, an 83yd touchdown a few weeks ago against the Atlanta Falcons. third most attempts in the league. It’s a priority for Indianapolis and a priority for the Jaguars number one rushing defense. Good on good this week, Bucky. Yeah, good on good. And he has to be the um where where it starts. He has to be where the game plan starts. Public enemy number one, Jonathan Taylor, because if he gets going, it allows everybody else to operate comfortably in their offense. And when we talk about Jonathan Taylor, you’re talking about someone who’s big, fast, and physical. you talked about his ability to take it the distance from anywhere on the field, but also he has that grinded out mentality that he can get stronger as the game goes on, provided he gets enough carries. And you have to think a team that has lost three out of their last four when they’re looking for a way to get out of the hole that they’ve dug themselves, it’s going to center around Jonathan Taylor being a big part of that. So, yeah, get your big boy pads on. This is going to be a old school uh fight when it comes to dealing with him at the line of scrimmage and dealing with this Colts running game. John, I failed to mention. Yeah, he also has some other long ones, too. An 80-yard touchdown against the Titans in late October, a 46-yd touchdown against them again in September, 68 yard against Denver. He does it all the time. Yeah, he’s he’s really good. And I got a question this week, you know, which Taylor’s better, Fred or you know, I mean, Colts fans and Jaguars fans back and forth. Look, um, a Fred Taylor is one of the best running backs I’ve ever seen. Most players don’t belong in the conversation. Jonathan Taylor belongs in the conversation. I I would guess Fred would tell you the same thing. This this guy is for real. Uh, on Sunday, um, I I actually don’t mind if there’s a 50 yarder somewhere. What you don’t want to see is what we’ve seen from this guy before where it’s seven and eight and getting it where first and 10 early in the game turns into second and three, right? Like it’s such a down and distance game now. Um if you stop him for two and one and he gets an occasional, that’s okay because he can do I mean it’s not okay, but it’s better than just the slow bleeding that you get from this guy sometimes. I uh usually there’s a lot of different matchups that you look for. To me, I think this is one of those where the obvious is the obvious for a reason. And if you stop him, if you frustrate him, it feels he’s been held under 100 the last two games. It feels like teams are starting to stack it and that with Daniel Jones’s injury, they’re not as capable as they were earlier in the season of making teams pay for stacking it. Uh, Bucky, you know, what do you read into the last two games where it’s been a little more teams have controlled this offense a little better than they used to? Is this team’s catching up? Is it fluky? Is it Daniel Jones injury? I mean, it’s a combination of everything. Like, the more you put it on tape, the more people make it a point to stop. And when Jonathan Taylor has gotten going, he’s been a problem for everybody. Also, when you look at this team, Daniel Jones has been able to operate comfortably from the pocket early in the year. He was dealing, he was taking care of the football and those things. But as you begin to take away Jonathan Taylor, it appears that a clock strikes Mcnite on Cinderella. And what teams are deciding is they want to make Daniel Jones go from being a game manager to being a game changer. and he hasn’t been able to make enough plays for the Colts to be able to survive when he has to be the primary force uh when it comes to driving that offense and he’s got a broken leg now too. I mean I mean that’s a minor thing but he’s playing and so he’s playing. I mean he was turned it over before the broken leg was revealed and so it’s it’s one of those things but if he’s going to play with a broken leg and he’s compromised then that’s on them. You just want to make sure that he doesn’t have a big game hobbling along on the perimeter. Buckyy’s a no sympathy guy. Nope. He’s a no sympathy. He’s playing. If he decides to play, he plays. You’re out there. You’re out there, right? That’s what it is. And And I would tell the guys, if he’s playing with a broken leg and we can hit him, we need to hit him. I mean, that’s just what it is. This is tackle football, John. Not two hand touch. And it it’s significant that uh you know, the Jaguars pass rush in the last three weeks. I’m not sure what the numbers are. 11 in the last uh three weeks sacks I think somewhere in there. Uh I really don’t care what the numbers are because it’s been real like you know and the pressures have been real and uh the last three teams the Jaguars have played have had trouble protecting their quarterback against the Jaguars no matter what the numbers have been. Um, and it feels for real, the pass rush, Bucky. And you know, guess what? When you’ve got a run defense that feels real and a pass rush that feels real, then that adds up to the defense being real, right? Absolutely. You know, I would say that’s probably been the the best thing of late that has happened since the bye-week that the pass rush has started to come on. And it’s not always revealed in the numbers, but I will say Josh Hines Allen, uh, five and a half sacks over the last five games, you’re beginning to feel his presence more. And if it’s not resulting in sacks, it’s the pressures. It’s just the disruptive nature of the way that he’s playing on the edge. And let’s be honest, he’s having to do it a lot by himself because Eric Armstead, Trayvon Walker, injuries in and out of the lineup. He’s had to kind of do it with all the focal point being on him. So, you love that. But but I’m going say pass rush and coverage worked together. They’ve been better in the back end, not surrendering as many big plays, keeping the ball in front, closing, rallying, tackling, and as they’re beginning to kind of put it together defensively, you’re beginning to see this team play the kind of complimentary ball that you have to play to win. Speaking of the sacks, to your point, John, eight sacks of the first seven games of the season combined, and then after the buy, the last five games, 16 sacks. the last three games, 12 sacks. Yeah, they’re getting heated up. Yeah, sorry JP. Uh, some of it is what we talked about earlier, Stri and Green, you know,.5 sacks between them and I get that, but look, they’re the they’re the best guys to be in there and they’re playing. I I think a big guy that can’t be overlooked, he’s not a sack guy, but Devon Hamilton um you know might be the best player in the defensive line with apology. I mean Josh Hines Allen sacks we all see Devon Hamilton’s impact uh early in the season remember Josh Hines Allen I stood in front of his locker and talked about Deham being the best nose tackle in the NFL and everybody I think kind of went okay well that’s nice of you to say about your teammate Josh but but it’s look they’re number one in the NFL in uh uh run defense you don’t get there without somebody on your interior being dominant and Deham’s ability to do that is what has put them in pass rush situations. Again, there’s just so many different parts of this team where different things are coming together, guys playing at a high level that you don’t think about. Uh I like Devon Hamilton. I didn’t think before the season he’d be a major reason why they were eight and four and and why all of a sudden their defensive front felt like a really good front. Uh, so yeah, I’ll just gush about that for a while. Bucky, why is he playing so well? You know, I don’t know, man. I I think sometimes it just clicks. Sometimes, you know, we talk about the number one thing when it comes to player evaluation is fit in scheme. And maybe he’s a better fit in the scheme that he’s playing. He is playing well. He’s playing hard. They’re getting after it. And and I will say just the overall energy from that defense. They are hard playing defense each and every week. I feel like they up the physicality. And as we get into the months of December, uh, you going to need that interior presence that Hamilton has provided. And I say say this because he saved us, uh, against Tennessee. And it it was talked about, but I think people have to appreciate what he did stepping in as the long snapper under the rest. And there were like four or five opportunities that he had to go out there and snap it. and it got kind of hairy when it came to uh them getting close and almost blocking the punt, but he did a really good job of uh kind of saving our bacon because that that thing is is always dangerous, particularly there. We’re backed up and this is a team that needed some life and a block punt would have certainly sparked them and would have made for a very very tough effort on Sunday. Well, don’t forget JP. Yeah, he snapped in the first half, not the second. That’s right. And the first half was 15-3. And there was that mo moment at the end of the first half where the Titans had the ball in the 20. If they score there, it’s 15 to 10. You know, and NFL games are so much different based on if you’re down six compared to 12. If one of those Dham snaps goes through the uprights, Yeah. you know, or doesn’t get a field goal or a PAT. Those were huge in those moments because that game it felt like a blowout at 18 to three. Didn’t feel like a blowout at 15 to three and uh because the Jaguars offense had kind of stalled a little bit. They had four straight three and outs. So yeah, those were big big moments in uh again everybody always writes, “Oh, why didn’t they blow them out over most NFL games are not blowouts. They’re they’re winning situations that get you to big leads where you can then control uh control what’s going on. And I thought Dehan’s stuff was really big on that front. Yeah. And he had not gone down and covered a punt in the NFL either. He said that was a new experience for him. And he also said uh I hope Ross doesn’t get hurt anytime soon again. Get well. It’s a lot of it’s a lot of pressure, man. You can just see him down there sweating bullets trying to figure out how to get this done. Uh, I can tell you that, uh, Ross and Logan have a very, uh, methodical approach when it comes to the way that they warm up and practice and those things and having to see Hamilton go over to the side and snap over and over and over again was something else. But it made for a very interesting day because you have him snapping, you got Logan Cook trying to start fights. You got all kinds of stuff. People all out of sorts, all out of sorts on the sideline. But that is what the Tennessee Titans bring out of the Jaguars. It’s a very bitter rivalry. That’s what we learned, JP. When Logan Cook has had enough, he’s had enough. Yeah, we saw breaking point. He had enough. He was ready. He was ready to go. He wanted all the smoke. Yeah. And Ross Madison, too. You don’t mess with our punter. Boom. Body slammed him down. And you know what? With a bad back, too. That you know, look, it’s flags and Liam said afterward, and again, you know, when guys thrown out of a game, but it’s football. This is sort like this is the fun stuff that you remember. I I mean it probably wasn’t fun for 42 there, but um you know you’re you’re supposed to have some of this. It as coffin you say it’s not pass and tap. Yeah, that’s right. No, I mean this I mean this is what it is and actually I appreciated it. Like it should be a bitter robbery. There should be some healthy conflict and some confrontations when it comes to division robberies and I would anticipate it being like that in Indie. I would be disappointed if it’s not a little prickly when it comes to these two teams playing for first place on Sunday. Should be. Let’s uh come back. We’ll dig into this Colts defense. They’re missing some key pieces coming into this football game. We’ll dig into that when we come back. The Colts Jaguars game is presented by Hyundai. Test drive a new Hyundai today only at your local Hyundai dealer. This is Huddle Up with Bucky Brooks. Hello, I’m Dan Fields. 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I think they make it hard on offenses, whether it’s um identification and some of their pressures that they bring. Uh they they change the look for quarterbacks a lot. They do a good job disguising. Um I mentioned the pressures already. You know, they they do a lot of different things um to try to keep you off balanced. Uh I think they have really good plans going into each game. So, a lot of respect for um you know, Lou, their defensive coordinator, and obviously all the guys that are playing out there, too. The players, they’re really good players and flying around. They’re doing a lot of really good things right now and um they’re having a great year, so it’ll be a good challenge for us. As the quarterback, of course, Trevor Lawrence, discussing the Colts defense. Welcome back. Let’s huddle up with Bucky Brooks. It’s week 14, the Colts and the Jaguars meeting in uh at Everbank Stadium this Sunday, 1:00 kickoff time. First place on the line in the AFC South, JP Shadrick, John Oer in Jacksonville, Bucky Brooks in Los Angeles. And time for the defensive coverage of the game presented by GEA government employees health association benefits for federal employees and retirees. And we take a look at the Colts defense that Trevor Lawrence was talking about. You see the stats on the screen there. Top 10 rush defense. Uh takeaways top 10 there. Points per game allowed just under 21 per game. pretty good in the red zone. They are without some key pieces though. DeForest Buckner has on injured reserve and could come back at some point, but he’s not available this week to come back. And then S Gardner with a calf injury last week, was seen in the locker room Wednesday apparently, without a brace or anything on that leg. He had crutches after the game and uh but by the reports he was playing mini basketball in the locker room today. So take that for what it’s worth. Stiken says most likely not going on I IR. So less than four weeks. So so question mark about him this week. Those are two big pieces. What um what stands out the most, Bucky, about this Colts defense and how big are those two losses? I mean those are huge losses because those are guys that they’re counting on. But I’ll tell you this, the biggest challenge that you have with the Colts has nothing to do with their personnel and more to do with the tactics and the strategies from Lou Anorumo. He is a guy that’s going to throw a bunch of different things at you to really try and keep you confused, to keep you guessing as to what’s coming next. Now, losing Sauce Gardner hurts them because they had a revolving door at that corner opposite Javvarus Ward. So, there going to be some opportunities in the passing game to attack on that side of the field. But when it comes to trying to disrupt the rhythm of the running game and the passing game, he’s gonna throw some funky stuff out. And so, the Jags have to be ready. They have to adjust and they have to do what they’ve always been able to do is make solid adjustments at halftime to be able to attack. But yeah, this is going to be a tricky game because before we even talked about the personnel, Luan Rumo’s game plans are really really difficult for quarterbacks. Yeah, I mean I I got to be honest, if I had to choose, I would rather sarder play than to force Buckner. Um, not I mean I saw Spart I saw Spartner’s great but getting him out of the middle uh the way this team wants to play which the Jaguars obviously want to run. Uh they did not run well last week especially on the interior. You got those big bodies for Tennessee. That’s why. Yeah. So you know uh I believe this game as much as you can be in the NFL these days is run game versus run game. And you know, obviously there’s going to be big pass plays because it’s it’s the nature of the league right now. But if if the Jaguars can get things going on the interior run uh even effectively in the high 90s, uh then I think that’s huge advantage Jaguars. Then uh I’m just more of a defensive line guy than I am a a a secondary guy in the sense that if you can make a team vulnerable on the defensive line then you know you’ll have time to do what you want to even against a great secondary. Wow. Just has no just no regard for DBs. They’re just out there just I don’t know just eating hot dogs just hanging out watching guys up front do everything. Would rather play soft guard than yourself. Yes. Well I mean it’s just philosophical. I’ve said for a long time when Jaylen Ramsey was here even I I I wouldn’t draft a corner in the in the top 10. Oh my gosh. That’s what we talking about. Oh god. Because I believe that you can throw away from a great corner. You can’t throw away from a great defensive end. Just find him anywhere. Just go to the fair. Go to the fairgrounds and just hey just need a corner. Just pick one up and just go back and go. Let’s put him in the Jags uniform and make him play. I mean, I watch the Giants, but I find it a little disrespectful. I find it a little disrespectful as a former DB that you just feel like we’re just so interchangeable that we can just swipe the marquee out and put anybody in. I I never said up with anybody without Bucky Brooks. We’re doing You’re vital here. I mean, yeah, absolutely. Got to have you. Got to have you. Can’t play without you. No, but look, he he’s right. Evan DeFor has bought out of the lineup. He is the biggest disruptor at the point of attack. And so you remove him from the lineup. It’s a different pass rush. It’s a different run defense that you’re facing. Uh they have guys that are uh terrific in terms of speed guys off the edge. But having someone in the middle that can really disrupt it at the point of attack changes the way that you attack. But if you can run at them and control the line of scrimmage, there will be some opportunities to attack, not only in the run game, but off play action and those other things. And as Trevor continues to get more comfortable with Jacobe Myers, Parker Washington, Brit Strange, Brian Thomas Jr., man, there going to be some big plays available. And hopefully we can put it all together with a running game and a passing game works in the same game and we get a chance to see the fun offensive Jaguars show up. Bucky, I I know what I think I saw, but I I like to make sure that somebody knows who knows what they’re seeing agrees with me. Um Trevor in the last couple of games looks different, more confident. Uh we had sort of said a few weeks ago, boy, if if if Jacobe Myers is what he looks like and when Britain Strange gets back, so much trust. So, you know, I think we have seen in 22 and now when Trevor has guys that he knows where they’re going to be. Uh, and I hate to keep laboring that point, but throwing to Jacobe, he looked so confident the other day. Can that sort of addition, those sort of dynamics changing mean that much to him? It seems like they can. Yeah, 100% John. I think there are a few things that are working in play. I think Liam Point have enough confidence to tell Trevor, man, let it rip. Let it go. Quit trying to be perfect. Like, you have got to play with a fearless mindset uh when we’re throwing the ball. That coincides with the fact that he now trusts the guys that are working the middle of the field. Jacobe Meers, Parker Washington, Brett Strange. And what that did, man, he let it go early against the Tennessee Titans. Even on this, watch the ball come I mean, the ball is out and it is a dart right there early in the game. Jacobe Myers on a dig. Another one to Parker Washington on a dig just over and over and over again. The hesitant Trevor Lawrence from early in the year wouldn’t make that throw. Or if he did make that throw, it would be late. But to throw against zone coverage where people are playing vision and break with their eyes on the quarterback and they’re breaking based on where you’re looking, you have to let it go early to beat that coverage. and his anticipation and timing was on point. And so the confidence that we’re seeing from Trevor, and I said this right after the four turnover debacle against the Cardinals, even when he turned it over, I felt like he was a more confident player because he never stopped throwing it. He never he never let his foot off the gas. And that showed up in Tennessee. And I’m hoping that version of Trevor Lawrence continues to show up when we see the game on Sunday. I also wonder, JP, I’m sorry to interrupt you. Um, I remember talking to Cam Robinson a few years back when he was here. And you, we all know Big Cam, I love Cam. And asking him on the Ozone podcast once about like you, he was always criticized. As a left tackle, you get criticized. And he sort of broke it down. He said, you know, in your first couple of years, you hear it. You say you’re not hearing it, but you hear it. and and he said after a while you get to be a five or six year veteran and and you really don’t care about what people are saying anymore. And I kind of wonder if Trevor at this point, not that you ever care, whatever, but if he basically has just sort of said, you know what, fine, say what you’re going to say. I’m gonna go play. I’m gonna go throw it. And I kind of thought that after the Cardinals game of, you know, yeah, he threw some picks and then he came in after the Cardinals game and said, “I’m not going to play scared.” Yeah, they’ve said what they’re going to say about Trevor by now, Buck. You know, another news. Everybody’s got their opinion. Yeah, that’s right. He He probably knows I’m not going to change that. I’m going to go play. My coach is is is backing me. Uh there’s some language I could use, but he didn’t care anymore. Just go play. And that is a liberating feeling when the player gets to that point where they just don’t care about outside noise and opinion and they just let it go. And I do feel like Trevor has gotten to that point. My sense without talking to him and asking him this, I’ve always felt like Trevor is a pleaser. Yeah. He wants to please everyone around him. And when you have that trait and that characteristic, it’s great because you’re such a good dude. But it can be burdensome because you’re trying to please all these people and all of these people aren’t necessarily tied to you. And so when he shed that and he lets that go and he’s just about the locker room and how I’mma play, I’m not going to worry about what the outsiders write or what they say about my performance. I’m just going to play. I think it is freeing. And what we’re seeing is, man, when he just cuts it loose and plays free, he is the guy that we envisioned when he was the number one overall pick. Back in a moment, we’ll take a look at the AFC playoff race. The Jaguars currently the number three seed in the AFC playoff picture. It is Huddle Up with Bucky Brooks. [Music] Hello, I’m Dan Fields. Finally, inventories and prices are customer friendly. That’s because summer’s here, so let’s keep it real at the Field Summer Sales event. New inventory is arriving daily. All new makes and models to choose from, even electric cars and SUVs. Visit Fields today and find the fit for you. And get an incredible offer like this. For a limited time, get $3,000 off all Lexus TX 350s in stock at Lexus of Jacksonville and Lexus of Orange Park. Watch the game, host your crew, or just unwind at BC Grill and Patio at Sheridan Jacksonville. Part of the Marriott family of hotels. 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To learn more, go to peoplelesg.com/rebates. [Music] We all kind of know what’s riding on these kind of games, right? Division games in December. um you know the season doesn’t end one way or the other on Sunday, right? And um it’s just it’s our next opportunity against a very quality opponent that just so also happens to be in our division and we we’re all fighting for it, right? Like we’re all fighting to uh stay up there and and to compete each week to give yourself a chance uh at the end of the year, but your ops are starting to get a little bit smaller, right? You just the windows starting to close in terms of opportunities on Sundays. That’s the head coach Liam Cohen earlier today. Full press conferences from both Cohen and Trevor Lawrence at Jaguars.com and Jaguars YouTube and huddle up with Bucky Brooks is brought to you by Fields Auto Group Jacksonville. See Fields first, Jacksonville’s premier luxury auto group. Go to fieldsauto.com. The Jaguars are in first place in the AFC South. The common games tiebreaker. Don’t see that one too often, but the Jaguars are ahead technically of the Colts. Both with an 8-4 overall record, two- one in the division. They’re those darn Houston Texans hanging around. A game back, of course, a lot of important football ahead for both of those teams. And the Jaguars, too. But, uh, the schedule a little bit tougher. Tennessee, which is great for everybody, has been eliminated. They’re 1 and 11, 0 and five in the division. So now the Jaguars with the division lead are the number three seed in the AFC playoff race through week 13. Patriots at the top, Denver 10-2, Jaguars 8 and4, the Ravens currently the number four seed, and then three teams with eight and four records in the wild card at the moment. The Chargers, Colts, and Bills. The Chargers have a horrendous schedule ahead. We’ll see if they even last and get to the wild card. Texans of course are in the hunt. The Steelers are hanging around. The Chiefs are on the outside looking in. They’ve lost to all the wild card teams already. So, they’ve lost a lot of those tiebreakers and then they lost to the Cowboys. So, they really have no room for error. And the Dolphins are hanging around as well. We’ll see if they can make a late season run. But, uh here we are. It’s December 3rd and the Jaguars are the number three seed in the playoff picture, John. Yeah. And you know, if you’re one of those seven on the right, you still want that third I mean on the left, you still want that third team on the right to lose a couple more and get out. Yes, you do. I mean, there’s something about and it’s probably holding on to the past, but the Chiefs still feel dangerous, Buck. And uh look, the whole division lead thing right now, the common games, uh there’s so far to go. the tiebreers are going to change a little bit. So, they’re tied for the lead with the Colts basically. And uh but you but you got to win. You got to win because Houston’s dangerous. I mean, this is still those standings. You may as well put all what nine of those teams in a bucket because I’m not sure there’s any leaders except for uh New England and Denver. I mean, yes and no. I I was no it sounds like yeah when you look to the far right those teams so the Texans are at seven and five the other teams are at six wins so we’ve talked about the magic number on here being 10 if the Jaguars get to 10 they’re going to the playoffs and so they need to win two more games and if they can get this one this week that certainly will help to give them an opportunity to get to 10. That’s the reality of it when you look at the schedules. Pittsburgh schedule is difficult. They play the Ravens twice. The Ravens played the Steelers twice. They got the Packers in another game that’s very, very difficult for them. The Texans play the Chiefs this weekend, which can be an elimination game for the Chiefs because they haven’t won anybody. The Dolphins are languishing down at the bottom. So, in reality, if you’re Liam Coin and the Jaguars, it’s the Jags versus the Jags. Like, we control our own destiny. If we just take care of our business, however it is, and get to the magic number, we’re going. But what we want to do in a perfect world, you want to win a division because it gives you a better seed. You want to play your best ball heading into the tournament, having some momentum, even though some would say that doesn’t exist, but you want to give yourself a chance to make a run. Home game in the bank so you win two, three games, and then there we are in San Francisco playing for it all. Wow. All right. You want to lock that, Bucky? I like that. No, I mean, I don’t want to lock it, but I think of of any of the years, yes, this is the year where it could be a realistic possibility because there’s not a super team in the AFC. There’s not one team that you can look at and be like, “Oh, this team is the most complete. They don’t have any flaws or whatever.” Like from the Patriots to the Broncos who we will see in a few weeks. I mean, there it is as wide open as I ever can remember a conference. And when you talk about those p those pesky Texans or the Chiefs not want to be in like man there is a a path and a road for the Jaguars to do it without getting ahead of ourselves because we’re processoriented, not results driven. But focus right now, you know, I was thinking the same thing right now, probably the Buffalo Bills. They got the quarterback. They uh they’re in it. The Chiefs are behind them. I think any team I think to Becky’s point, any team that gets in, if you’re the if you’re the Ravens, Yeah. true. Even though you lost the other night, you’re thinking that, hey, you know, we’ve been knocking on the door out, everybody’s criticizing Lamar, whatever. Uh this could easily be a year where a team like that gets in. He makes a couple plays and like you’re holding up a trophy or holding up a Lamar Hunt trophy. I think once you get there the NFC teams there is a feeling with a couple of those that okay these guys are gonna be tough to beat. But um look I thought that last week and then Carolina beats the Rams. So it it’s it’s wide open. Wide open. Yeah. I mean that is a great example. the Carolina Panthers who I saw against the San Francisco 49ers and the Niners tried to give them the game and they wouldn’t take it. The next week they go toe-to-toe against a team that many of us felt like was the best team in football and they knocked them out. So, you talk about playing your best ball just getting into the tournament and just want to get it. I probably talked about this a little bit last week, but um look, we’re Jaguars analysts, so we follow this team. Uh, but when I was covering the Colts back in the day, 06 late in the year, they struggled, bounced around, they got Bob Sanders back and all of a sudden that turbocharged when they got going. I’m not saying this team is going to turbocharge way to the Super Bowl, but you’re eight and four. And as Bucky talked about a lot earlier in the season, just play however you win and get to December in position. They’ve done that and good job Bucky. That’s why your name’s on the podcast. Um, now all of a sudden, like Buckyy’s been saying, BTJ is an Xfactor. Trayvon hasn’t been Trayvon since week three. He hasn’t been out there. And Trayvon, when Trayvon’s right. Yeah. Is a superpower player. Eric Murray’s coming back. That’s three, you know, Jordan Lewis is back now. And you know, those are three or four of their guys and Armstead and you know, all of a sudden the the BTJ thing is is really interesting because I don’t know if he’s going to be this year what he was last year, but he can get you big plays. He gets two two a game. Yeah. And flipping the field, look out. He can do things that the other team can game plan for for and he can still beat that. Uh, so that’s interesting when you start getting into December because there’s always stories like that on teams that go and they’re standing there and they’re a Sports Center feature, right? And you know, that sort of thing. Uh, it’s going to be interesting. It’s going to be really interesting because they’re getting guys back who can elevate them. And I’m saying this and I’m putting on record. I believe BTJ is the most important piece of a potential championship puzzle because if he comes back and is anything close to what he was his rookie season, we have an opportunity to go from good to great on offense. And that is the thing that changes the dynamic. And that is why it is one of those things where you want to hang in there, hang with him. He’s gone through the struggles and those things, but as we get into these matchups, you have to have one person who can beat any coverage. and on our team on the roster, he is the only person that’s dynamic enough to do that. And so some way somehow we have to keep him engaged and he has to meet us halfway because I felt like the effort that he displayed on the Jacobe Meyers play was him turning the corner and kind of becoming more like everybody else when it comes to that. And if he gives that kind of effort when the ball’s not going his way and then makes the plays when it goes his way, you’ll see our team explode and we’ll go to the next level. You know, it this probably isn’t a great analogy, but uh Bucky, remember in in 96 when you were uh playing DB, the position that doesn’t matter. Um but but um and then all of a sudden late all of a sudden Jimmy was Jimmy. Yeah. Right. and all of a sudden Keenan’s making a play against the Broncos that was above the X’s and O’s and you maybe there’s some combination there, you know, but in the playoffs and late in the season you need those guys who are all of a sudden above the X’s and O’s and that team took off with those kind of developing players. It’s probably not an exact analogy, but I think very similar though, very similar because it could be that kind of thing. Yeah, Jimmy came on like game busters those last six or seven games after we got rid of Andre Ryzen and he stepped in and he and Mark developed that chemistry. It was big play after big play and no one can forget that play down the sideline against Denver in the postseason. You have to have people that can go above the X’s and O’s. He had one, Keenan had another. And Jacobe Myers reminds me a lot of Keenan in a in a weird kind of way. Like it does feel like a little recreation of some of those things. Well, smart, tough, catches the ball and runs great routes. I mean, that’s that’s pretty good. That’s sort of I don’t know who I don’t know who this year’s Bucky Brooks is, though. I don’t know who’s I don’t know who’s the version, you know, the the the not important person that is just kind of the burger eater on the trips. We got to figure that out. I got to name somebody. I got to hand somebody that award. That’s what you Dewey grow your hair, Buck. That’s funny. Love that. Um Dewey Brooks, week 14 is here. The Colts and the Jaguars, both teams 8 and4, battle for first place in the AFC South. Tickets are going fast. Everbank Stadium, the site 1:00 kickoff time this Sunday. If you don’t get to this one, this is what it’s all about the regular season. First place on the line, jaguars.com/tick or call 9046332000. Bucky, have a great week. We’ll talk to you this weekend. Let’s get it. Should be fun. Bucky Brooks out of here. John Oer, I’m JP Shadri. Our thanks to Joe Fortunado and Brent Reverber. And thanks to you for watching and listening. It’s Huddle Up with Bucky Brooks. [Music]
NFL Network Analyst Bucky Brooks joins John Oehser and J.P. Shadrick to preview the Jaguars’ very important AFC South matchup against the Indianapolis Colts in Week 14 on Huddle Up, presented by Fields Auto Group.
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