Dante Fowler Jr. and Yannick Ngakoue stymied by Raiders O-Line
Dante Fowler Jr. and Yannick Ngakoue couldn’t get anything going as the Oakland Raiders proved their worth.
For the first time since Week 1, both Dante Fowler Jr. and Yannick Ngakoue were complete non-factors in a game.
Well that isn’t completely true as Fowler couldn’t seem to find the line of scrimmage and was flagged twice for neutral zone infractions.
Either way you look at it, the Jacksonville Jaguars weren’t able to get a pass rush going and the Oakland Raiders looked every bit like the vaunted protective detail of Derek Carr that they’ve been all season.
It got so bad that the internet was weighing in pretty heavily, especially about Fowler.
Warranted or not (it is), the Jaguars managed just one hit and six hurries on Carr all game long according to Pro Football Focus’ measurements. That’s a surefire way for the opposition to win the game.
Carr finished the day going 23 of 37 for 200 yards and a touchdown. Hardly Hall of Fame level play but he didn’t need to do any better when he could just take what the defense was giving him. He had all day to make the right decision every time he dropped back to pass.
Ngakoue, who is having a terrific start to his career, and Fowler are the primary pass rushers for the Jaguars. Without the ability to create pressure with the front four the Jaguars defense struggles. Week 7 was no exception.
If the Jags hope to win games they need to find ways to get Fowler and Ngakoue going. This will require more complex schemes and more complex approaches to defensive football. Gus Bradley’s defense has been surprisingly resilient so far this season but they weren’t effective enough against a contender like the Raiders.
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