Tag: dawuane smoot

Good, bad, and ugly from the Jags’ loss to the Texans

There wasn’t a lot of good to take from the Jags’ loss in Houston, but there were two defensive players who stepped up and did their part.

The Jacksonville Jaguars three-game skid increased to a four-game one Sunday after the team lost yet another game to another winless team in the Houston Texans. As a result, they made history, becoming the first team to ever lose three games to winless opponents.

With such a terrible achievement to their names, it feels like the team is due for a rough season and could meet the expectations of those who deemed them a three-win (or less) team. Yet, here at the Jags Wire, it’s our jobs to provide our readers with insight on just what went right and wrong for the team Sunday — even in the toughest of times.

That said, here are the good, bad, and ugly moments that came from Week 5’s loss:

The good: CB Sidney Jones IV and DE Dawuane Smoot stepped up

Coming into Sunday’s game, it was a given that the Jags’ defense would struggle with starters Myles Jack, CJ Henderson, and Josh Allen all sitting out with injuries. That’s exactly what happened as the Texans’ offense was 14 yards shy of 500 on the day. However, there were some players on the Jags’ unit that stood out and took advantage of their increased playtime.

Cornerback Sidney Jones IV was a member of the secondary that fans who watched couldn’t help but notice as he was in on two plays that caused turnovers. The first was a pick on Deshaun Watson who was trying to hit receiver Will Fuller in the middle of the field. Defensive end Dawuane Smoot (who we’ll discuss in just a bit) got a piece of the ball while trying to get to the quarterback, causing the ball to lose some velocity and Jones to make a play on it.

Jones also was able to cause a pick through a pass deflection that was intended for Fuller in the third quarter. Watson tried to hit the veteran receiver on an outside post and Jones was able to tip the ball. Wilson then plucked it from the air and returned it deep into Houston territory.

Ultimately, Jones finished the game with three tackles, a pass breakup, and a pick and now has a Pro Football Focus grade of 73.6. At this rate, it appears he may have secured a spot starting as a boundary corner with Henderson, which will allow Tre Herndon to remain at nickel for D.J. Hayden who is on injured reserve.

As for Smoot, he had a solid day with the increased reps he got due to Allen’s injury. In addition to the aforementioned pass deflection we mentioned, he was a nuisance for Watson, registering a sack and three quarterback hits. Those are totals that led the team in both categories and should result in the staff utilizing the fourth-year player more down the road.

The bad: Missed opportunities to score by the offense

When looking back at the game, there were three opportunities where the Jags were able to get inside the Texans’ 22-yard line but came away with zero points. There were two opportunities late in the second quarter that they squandered, then there was another in the third quarter where they had a fumble.

When looking at these moments, many fans weren’t high on the play-calling, which is a change from the past few weeks. If there has been anyone the fanbase felt was worth praising, it was offensive coordinator Jay Gruden, but that wasn’t the case Sunday.

The play in particular that didn’t sit well with fans was the aforementioned fumble from James Robinson that occurred in the third quarter. The Jags simply tried to get too cute with the play call, putting Robinson in the backfield as a wildcat quarterback. With the rookie rolling out right to find an open target, he fumbled the ball and it was recovered by J.J. Watt.

Of course, when the offense looks back at the film on Monday, they are going to want each failed series back. Unfortunately, there will be no time machine to jump in and correct things, so they will just have to settle for improving their red-zone offense in the future.

The ugly: The kicking game

In the two aforementioned series where the Jags weren’t able to score, they brought newly signed kicker Stephen Hauschka on to the field — and just like the offense — he came up short. The first attempt was for 24 yards and ended up missing wide left. The second kick, which was a 49-yard attempt, was short. Had the Jags been able to make both kicks, they would’ve gone into the half with some momentum and a 13-10 lead.

After the two missed kicks late in the second quarter, the Jags elected to keep Hauschka on the sidelines (aside from their extra-point attempts), which possibly played a role in the team going for the fourth-and-one attempt on Houston’s 8-yard line in the third quarter that led to Robinson’s fumble.

Thankfully, help might be on the way to correct the Jags’ flaws in the kicking game. Their initial starter, Josh Lambo, will be eligible to return from IR Monday if healthy from a right hip injury that occurred before the Jags’ game against the Miami Dolphins.

The last update the media was able to provide on Lambo was that he was off crutches last month. Hopefully, that leads to a return to the practice field soon but we’ll have to monitor the injury report on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday to further make a call.

Gallery: DE Yannick Ngakoue In 2019

The top photos of new Vikings defensive end Yannick Ngakoue from the 2019 season.

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Dawuane Smoot enjoying Timmy Jernigan’s infectious energy so far

Timmy Jernigan is already impacting his teammates despite being with the Jags for just over a week.

The Jacksonville Jaguars lost a lot this offseason, however, many would argue the biggest loss was that of Calais Campbell, who was a superb leader. Of course, when he was traded to the Baltimore Ravens, the Jags’ defense was put in a position where there was the uncertainty of who would replace his presence, especially in the locker room.

Now, with under three weeks left before the season, many players have stepped up to the plate for the defensive line like Josh Allen, Abry Jones, and Dawuane Smoot, all of whom were on the roster last year. Additionally, despite being on the team for just under 10 days, Timmy Jernigan has also made his presence felt as a leader, bringing an infectious energy to the team.

In his recent meeting with the media, Smoot discussed how Jernigan pushed him through Tuesday’s practice, which came after the Jags had a maintenance day on Monday.

“He’s a dog. He’s out there with all the energy and he brings it. Like today, I was down. We just came off a little vet day or whatever we just had, but like I was down, and he just came out there like, ‘What? What?’,” said Smoot.

“He was out there singing and everything. He really got my hyped up and I ended up having a good practice right off his shoulders. Hey man, I love him. He’s definitely somebody I want on the team for a long time.”

Sounds like the type of guy every workplace could use, right?

Smoot’s praise towards Jernigan isn’t shocking because many raved about his energy while with the Philadelphia Eagles. While there, he was able to win a Super Bowl ring, which is even better for the Jags because it means they not only got an energetic leader but one who has championship experience.

If I had to guess, Jernigan’s energy is a result of being able to return to the football field after going through the offseason unsigned. Additionally, he’s basically playing for his hometown team as a Lake City, Fla. native, something he expressed his happiness about in his first presser.

While many have concerns for Jernigan’s availability when looking at how many games he’s missed in the past couple of seasons (19), he does offer a high reward when healthy. If his luck can change this year, the Jags could very well have another free-agent gem on their hands, which is something they’ve had success with under general manager Dave Caldwell.

Jaguars DL coach Jason Rebrovich praises Dawuane Smoot during camp

Dawuane Smoot will be heading into his fourth year with the Jags and is having an under-the-radar camp in the eyes of his position coach.

The Jacksonville Jaguars’ defense has had some strong moments on the practice field since putting on the pads despite the losses the unit has endured. The coaches have raved about players such as linebacker Josh Allen and rookie edge rusher K’Lavon Chaisson. However, there is another unsung player who has stood out when it comes to aiding teammates and performing on the field in fourth-year defensive lineman Dawuane Smoot.

Jaguars defensive line coach Jason Rebrovich especially has taken note of Smoot’s efforts and praised him while meeting with the media this week. In particular, Rebrovich discussed his leadership and his growth as a player.

“He’s having one heck of a camp. Sometimes it takes some guys some learning curve and understanding what we are doing from a technique standpoint and scheme standpoint and Smoot is doing one heck of a job,” said Rebrovich.

“In the classroom and on the field he’s becoming one heck of a leader. Sometimes you look around the room and you try to figure out who is the leader in that room, but Dawuane Smoot is one heck of a leader in that room.”

Smoot has been with the Jags since 2017 and has amassed 41 tackles and six sacks, which ranked him fourth on the team. All six of his sacks came in 2019 in only 38% of the snaps. The interesting caveat is that he ended the 2019 campaign with 12 solo tackles meaning he had a sack on 50% of his tackles.

Smoot will undoubtedly receive more playtime this year when looking at the losses the Jags have endured on the defensive line. Add in the fact that he’ll be playing on a contract year and it’s possible he could see a tremendous jump in play this upcoming season.

Jags depth chart prediction: Defensive end

With uncertainty surrounding Yannick Ngakoue, it appears the Jags have some young pieces at defensive end that could step up in 2020.

The start of training camp is just under two weeks away for the Jacksonville Jaguars, who will need their defense to go into the regular season with some momentum. A key group within the unit will be the defensive ends, who make for one of the more interesting groups on the team.

As we continue our depth chart predictions, here is how we believe the defensive end position will look for the Jags:

Defensive end Big Defensive end
No. 1 *Yannick Ngakoue

Josh Allen

 Rodney Gunter
No. 2 *K’Lavon Chaisson

(See upcoming strong-side linebackers depth chart)

 Dawuane Smoot
No. 3

Cassius Marsh

(See upcoming strong-side linebackers depth chart)
No. 4 Lerentee McCray
No. 5

Of course, with the uncertainty behind Yannick Ngakoue, we put him at the No. 1 spot alongside Josh Allen. Simply put, if he plays on the tag and doesn’t miss a lot of preseason time, then he should start. If he doesn’t, Josh Allen is the guy.

Ngakoue will enter 2020 ranked second in franchise history in sacks with 37.5 on his career. He’ll enter this season with 14 forced fumbles which is good for second in franchise history, too. It will be up to him to make a decision on rather he’d like to play on the franchise tag despite being at odds with the Jags front office, and if he does, he’d be welcomed with open arms.

As for Allen, Ngakoue’s actions seems to indicate that the Jags should start focusing their attention on him to be the starter. As a part-time player, the 2019 first-round pick was impressive, beating the franchise’s rookie sack record held by Ngakoue with 10.5 and earning Pro Bowl honors. Allen was also close to winning the Defensive Rookie of the Year award, but Nick Bosa beat him out despite having fewer sacks.

This year’s second first-round selection, K’Lavon Chaisson, will also see snaps at defensive end and they will likely come on third-down, while he could be on the field as a strong-side linebacker on early downs. The Jags took Chaisson with the No. 20 overall selection (from the Los Angeles Rams) in April after he helped propelled the Louisiana State Tigers to a national championship. During the 2019 season, he registered 6.5 sacks and 13.5 tackles for loss despite missing a couple of games in 2019.

Free-agent acquisition Cassius Marsh will also get a look at strong-side linebacker to start and will get snaps as a rotational defensive end, just like Chaisson. He’ll bring eight years of experience to the table with 159 career tackles and 14 forced fumbles.

As for Lerentee McCray, the Jags will use him as a special teams ace and he likely won’t see a lot of defensive snaps on the field — if at all. However, he does bring six years of experience to the table with 64 career tackles and four sacks.

As for the Jags’ big ends, free-agent Rodney Gunter should be set to start there. He’ll be filling the role of Calais Campbell, playing on the outside on early downs and possibly kicking inside on third downs. While previously with the Arizona Cardinals, he started in 38 games so it appears Gunter is battle-tested.

Smoot, on the other hand, will be entering his fourth season with the Jags and will be on a contract year. Last season was his most productive as he accumulated a career-high of six sacks while playing on the edge and interior of the line. After showing growth in 2019, there is no reason to not believe he’ll take another step, especially with the chance of a new contract in 2021.

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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Dawuane Smoot named Jags’ biggest sleeper heading into camp

With uncertainty surrounding DE Yannick Ngakoue, Dawuane Smoot could receive an increase in snaps after having a pretty productive 2019.

With training camp coming up late this month, fans will finally get to monitor their favorite Jacksonville Jaguars before what will be a crucial season for the team. Of course, that includes notables like Leonard Fournette, Gardner Minshew, and Josh Allen, all of whom will need strong seasons if the Jags are to surpass their 6-10 record from 2019.

However, there also will be some unexpected veteran and rookie sleepers who have strong showings that may not be on the fan’s radar at the moment. In a recent article by Bleacher Report, writer Brad Gagnon singled out defensive lineman Dawuane Smoot to be that person for the Jags, as he’s set for a larger role if Yannick Ngakoue sits out.

The 2017 third-round pick couldn’t break through the stacked upper layer of the depth chart in his first couple of seasons, but he quietly made the most of limited opportunities in 2019 and could be ready for a larger role at the age of 25.

He can be extremely disruptive, he has tremendous closing speed as a rusher, and he’s a lot more intriguing than alternative options Lerentee McCray and Cassius Marsh.

Smoot’s emergence is something we somewhat touched on in the last episode of “Bleav in the Jags.” The reason for that is because he’s playing on a contract year and took a step in 2019. With the motivation for a new contract on his mind, it’s definitely possible he could come into camp with his hair on fire.

Smoot (listed at 264 pounds) added some weight last year and played both on the interior and the exterior of the defensive line. In the process, he was productive and accumulated the most sacks of his career (six). If Ngakoue sits out in hopes for a trade, it definitely would be a big plus for Smoot’s development as the Jags will need the defense to play to its potential if they are to exceed six wins.

Jaguars X-factors on offense and defense vs. Titans

The Jags will likely need some big contributions from a couple of players who don’t start and DL Dawuane Smoot could be one of those players.

The Jacksonville Jaguars will look to get the season sweep against a Tennessee Titans this Sunday. Both teams are looking to avoid the bottom spot in the AFC South and possibly sneak in as a dark-horse playoff pick.

The Jaguars beat the Titans in the first meeting this season in Week 3 by a score of 20-7. The defense stepped up that night as they would collect nine sacks and limited the Titans’ offense to 4.5 yards per play.

Rivalry games are extremely unpredictable as both teams are familiar with each other. These are times where a player who isn’t particularly a household name can step up a catch the opponent off guard.

The Jaguars will look to get some contributions from players who aren’t exactly the main starters to supply a spark and secure the victory against the Titans.

Here are the Jaguars players who could end up being X-factors in Week 12’s game:

WR Chris Conley

Douglas DeFelice-USA TODAY Sports

Jaguars wide receiver Chris Conley will be counted on to stretch the Titans defense as the team’s third receiver. Jaguars wide receiver Dede Westbrook was listed with an illness earlier in the week and he missed some time as a result.

Should Westbrook’s snaps be limited in any way, the Jaguars should feel confident in knowing that Conley can handle the load. Conley has fared well in his last four games with 15 receptions for 276 yards and a touchdown.

The Titans defense is ranked No. 20 in the NFL in terms of receiving yards allowed. Conley’s game is highly predicated on big plays as he possesses some serious speed and sits at 17.9 yards per reception. This looks like a game where he can be successful based on not only his skill set but also Westbrook’s limited impact (if not 100%) and the Titans’ questionable secondary.

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