The Jacksonville Jaguars came into the 2025 NFL season boasting one of the most high-profile pass rushes in the league. Between Josh Hines-Allen, Travon Walker, Arik Armstead, and an impressively deep rotation, getting after the quarterback was expected to be one of the great strengths of this team.
That looked to be the case early in the year. In their first four games, the Jaguars racked up seven sacks and 84 pressures, helping to force a league-leading 13 takeaways in that span. Then, Travon Walker went down against the San Francisco 49ers, and Jacksonville’s pass rushing fell off a cliff.
They had just one sack and 47 total pressures in their next three games, with the Jaguars going 1-2 as a result. Understandably, fans and analysts were perplexed. Even without Walker, Jacksonville should have still had more than enough talent to tee off on opposing quarterbacks.
Nov 23, 2025; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Jacksonville Jaguars linebacker Dennis Gardeck (47)and Jacksonville Jaguars defensive end BJ Green II (95) celebrate after tackling Arizona Cardinals quarterback Jacoby Brissett (7) during the first quarter at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
Jaguars’ pass rush is back
The Jacksonville Jaguars‘ pass rush has turned things around lately, though. In their last four games, they’ve tallied 13 sacks and a ludicrous 113 pressures, for an average of over 28 per week. That’s helped lead the team to a 3-1 mark in that span.
It’s especially impressive considering that Travon Walker was out last game against the Arizona Cardinals, when Jacksonville had six sacks on 45 pressures. Josh Hines-Allen has led the way for the Jaguars in Walker’s absence, with four sacks and 27 pressures in the month of November. Jacksonville media asked Head Coach Liam Coen about how his team has been able to turn its pass-rushing woes around:
Jaguars EDGE Josh Hines-Allen has the third most pressures in football and the fifth highest pass rush win rate in true pass rush sets among EDGE defenders.
Recorded at least 1 sack in 3 of the last 4 games. pic.twitter.com/2jWASpy4KC
— Jordan de Lugo (@jordandelugo) November 24, 2025
“I don’t really know. I mean, it’s not anything crazy, different scheme or anything like that. I just think that when the front and the coverage match well in terms of whether it’s zone or man, not allowing for the ball to come out maybe as quickly as it was able to come out, and then getting those guys up front going and having them being in matchups that are favorable, but also winning one-on-ones, defeating blocks, straining through the echo of the whistle, favorable matchups, all that stuff, I think goes into it.”
“But I do think our coverage in the back end has improved over the last two weeks, let’s call it, in terms of playing a little bit stickier, having a little bit more of a feel on the underneath zone specifically, to not get as much depth in some of our zone coverage. Having a little bit more of a feel for, alright, people are trying to work those quick to short, intermediate throws as a linebacker or a nickel or a safety down at the second level, not giving up too much ground and depth. I think that those things combined have helped the pass rush be able to get home more.”
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