Atlanta Falcons Enemy Watch: A look at the Jacksonville Jaguars
Apr 30, 2015; Chicago, IL, USA; Dante Fowler Jr. (Florida) poses for a photo with NFL commissioner Roger Goodell after being selected as the number third overall pick to the Jacksonville Jaguars in the first round of the 2015 NFL Draft at the Auditorium Theatre of Roosevelt University. Mandatory Credit: Dennis Wierzbicki-USA TODAY Sports
FB: How much of a setback is the Dante Fowler Jr. injury?
DL: It’s more demoralizing off the field than on the field. Losing your first round pick a mere minutes into his first practice ever is just devastating, but the Jaguars did a good job of manufacturing a pass rush last year without an elite edge rusher. Guys like Jared Odrick and Michael Bennett should help alleviate the loss of Fowler.
FB: How far away are the Jaguars from competing in the AFC South?
DL: The only thing holding the Jaguars back at this point is the quarterback position. If Blake Bortles progresses a significant amount in year 2, there’s no reason the Jaguars shouldn’t find themselves in the thick of the division race in December.
FB: What will the Jaguars need to do to beat the Falcons?
DL: With Dan Quinn now at the helm in Atlanta, the game between the Falcons and Jaguars should be a defensive struggle. The Jaguars will probably have to lean on their running game to control possession and keep Matt Ryan off the field.
FB: Looking at it the other way — what do the Falcons need to do to win?
DL: The Falcons need to limit the Jaguars ability to run the ball and put the game squarely on the shoulder of Blake Bortles. We still don’t know what Bortles will look like in year 2, but the best strategy is still to put the pressure on him to make plays.
A big thank you to Daniel Lago for taking the time to talk with us, and we will hopefully talk to him again nearer the game. The guys at Black and Teal do great work, and it’s easily one of the NFL’s top sites on the FanSided network.
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