Today’s Jacksonville Jaguars Insiders Podcast gives our prediction for Week 8 vs. the Green Bay Packers.
To view today’s episode, watch above.
Jaguars defensive coordinator Ryan Nielsen also spoke this week; below is a transcript.
Q: On where he’s seen the most development out of DE Travon Walker’s leadership?
Nielsen: “He’s done a really good job. You can see he’s with his teammates and the coaching and he’s coaching them up. He’s encouraging them and you’re seeing all the things that you want to see out of a guy who is that position, and you’re doing the things that he’s doing, and you’re very encouraged about where he’s going, continues. His play has been really well. He’s doing a lot of really good things and then he adds that piece to it. He’s really picked it up and we’re fired up about that.”
Q: On preparing Walker to take on more double teams?
Nielsen: “He just adds to his plan. If there’s a tight end to your side, you’ve got to rush it a little bit different or there’s a back to your side, just be alert for a chip or a nudge from a tight end or a guard kicking out on you. All the good rushers, every week, that’s what they go against. He’s just another guy that you’ve just got to continue to find a way to win and work your plan. It doesn’t matter who’s around you.”
Q: On how Walker has handled being double teamed?
Nielsen: “He’s done a good job. Since the Indianapolis game, you’ve seen his plan when you watch it consecutively. One rush to the next. He’s got a plan. He’s executing his plan. It doesn’t matter if he’s got a nudge or a chip to his side. He’s going to rush it like this and so you’ve seen him really grow and take the next step in terms of just the football IQ, in terms of the rushing part of it. You’ve seen his game even raise another level because he’s got power, the finesse rushes, his hands. He’s on the edge. He can go down the middle. He can do anything and you’re just seeing the progression of him grow and his confidence, I think, is the biggest thing that has grown throughout the season.”
Q: On getting S Andrew Wingard’s energy back to the defense?
Nielsen: “It’s getting a player back that you expect to contribute. We expected it at the beginning of camp and things happen and the other guys have done a good job. Just getting our full defense back together again has been good. You get Foye [LB Foye Oluokun] back. We’re excited. We’re fired up to have those guys back in the mix of what we’re doing.”
Q: On if CB Tyson Campbell’s impact has a ripple effect across the secondary?
Nielsen: “Sure. He’s a really good football player that can do it all. Man coverage, zone coverage, the speed. You watched the last game – the drive route, he came out of nowhere. That was great play by him. He just adds to the things that you can, ‘Hey, you got that guy, you want to play cloud or look like man, play zone,’ those type of things and really adds to the package.”
Q: On if Campbell adds a level of confidence to the secondary?
Nielsen: “Sure. I think it goes without getting all these guys back. You’re just seeing the guys play and look, we’ve played a few games together now. There’s also that part of the guys know where each other is going to be out there. The continuity of the defensive back position, you see the communication getting better and things like that. We just continue to want it to get better and build on it just one more day today.”
Q: On how he’s seen Packers QB Jordan Love grow?
Nielsen: “He’s a really good football player. He’s handling the position, the offense. He’s in command of everything. He knows where to go with the football. Matt’s [Packers Head Coach Matt LaFleur] done a great job with offense, scheme and putting them in the position where he’s making throws that – he can make every throw. That was the thing last year and this year. The guy can make every throw. The offense is just built, obviously, the time that he’s been starting now from early in his career to now. You’re seeing the progression of that. Then with his legs, he can get out of trouble. You saw him in the Philly game, he escapes the pocket and he throws the deep ball. The ability to move and throw on the run, it makes him an elite player at the position. It’s going to be a good challenge for sure.”
Q: On the impact of putting S Darnell Savage at safety?
Nielsen: “He’s played there before. It wasn’t new for him. That was always the, when we had him here first, nickel, safety and we had him in that dual role. I just wanted to try it last week and good communication, I thought, back there. He did some really good things in terms of his disguise and things like that. He flew around and made some plays. It was really good to see. We’ll just continue to grow with that.”
Q: On the safety positioning when S Andrew Wingard returns?
Nielsen: “Don’t know yet. We’ll go through that. We’ll handle this game. Then when Dewey comes in, maybe we’ll have a different package.”
Q: On what he’s seen from DE Joe Gaziano?
Nielsen: “He’s a tough guy, tough player, really good run defender, good edge-setter. He’s excellent in the run game. Then as a rusher, as a power, rushes more with power and then can get on the edge and move. Our plan is to get him a few more snaps this week and see how that goes. But Gaz, the history with that player, he’s solid, you know exactly where he’s going to be. You know how hard he’s going to play and that’s what you like about the guy.”
Q: On if he’s surprised by the success LB Ventrell Miller has been having?
Nielsen: “No, because you saw it in OTAs, you saw it in camp. He flew around. He’s done a really good job with the reps that he’s had. He’s got command in his position and the things that he’s doing out there. He’s in the right spot a lot. He’s doing some really good things. The thing that really excites you is how physical he’s playing. He’s a physical guy, run-through contact. He doesn’t stop his feet. He’ll accelerate through. There’s a couple of hits last game that were very impressive.”
Q: On potentially seeing Miller and LB Foye Oluokun on the field together?
Nielsen: “Sure. But that’s the thing that we’ve been doing since OTAs. We’ve had that rotation in that position group and you’ve kind of seen it work out in the game, so when Foye comes back, we’ll have a rotation. Those guys will still continue to play. Ventrell has definitely earned snaps. So, he’ll play in that rotation and how that all works out.”
Q: On what he’d seen from DT Jordan Jefferson the second time playing against him vs. the first time?
Nielsen: “Yeah, he did some really good things in the pass rush game. Getting off blocks – maybe it didn’t show up in the stat sheet at the end, but you saw him get off blocks a little bit better this game. He played with a little bit better pad level and just his confidence. That’s the biggest thing from one game to the next game is confidence grew, ‘I belong. I should be playing out here.’ So, he did a good job.”
Q: On if he thinks DT Maason Smith struggles with his confidence?
Nielsen: “I don’t see that. Maason’s a very confident guy. He’s a smart player. It’s not anything to do with that. He had a sack against Chicago. We’re staying with him, and he’ll continue to get better for sure.”
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