Category: Josh Allen

Jaguars injury news: DE Josh Allen doubtful to return vs. Steelers with knee injury

Aside from their opening drive, not a lot has gone well for the Jacksonville Jaguars as they are currently playing the Pittsburgh Steelers. With just a quarter left to be played, they’ve found themselves down 17-3 with injuries piling up. INJURY …

Aside from their opening drive, not a lot has gone well for the Jacksonville Jaguars as they are currently playing the Pittsburgh Steelers. With just a quarter left to be played, they’ve found themselves down 17-3 with injuries piling up.

The most recent injury to occur was on defense as defensive end Josh Allen exited the game with a knee injury. He was down on the ground for a while and the trainers came to look at him, which led to him eventually being helped off the field. He wasn’t able to put a lot of weight on the knee and was ruled doubtful to return to the game late in the third quarter.

After a phenomenal rookie season in 2019, Allen hadn’t been having the season he was hoping for in 2020, coming into Week 11 with 13 tackles and 2.5 sacks. Still, he’s definitely the best pass-rusher when there is help from the interior and his loss would be a huge blow as the Jags are already ranked No. 30 in terms of overall defense.

We’ll have more on Allen’s situation when it becomes available.

Stock up, stock down from Jaguars’ 24-20 loss vs. Packers

Keelan Cole continues to show up for the Jags regardless as to who is behind center and had a big game against the Packers.

The Jacksonville Jaguars came away from Week 10 with yet another loss after traveling to Lambeau Field and falling to the Green Bay Packers by a score of 24-20.

The Jags made it an extremely close affair from start to finish but were unable to pick up the victory against Aaron Rodgers and company. Jacksonville came into the game as heavy underdogs and had many chances to win the game but unfortunately fell short, which has been the standard procedure for every Jags game this season.

Against the Packers, some Jaguars saw their stock on the rise, while some saw their stock fall. Here are the candidates for two Jaguars whose stock is up and two others whose stock is down:

Stock Up: WR Keelan Cole

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Jaguars wide receiver Keelan Cole Sr. may not be the star of the team, but he is arguably one of the most consistent players to wear the black and teal.

Cole had a tremendous game as he scored two touchdowns on the day, one of which was an incredible 91-yard touchdown in the second quarter, which was the longest in Jaguars history. He would then follow that up with a 12-yard touchdown in the third quarter and ultimately finished the game with five receptions for 47 yards with his two total touchdowns.

Cole has played well as a “safety valve” type of receiver as he displayed the same amount of solid chemistry with former starting quarterback Gardner Minshew II as he did today with rookie quarterback Jake Luton.

Stock down: LB Josh Allen

Reinhold Matay-USA TODAY Sports

Jaguars pass-rusher Josh Allen was drafted with the No. 7 pick in the 2019 NFL Draft to be one of the franchise cornerstones on the defense. He had a very promising rookie season as he earned a Pro Bowl nomination and finished with 10.5 sacks with only 60% of the defensive snaps played.

The success of last season has not translated to this season as he didn’t record a sack on Aaron Rodgers and has only 0.5 sacks in his last three games. He had two tackles and couldn’t get much pressure on the Packers signal-caller.

Around this time last season, Allen had five sacks already but only has 2.5 at the nine-game mark. While he is still a skilled player, he has not made much of an impact on the quarterback this season, especially with more of his snaps predominantly coming from three-point stance as a traditional defensive end.

Jaguars defensive coordinator Todd Wash has come under a lot of fire for not properly being able to utilize talented players properly and put them in better positions to make plays. This could be the case for the former Kentucky Wildcat star.

Stock Up: DT DaVon Hamilton

Reinhold Matay-USA TODAY Sports

Defensive tackle can be a tough position to grade at times, but rookie defensive tackle DaVon Hamilton has had a solid string of games.

Against the Packers, he had four tackles including a sack and a pass deflection. Hamilton truly made his presence felt from the interior against one of the better lines while being matched up against Packers center Corey Linsley, who is Pro Football Focus’ top-graded center in the NFL.

While the former Ohio State Buckeye hasn’t had a noteworthy season overall, his disruptive play in the past few weeks and against the Packers has put fans and coaches on notice. A game like this one could lead to an encouraging back half on the season for the rookie.

Stock Down: QB Jake Luton

Reinhold Matay-USA TODAY Sports

While Luton had an encouraging performance against the Houston Texans last Sunday, reality set in for the rookie signal-caller against the Packers. He had a tough day at the office, going only 18-of-35 on his passing attempts (51.4%) with 169 passing yards, one touchdown, and an interception en route to a 33.5 QBR.

Luton missed a lot of key throws as the offense was 4-of-13 on third-down, three of which were where first-down distance was five yards or below. The passing offense as a whole only averaged 4.8 yards per pass as many of the intermediate routes were heavily inaccurate.

The weather conditions were not very favorable for the Jags in this game, but there were many points and easy throws that were left on the field no matter the conditions. Jake Luton hasn’t provided a noticeable upgrade at the quarterback position, which makes his stock drop just slightly. The rookie has fared well in only his second start but the Jaguars’ offense has still seen its fair share of problems regardless of the quarterback.

Watch: Josh Allen works out shirtless at chilly Lambeau Field

The cold seemingly won’t be an issue for Jags DE Josh Allen as he took Lambeau Field shirtless for a pregame work out.

With Aaron Rodgers set to take the field against the Jacksonville Jaguars’ defense this afternoon, defensive end Josh Allen is going to have to play out of his mind for the team to get a win. His pregame work out would seem to indicate he’s ready to do just that as he took to the chilly Lambeau Field shirtless.

As we’ve mentioned all week, the Jags and Packers will be enduring some winter-like conditions Sunday as the temperature is currently at 39° with wind speeds of 27 miles per hour and wind gusts of 37 miles per hour.

Makes you feel cold thinking about it, right?

Allen will enter Sunday’s game with 11 tackles on the season and 2.5 sacks. While his stats haven’t been identical to those of his rookie season when it comes to bringing down the quarterback, it’s worth mentioning he’s silently garnered a Pro Football Focus grade of 76.6. That said, it would be nice to see him make it home a few times as Rodgers will undoubtedly carve up the Jags’ No. 31 ranked defense if Allen is stopped.

Jaguars vs. Chargers: 3 players to watch on defense

Josh Allen will be returning from injury and needs to have a huge day pressuring QB Justin Herbert if the Jags are to win Week 7.

With a 1-5 record after five straight losses, the Jacksonville Jaguars have reached a desperation point earlier than many expected in 2020. Another defeat today and the team will go into their bye week with a disappointing 1-6 record, which would keep them in strong contention for the first overall pick.

Today’s matchup with the Los Angeles Chargers presents a difficult challenge. Their rookie quarterback has lit up the league in the past two weeks, whilst the return of edge rusher Melvin Ingram will make them a much tougher opponent on the other side of the ball.

If the Jaguars are to win today, they will need strong showings across the board, but these are three players who simply must have an impact for Jacksonville to leave Los Angeles with a victory:

LB Joe Schobert

Linebacker Myles Jack has been ruled out of today’s game, which heaps pressure on the Jaguars’ high-profile signing of the summer. Joe Schobert has struggled often without Jack in the lineup, so defensive coordinator Todd Wash will be hoping for better play out of the veteran.

The Chargers have weapons littered throughout their offense and it’s hard to find many more dependable than tight end Hunter Henry. Schobert’s ability to cover will be tested throughout this game, but it’s a duel he will need to come out on top of if the Jaguars are to have a chance of winning this game.

CB Sidney Jones IV

Featured in last week’s edition of this post prior to the loss against the Lions, Sidney Jones IV remains a key piece to watch on this Jaguars defense after multiple impressive showings. He was activated off the practice squad just three weeks ago and hasn’t looked back since his first start with the Jags, which was a solid performance that came against the Houston Texans.

In that game, Jones finished with one interception, three pass breakups (including one tip that turned into a pick), which makes him the only Jaguars defensive back with four passes defensed in a single game for the last four years. That said, he’s made it clear he has talent.

With Keenan Allen and Mike Williams posing as one of the best receiver duos in the entire league, Jones will likely have his hands full for much of the afternoon. If he is able to have another strong performance, he will likely earn himself a long-term spot in the Jaguars secondary.

DT Taven bryan

With Josh Allen back for this game, rookie edge-rusher K’Lavon Chaisson will likely see his snap count fall again as both are rarely on the field at the same time. That means, former first-round pick Taven Bryan is going to have to force pressure through the middle.

Defensive coordinator Todd Wash rarely blitzes on first and second down, which means Bryan will play a vital role in generating pressure as part of the team’s four-man rush. With a rookie in DaVon Hamilton set to start next to him Sunday, the Jags will really need Bryan to up his play and begin to show the team why he was drafted in the first round in 2018.

Jags DE Josh Allen trending towards a return vs. Chargers

The Jags are on track to get one of their starters back on the defensive line after a rough couple of weeks without him.

Jacksonville Jaguars defensive end Josh Allen could return to the field Week 7 against the Los Angeles Chargers according to coach Doug Marrone. This news comes after the second-year player missed the Jags’ last two games both against the Houston Texans and Detroit Lions.

The team in general has struggled to rush the passer, so having Allen back would be huge as the Jags head to the West Coast and take on quarterback Justin Herbert. While the Chargers haven’t won a game with him starting, the rookie has been putting together an interesting season, going 97-of-141 (68.8%) for 1,195 yards, nine touchdowns, and three picks. Herbert will also enter Sunday’s game with a Pro Football Focus grade of 73.3.

Allen currently has seven total tackles, seven quarterback hits, and two sacks to his name this season. Filling in for him Weeks 5-6 was rookie K’Lavon Chaisson, who struggled for the most part during both weeks and was able to only accumulating a tackle and pass deflection after garnering 102 snaps. Now that Allen is back, however, it’s possible both players could help each other get going as the Jags could desperately use a spark.

Jags downgrade DE Josh Allen to OUT vs. Texans with a knee injury

The Jags sustained a huge blow to their chances to beat the Texans Week 5 as Josh Allen has been ruled OUT.

After not being able to practice all week with a knee injury, the Jacksonville Jaguars officially ruled defensive end Josh Allen OUT Saturday afternoon for Week 5’s game against the Houston Texans. This news comes after Allen was ruled questionable along side several others on the final injury report Friday.

Allen’s absence is a huge blow to the Jags’ struggling defense, which hasn’t been able to generate much of a pass rush this season and has allowed a league-high completion rate of 77% against them. It also doesn’t help that the defense will be going up against one of the most mobile quarterbacks in the NFL in Deshaun Watson, who has been an unstoppable force against the team.

With Allen now out of the lineup, first-round pick K’Lavon Chaisson will be called on to step up in his place and will likely earn his first career start. The rookie will come into Week 5 with seven total tackles to his name and a sack. He’s also managed to register two quarterback hits over the span of Weeks 1-4.

It also wouldn’t be surprising to see Dawuane Smoot receive an increase in snaps to help keep Chaisson fresh. Smoot, who currently is in his fourth season,  will enter Sunday’s game with four total tackles this season (one of which is a TFL) in addition to one quarterback hit.

Listen to the latest from Jags Wire’s own James Johnson and Phil Smith on their podcast “Bleav in the Jags.” Subscribe via Apple Podcasts and check out our archived episodes via Bleav Podcasts.

Jags vs. Titans injury report: Josh Allen participates in practice on a limited basis Thursday

After missing practice Wednesday, Josh Allen (calf) returned on a limited basis Thursday.

The Jacksonville Jaguars almost had all of their players on the practice field Thursday with the exemption of three. Two of those three were defensive end Adam Gotsis and tight end James O’Shaughnessy, who simply had scheduled days off. The other was rookie tight end Tyler Davis, who continues to deal with a knee injury he sustained last week.

The most notable name to surface on the Jags’ injury report was defensive end Josh Allen, who didn’t practice Wednesday with a calf injury. However, coach Doug Marrone told the media he’d be back Wednesday and Thursday marked the day he returned — albeit as a limited participant.

As for the Tennessee Titans, there was a bit of concerning news to come from their facility. Per Adam Schefter, their star receiver, A.J. Brown, could miss Sunday’s game with a bone bruise (knee). The second-year player didn’t participate in Thursday’s practice as a result.

Offensive tackle Taylor Lewan also didn’t practice with an illness, so he will be a player to watch heading forward, too.

Listen: Jags Wire discusses defense heading into Week 2 with ESPN’s Turron Davenport

The Jags’ defense had some standout moments against the Colts Week 1. James Johnson chatted with Turron Davenport and previewed the unit.

The Jacksonville Jaguars’ defense may have allowed 445 total yards against the Indianapolis Colts Sunday, but there were moments where they came up big. Among those who made crucial plays were Abry Jones, Myles Jack, and rookie cornerback CJ Henderson, who was nominated for the Pepsi’s Zero Sugar Rookie of the Week Award.

Heading into Week 2 they will need an even better performance, however, and especially will need to slow the run game down with Derrick Henry lining up behind the quarterback. To discuss the state of the Jags’ defense heading into Week 2, I joined ESPN 102.5 The Game of Nashville for a chat with Titans beat writer Turron Davenport via the “Talking with TD Show.”

Some specific players we discussed at included Jack, Henderson, Jones, DaVon Hamilton, Josh Allen and K’Lavon Chaisson to name a few. To listen to the full clip, just hit play below.

Takeaways from Jags’ first padded practice: OL, DL go back and forth

The Jacksonville Jaguars took the field for their first padded practice of the season Monday, and despite dealing with some player deductions from the roster, it was another interesting session to watch unfold. In what has been an unusual practice …

The Jacksonville Jaguars took the field for their first padded practice of the season Monday, and despite dealing with some player deductions from the roster, it was another interesting session to watch unfold. In what has been an unusual practice process to watch this year, it finally felt a lot like training camp.

Here are some of the takeaways the media was able to come away with on what was another intense day at TIAA Bank:

The OL and DL exchanged blows in 1-on-1s

With the pads going on, the biggest evaluations typically come in the trenches and both the offensive line and defensive line had their moments against each other.

Continuing the trend of his Monday dominance this offseason was Josh Allen, who proved to be a handful for left tackle Will Richardson. There was one 1-on-1 rep in particular where Allen flashed his hand-to-hand combat skills, swiping the left tackle’s hands from reaching his pads, causing Richardson to whiff. After that point, it was smooth sailing to the “quarterback” Richardson as could never re-establish his leverage.

Allen also flashed the movement skills Doug Marrone praised him for last week on the rep below, beating Richardson with burst and speed on the outside.

 

Rookie guard Ben Bartch was also mentioned by several media members for the job he did holding his own against newly acquired veteran Timmy Jernigan. However, it’s worth noting that Monday marked Jernigan’s first practice and it could take him a little time to get acclimated. Still, it’s interesting to see the rookie from St. John’s College hold his own.

Welcome home, Timmy Jernigan! Well, kind of

Jags fans woke up to the news of Jernigan’s signing, and he was able to take the field immediately with his COVID-19 testing and physical out of the way.  As seen in the clip with Bartch, he’s going to have to get acclimated to NFL practices again, but that will come in time as many have praised his work ethic.

The Lake City, Fla. native met with the media after his first practice and was all smiles, stating that he was ecstatic to play for the Jags who he watched coming up as a kid.

A pair of Louisiana State Tigers hold it down for the offense

While Monday was a day in which the offense seemed to be working out their kinks, there were some standouts from the unit. One of the most frequently mentioned was RB Leonard Fournette, who Jaguars.com’s John Oehser and many others said ran strong and looked quick Monday.

Meanwhile, one of the offensive plays of the day came from another Louisiana State Tiger in receiver D.J. Chark Jr., who caught a bomb down the sideline from Minshew as Tre Herndon was in coverage. Simply put, Minshew and Chark’s bond appears to have improved from where it was last year as the two were already a dangerous pair.

Other notes and tidbits

Listen to the latest from Jags Wire’s own James Johnson and Phil Smith on their podcast “Bleav in the Jags.” Subscribe via Apple Podcasts and check out our archived episodes via Bleav Podcasts.

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Former Wyoming QB Josh Allen to face NFL MVP Patrick Mahomes in throwing contest

Who has the strongest arm: Josh Allen or Patrick Mahomes? Now we will find out.

[jwplayer jF5wU66N-sNi3MVSU]

Former Wyoming QB Josh Allen to face NFL MVP Patrick Mahomes in throwing contest

Allen vs. Mahomes.

Contact/Follow @adamjg14 & @MWCwire

Good old QB battle

Josh Allen and Patrick Mahomes, the first and second most powerful arms in the NFL (according to rankings from EA Sports), have agreed to compete in a “throw off” to finally answer the age-old question, who has the strongest arm in the NFL?

Allen, who spent his college years in Laramie, Wyoming, is currently the highest-ranked quarterback, in terms of arm strength, on EA sports annual Madden video game with a 99 overall arm strength rating. Mahomes is second with a 97.

Talks of a long throw contest between the two gunslingers have been circulating since February 1, 2019, when the Bills quarterback was on Barstool Sports radio show The Yak.

Co-host pft commenter asked Allen if he would be open to a possible match between himself and Mahomes to finally settle the matter once and for all. Mahomes was quick to respond, tweeting “who is hosting this event?”

A contest between the two was reportedly put on temporary hold as a result of the COVID-19 global pandemic, but it appears that details are slowly emerging about a possible contest taking place in the near future.

Allen, in an interview with NFL Network’s Good Morning Football, stated that not only is he interested in a match between Mahomes but that the two were in conversation about planning one for a future date.

In the 18 months since the idea of a contest was first brought up a lot has changed in each quarterbacks life.

Allen has cemented himself as a rising star in the NFL. Building upon each season he’s played and has helped turn the once lowly Buffalo Bills into a playoff contender. While Mahomes has, arguably, become the face of professional football, with an MVP, Super Bowl championship, and the largest contract in NFL history.

Both quarterbacks have exceptional arm strength. Mahomes has had throws measure at 75 yards through the air, while Allen was clocked in at 62 mph at the NFL combine.

Mahomes is confident in his abilities, saying that while he doesn’t doubt Allen’s ability to throw, he has yet to see anyone out throw him. He has put the yards needed to best him between 80-85 yards.

A contest between the two would be a throwback to the quarterback skills competition that took place during Pro Bowl week in the late 1990s.

In these contests NFL quarterbacks showcased their skills, culminating in a long throw contest. Brett Favre won two of these contests in 1997 and 1998 with throws of 75 and 74 yards respectively.

If Mahomes is correct in his thinking, it will take nearly 10 yards further than one of pro football’s strongest arms ever to win the contest.

Currently, Mahomes is the favorite to win the furthest ball thrown in the contest.

Mahomes (-140)

Allen (+110)

While Allen is projected to win fastest throw.

Allen (-130)

Mahomes (+100)

Regardless of the outcome, it will be a fun competition and a great way for Allen to show the world his arm strength that made him a University of Wyoming legend.

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