Tag: Yannick Ngakoue

Postgame analysis: Jags spoil Raiders’ historic day thanks to some Minshew Magic

The Jags were out-gained in total yards and time of possession but somehow managed to acquire a win over Oakland.

The Jacksonville Jaguars came into Sunday’s game against the Oakland Raiders with a 2-12 all-time record and a nine-game losing streak on the West Coast but that changed Week 15. With the help of some “Minshew Magic,” the Cardiac Cats were able to rain on the Raiders’ parade in their last regular season game at RingCentral Coliseum (a.k.a. Oakland Coliseum).

After a relatively flat first half on offense, Gardner Minshew II and company were able to score two touchdowns in the fourth quarter, both of which were courtesy of receiver Chris Conley. Coincidentally, both drives were also the Jags’ first and last drives of the fourth quarter on offense.

The first scoring drive was an 11-play drive for 53-yards. The second scoring drive, which gave them the lead, was another one in which Jags fans will forever tie to Minshew’s name.

Minshew rallied the Jags after a missed field goal by the Raiders by hitting a combination of C.J. Board, Leonard Fournette and Conley along the way with roughly 3:30 left in the game. Before snagging the game-winning touchdown, Conley also contributed a 21-yard reception on the drive. Eventually, the Jags found themselves on the Raiders’ 4-yard line and Minshew threw a dart to Conley on a slant pattern, silencing the Oakland crowd.

Minshew finished the game 17-of-29 for 201 yards and two touchdowns. Conley, on the other hand, had four catches for 49 yards and the two aforementioned touchdowns.

Defensively, the Jags allowed 364 total yards, 236 of which came through the air, however, the pass rush came up big for the Jags in some key moments. They finished the game with four sacks on Derek Carr. Two of those sacks came from pass-rusher Yannick Ngakoue, who was unstoppable all game and also totaled five tackles. Rookie pass-rusher Josh Allen also had a solid day, acquiring his 10th sac of the season, which put him with interesting company.

Sunday’s win was a weird one, to say the least, as the Raiders out-gained the Jags in total yards (364 to 262) and had a longer time of possession (34:12 to 25:48). In the end, the Jags managed to pull off a win though and that’s all that matters.

The Jags’ next game will be on the road against the Atlanta Falcons. That game will take place at 1 p.m. ET on Dec. 22.

NFL salary cap for 2020 expected to be near $200 million range

The salary cap is expected to rise again for the NFL, but the Jags still have a lot of decisions to make to free up more space.

The Jacksonville Jaguars may stink now and could be rebuilding next year, but at least the salary cap will be increasing in 2020. According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, the league has informed all 32 teams that the salary cap is projected to be in the range of $196.8 million to $201.2 million next season.

The increase would mark a rise of $8-13 million, as the cap for 2019 was set at $188.2 million. It also marks a 40% increase from the 2015 season when the cap was set at $143.3 million.

As of now, Over the Cap is projecting the Jags to have just over $1.5 million available in cap space with the cap projected at $200 million, which would give them the third-least amount of cap space in the NFL next season. The only teams that are projected to have less will be over the cap in the Atlanta Falcons (by just under $1 million) and the Minnesota Vikings (by just over $1.5 million). However, when adding in the new figures mentioned by Rapoport, the Jags could have anywhere from roughly $2.7 million available, or they could be over the cap (a.k.a. in the negative) by roughly $1.7 million.

Most predict the Jags to clean house and have a new front office, and if so, that’s not a lot of money for the next regime to work with. Of course, much of that is due to how the current regime has recklessly spent in free-agency. They will be dealing with a cap number of slightly under $22 million from quarterback Nick Foles, who isn’t even starting at the moment.

Luckily, there are several other veterans they can move on from (or restructure their deals) like Brandon Linder, Marcell Dareus, Calais Campbell and A.J. Bouye, which would help their salary cap tremendously.

The biggest name the Jags have to focus on re-signing is defensive end Yannick Ngakoue. In guessing, he will probably be looking for a deal like that of DeMarcus Lawrence, which is a five-year deal that guarantees $65 million. They also have the option to franchise him, too. Based off last year’s tag figures, that would cost upwards of $17 million.

Watch: Chargers QB Philip Rivers gives Jaguars’ Yannick Ngakoue an earful

One of the more comical mic’d up exchanges you’ll see this season.

Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers is one of the best trash talkers in the NFL. No matter the situation the team is in, Rivers will always keep working his mouth to his opponents.

That was no different in the Bolts’ 45-10 victory over the Jaguars.

Rivers hooked up with running back Austin Ekeler on an 84-yard touchdown on third-and-10. Rivers ended up on the ground, and Jaguars defensive end Yannick Ngakoue helped the veteran quarterback up.

As soon as he stood up, Rivers got into Ngakoue’s ear and it turned into one of the more hilarious mic’d up exchanges you’ll see this season.

It went just like this:

Rivers: Ninety-yard touchdown! NINETY-YARD TOUCHDOWN!

Referee: Get the (expletive) out of here.

Ngakoue: Hey, 17. You see how he’s talking to me, right? Stay humble, bro. Stay humble.

Rivers: I can be excited.

Ngakoue: But don’t do it by my ear

Rivers: I will do it by your ear. That’s what I do. That’s what I do.

Ngakoue: I’ll holler at you after the game. Just keep talking.

Other players in the league found the exchange to be comical.

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Philip Rivers really got on Yannick Ngakoue’s nerves by screaming ’90-yard touchdown’ in his ear

“I WILL do it by your ear.”

Philip Rivers is one of the more underrated trash talkers in the NFL. His banter is often hilariously clean, but he still manages to get under his opponent’s skin.

That was clear during Sunday’s 45-10 win against the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Rivers had just connected with Austin Ekeler on an 84-yard touchdown to put the Chargers up 31-3. Despite the embarrassing performance by Jacksonville, the Jaguars’ Yannick Ngakoue still showed some solid sportsmanship and helped Rivers to his feet.

Bad move, Yannick. Rivers didn’t exactly reciprocate the classy gesture. Instead, Rivers got into Ngakoue’s ear and screamed, “90-yard touchdown!” It led to one of the weirdest mic’d-up, trash-talk exchanges we’ll see all season with a solid cameo by the ref.

It went something like this:

Rivers: Ninety-yard touchdown! Ninety-yard touchdooooowwwwwn!
Ref: Get the (expletive) outta here.
Ngakoue: Hey, 17, you see how I ain’t talking (expletive) to him, right? … Stay humble, bro. Stay humble.
Rivers: I’m just saying 90-yard — I can be excited.
Ngakoue: Yeah, but don’t do that by my ear. Don’t do that by my ear now.
Rivers: I WILL do it by your ear. That’s what I do! That’s what I do!
Ngakoue: Aye, one-seven. One-seven. I holla at you after the game!

Ngakoue said on the sideline later, “Seventeen just keep talking.”

Hey, it wasn’t the trash talk that most would expect, but it was a clinical effort from Rivers. I mean, just look how upset Ngakoue got about it. Rivers WILL scream in his ear, and there’s nothing he can do about it.

Other NFL players found the entire exchange hilarious.

Rivers’ trash-talk game is elite.

[jwplayer TMz9P4MJ-q2aasYxh]

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Jaguars X-factors on offense and defense vs. Chargers

Which Jags players can be the Jaguars’ X-factors on offense and defense vs. Chargers?

The Jacksonville Jaguars and Los Angeles Chargers face off Sunday in a battle of two desperately disappointing franchises. Both teams are on a losing streak that spans at least three games, with the Jaguars trying to avoid losing their fifth-straight game.

Gardner Minshew II is back as the starting quarterback for Jacksonville, which is just about the only thing keeping fans engaged in what has otherwise has been a very disappointing season.

With positive momentum nowhere to be seen in Northeast Florida and tough games against wild-card hopefuls in the Oakland Raiders and Indianapolis Colts, and a game against an unpredictable Atlanta Falcons team, the Jaguars might not win another game this year if they aren’t able to win Sunday.

Simply put, a win by Jacksonville Sunday will take a special effort from some of the best players, but who can provide an X-factor for the Jaguars in this game?

RB Ryquell Armstead

The Jacksonville Jaguars will be up against a talented passing defense as the Chargers are ranked fourth in passing yards allowed under former Jags head coach Gus Bradley. Much of that is because of edge rushers Melvin Ingram and Joey Bosa. They also have an elite corner in Casey Hayward. That said, when considering how the group plays defense under Bradley, the Jags will need to depend on a player who makes defenders miss and Ryquell Armstead is just that.

Of course, Leonard Fournette has flourished as a pass-catcher this season, but the Chargers are well aware of who he is. That’s exactly why the Jags should look to get Armstead, who is still relatively unknown, some opportunities in the passing game as he and rookie Gardner Minshew already have one touchdown connection.

DE Yannick Ngakoue

Normally we don’t go with starers in our X-factors post, but Ngakoue has an X-factor ability: causing turnovers. He’ll be up against a quarterback with eight turnovers in his last three games in Philip Rivers. In that span, Rivers has also fumbled the ball twice.

Ngakoue is likely headed to the franchise tag as the future of this Jaguars’ front office remains up in the air. However, that hasn’t let contract issues prevent him from producing this season.

The fourth-year defensive end has registered four sacks and two forced fumbles in his last five games, which is a remarkably impressive run of form. The Chargers’ offensive line isn’t brilliant and if the Maryland product can make his presence felt against his assignment, then it could be a very fruitful day for him.

3 keys to a Jaguars victory vs. Chargers

Jaguars vs. Chargers provides an opportunity to finally stop the losing streak, here’s how Jacksonville can beat their struggling opponent.

The Jacksonville Jaguars need a win more so than any other team in football this weekend. Currently on a four-game skid, Jacksonville has gone from division title contenders to being near the top of the draft order in less than a month.

Unfortunately, the games don’t get any easier heading forward. Sunday’s opponents, the Los Angeles Chargers, are undeniably talented but are enduring a difficult season of their own, too. Thanks to divisional losses, they’ve found themselves at the bottom of the AFC West, though they have some big wins against the Chicago Bears, Indianapolis Colts and the 9-3 Green Bay Packers.

If Jacksonville is to stop the bleeding and avoid being condemned to their eleventh losing season in the last 12 years, they will have to stick to a clear game-plan.

Mandatory Credit: Douglas DeFelice-USA TODAY Sports

Take the pressure off Gardner Minshew II

Gardner Minshew II has been reinserted as the Jaguars’ starter ahead of this game, but if the Jaguars end up relying on “Minshew Mania” too heavily for the win today then they have let their rookie quarterback down. The Jaguars have a running back playing at a Pro Bowl level this season in Leonard Fournette, and he should be utilized heavily in Sunday’s game.

The Chargers pass defense is fourth-best in the country, with the secondary continuing to shut down receivers and Derwin James set to start in his second game of the season coming back from a foot injury. This means offensive coordinator John DeFilippo will need to lean on his running back for the win Sunday.

This year Fournette has established himself as an option out of the backfield whilst continuing to impose himself as a powerful runner. Chargers’ pass rushers Joey Bosa and Melvin Ingram are both exceptional at getting after the quarterback, and with Minshew’s documented fumbling issues, Fournette should be the feature of Sunday’s game if the Jags want to minimize turnover opportunities.

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4 Jaguars to watch on defense vs. Chargers

The Jags will need their defense to step up if they are to defeat the Chargers Sunday, making Yannick Ngakoue a key player to watch.

The Jacksonville Jaguars’ chances to make the playoffs are slim, but they at least want to go out with a bang this month. They will have a chance to end their four-game losing streak against the Los Angeles Chargers this Sunday but will need some help from their defense, which has looked like a shell of themselves as of late.

Here are four players who the Jags will need to step up come Sunday if they are to defeat the Chargers, who are also looking to end a losing streak of their own:

Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports

LB Donald Payne

Donald Payne played lights out while starting in Myles Jack’s place Week 13 against the Tampa Bay Bucs. He was able to accumulate 13 total tackles and a sack and will now be the starter at middle linebacker for the remainder of the season because Jack was placed on injured reserve this week. 

With Jack having a terrible showing in the middle this year, it’s unknown if he’ll play there next year, especially with the possibility of the coaching staff being let go. That said, Payne can make his case to start in the middle with a strong day against the Chargers and beyond.

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Ranking the top 25 potential free agents for 2020

Dak Prescott, Jadeveon Clowney, Cam Newton and Jameis Winston highlight the list of impending NFL free agents for the upcoming offseason.

 

 

 

First glance at the top 2020 free agents

Dak Prescott and Jadeveon Clowney highlight the list of potential free agents for 2020.

At the moment, the 2020 free-agent class looks stellar. It’s loaded with current, former and potential franchise quarterbacks and one big-time wide receiver

It also has some strong pass rushers. There are a few solid offensive linemen and a smattering of talented players at other positions. There could even be some big additions that could be added to the list if their current teams decide to let them go.

Hypothetically, this could rank as the best free-agent class ever. But let’s keep in mind that much can change between now and the official opening of free agency in March.

When it comes to the very top players on the list, their current teams are going to fight like heck to keep them with new contracts. That’s especially true with the quarterbacks.

Think about this for a second – who’s the last true franchise quarterback to switch teams in free agency? I say Drew Brees, who went from the Chargers to the Saints in 2006. Even then, the circumstances were unique. Brees had a severe shoulder injury and there was uncertainty if he would be able to play again. Plus the Chargers had Philip Rivers waiting in the wings. The Saints took a gamble on Brees and it paid off hugely.

But, again, that kind of thing is rare. The list of free agents will look much different in March than it does now.

Still, it’s fun to look at who is scheduled to be available in free agency. Here’s a list of the top 25 players, who, at the moment, are supposed to be available in March and it includes a couple of guys who are likely to be added to the list (Cam Newton, for example) who are likely to be released by their current teams and join the free-agent pool.

25. Brandon Scherff, G, Washington Redskins

Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports

Interior linemen seldom get big money in free agency. But Scherff could be the exception. He’s a dominant run blocker and those are hard to come by.

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Bucs vs. Jaguars: Week 13 Jags Wire staff picks and predictions

The Jacksonville Jaguars will be returning home to take on the Tampa Bay Bucs after spending a month away from TIAA Bank Field. They’ll be looking to end a three-game skid against a group that has some momentum after the Bucs took it to the Atlanta …

The Jacksonville Jaguars will be returning home to take on the Tampa Bay Bucs after spending a month away from TIAA Bank Field. They’ll be looking to end a three-game skid against a group that has some momentum after the Bucs took it to the Atlanta Falcons Week 12.

Here are our predictions for Week 13 as fans will get to witness an in-state rivalry in North Florida:

James Johnson (@Sportsgrind_Don): 35 Jags, 31 Bucs

Call it a gut feeling, but I believe both teams will score a lot of points. The Jags’ defense isn’t elite anymore and hasn’t been for a while. They also could be without starters Myles Jack and Tre Herndon against a very good Bucs passing unit to make matters worse. However, the Bucs’ defense is even worse (at least against the pass) making for the perfect situation for Nick Foles to find his groove. I believe the Jags will make one more key play than their in-state rivals a notch a win here.

Phil Smith (@PhiltheFilipino): Jags 16, Bucs 14

Three straight division losses have seemingly sent the locker room and fanbase into an all-out frenzy. The Jaguars are a better team than the Bucs, they should win this game handily, however, they’ll find a way to make it much closer than it needs to be. As I mentioned last week, it’s in the team’s best interest to lose out, but they’ll trip into a win in front of an empty TIAA Bank Stadium with fans growing tired of the poor choices by the organization.

Jacob DeLawrence (@_Jdela): Jags 17, Bucs 10

This game is literally the definition of a pick-em game. Both teams have fallen short of their expectations for the season. Both teams are also suffering from inconsistent quarterback play and that will likely be the theme of the day and the reason why the Jags win. Jameis Winston will throw a costly pick that leads to a field goal that seals it.

Daniel Griffis (@GriffisNFL): 26 Bucs, Jags 20

Confidence in the Jaguars has hit an all-time low. The team has lost three straight games by 20 or more points and have shown no signs of turning it around. Both sides of the balk are struggling, but with the turnover prone Tampa Bay Bucs coming to town, the team may be able to show signs of life. I think the Jags come away disappointed, but will manage to keep it close.

Robert Ricks (@rrickswriting): Bucs 36, Jags 23

The Jags will have their hands completely full with a potential makeshift group in the front seven, who will have to guard both Buccaneers receivers Mike Evans and Chris Godwin. The Jaguars will need to force Jameis Winston into a couple of turnovers to keep this game even. I predict that Nick Foles will struggle, which could lead to him getting benched in favor of Gardner Minshew II in this game.