Jaguars will need to pressure Cam Newton

by Adam Stites on Sep 22, 2011 4:45 PM EDT in Jacksonville Jaguars Game Preview

Pro Football Focus recently posted their "Three to Focus on" article about Sunday's matchup between the Jaguars and Panthers. While none of the three were particularly surprising, there were a few statistics about Cam Newton's play in weeks one and two that were noteworthy.

Newton has struggled when pressured as his NFL QB rating falls to 30.2, compared to 108.5 with no pressure.

The Jaguars will still be without defensive end Aaron Kampman when they play Carolina, but Matt Roth has filled in admirably, recording a sack in each of the first two games of the season as well as multiple quarterback pressures and hits.

The Jaguars have traditionally been a team that relies on their front four defensive lineman to provide a pass rush rather than using blitz packages; however, it may be advantageous for the Jaguars to send extra lineman to rattle the rookie quarterback. PFF also noted in their article that teams have generally sent blitzes at Newton, but the Jaguars haven't been one to blitz much:

Like most rookie quarterbacks, Newton has seen his fair share of blitzes as teams have sent an extra rusher 34% of the time. It will be a different look this week against the Jaguars who have blitzed only 12% of the time. They will rely on their front four to create the pressure needed to slow Newton down.

While it would probably be uncharacteristic of the Jaguars to blitz Newton as much as the Cardinals and Packers did with their 3-4 defenses, I would expect them to blitz much more than the 12% they did against the Titans and Jets. The few blitzes that the Jaguars have sent have been relatively successful. It was a Drew Coleman blitz that caused a sack and a fumble week one.

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The quarterback must go down and must go down hard!

twitter - @jeffrojag

by Gabbert2Shorts on Sep 22, 2011 4:49 PM EDT reply actions

Always. I scream that when I’m at the game. Doesn’t quite work when you’re at a funeral.

Sean

Pax Armis Acquiritur

by cuffs007 on Sep 22, 2011 5:01 PM EDT up reply actions 4 recs

LOL. Rec'd

Fidelis Ad Mortem

by JPQ! on Sep 22, 2011 5:42 PM EDT up reply actions

Or when your wife is in labor

You can't reason with unreasonable people.
If you ain't first, you're last.

by JagsAlex87 on Sep 23, 2011 8:50 AM EDT up reply actions

I was happy to see

Coleman get that sack but I ypically do not like corner blitzes because for atleast one second you have a WR open. A good QB will hit on that. The Jags need to blitz more use the hard hitting LBs to do it. Granted I only coach jr high level but I always blitz atleast 5 on obvious passing downs. You dont go 6-2 without taking soime chances. lol

by JagSoldier on Sep 22, 2011 5:23 PM EDT reply actions

What concerns me most about playing Newton...

is that we seem to lose track of the QB if we don’t get the sack. Maybe I’m imagining it, but it appears to me that we always leave a humongous area of green running space for opposing QBs.
How about a “spy” on Newton, to insure he doesn’t rush like crazy?

Fidelis Ad Mortem

by JPQ! on Sep 22, 2011 5:44 PM EDT reply actions

+1,000,000

If we do not do this, Cam will be at a track meet.

frankDUBZ

"I'm smacking you with the truth......" - Me

by FRANKdubz on Sep 22, 2011 5:52 PM EDT up reply actions

the thing that worries me the most are Carolina's TE's

I watched the first 2 Panther games and Cam loves to go to Shockey and Olsen. If Keller killed us last week, then I expect Olsen and Shockey to have great games.

Can't stand the truth?

by Aristotle45 on Sep 22, 2011 6:01 PM EDT up reply actions

Maybe Tucker will see from the film that...

Pozlusny doesn’t belong in coverage.

Fidelis Ad Mortem

by JPQ! on Sep 22, 2011 6:05 PM EDT up reply actions

Yep... That's why I just picked up Keller on my fantasy team..

He’s not great but sancheez like him and I dropped Miller (sea) because he has no QB to throw to him..

I would have picked up Shockey or Olsen but I don’t start players who are Jags oppenents that week.. That would be bad luck.. I would rather the JAGS win than my fantasy team…

"POUND THE ROCK MOJO!!!"

by SALTWATERJAG on Sep 22, 2011 10:36 PM EDT up reply actions

Couldnt agree more.

I was pissed off last week watching Sanchez run for those first downs. Thats what happens when you only rush four.

by JagSoldier on Sep 22, 2011 6:37 PM EDT up reply actions

Off topic

Did anyone notice that Chastin West looks exactly like Big Baby Davis from the Boston Celtics?

Can't stand the truth?

by Aristotle45 on Sep 22, 2011 5:50 PM EDT reply actions

I hope he's faster.

Fidelis Ad Mortem

by JPQ! on Sep 22, 2011 5:54 PM EDT up reply actions

And less of a baby

Orlando Magic. Oregon Ducks. Seattle Mariners. Jacksonville Jaguars.

by 808duck on Sep 22, 2011 6:12 PM EDT up reply actions

+1

twitter - @jeffrojag

by Gabbert2Shorts on Sep 23, 2011 8:04 AM EDT up reply actions

And 400 lbs lighter

by JagSoldier on Sep 22, 2011 6:37 PM EDT up reply actions

I imagine most QB ratings go in the tank under pressure

Obviously if the guy has a lot of time to sit back and survey the field he is going to find someone open. Not sure how Newton’s numbers compare to the league average, but you can’t say either team exactly “solved” Newton by blitzing a lot. I wouldn’t treat him differently than any other quarterback, and I don’t think the Jags will either. Jax defense relies on the whole being more than the sum of the parts. My biggest worry would be the tight ends Shockey and Olson. They haven’t been a major part of the Panter passing game so far, but Jax doesn’t have the best cover linebackers in the league. Dustin Keller hurt them a lot last game, although Posluzny was just a fraction of a second off in coverage.

by robert ethan on Sep 22, 2011 7:08 PM EDT reply actions

@robert ethan

this is about the smartest comment on what to do vs Newton. In my humble opinion any defence should just do what they do best … blitzing him really doesnt seem to do anything. He has been really calm.

I would question …what is their defintion of “pressure”… from what i have seen he acturally plays very very well during blitzs… now if you mean by just a regular pass rush then i would say that works well. But then again it goes back to what robert ethan said…. if you can rush 4 and drop back in coverage with 7 then that is the most ideal…. but then again..that is what you WANT to do with any qb…. Packers did this very well.

Best way to defend any good qb is with the score board. Get on top of them and pound the running game. If the Panthers can run the ball then that would be very very bad….

Now if it was me i would play more zone and combo coverage and just rush 4. Zone works better vs running quarterbacks… and it seems that making him think about things and read coverages is the way to go..not blitzing….. Blitzing is acturally bad in 2 different ways vs a quarterback like this….and bad a 3rd way specifically vs Newton….first what if the blitz doesn’t get to him and he steps up into the 2nd level of the defence?…that would be bad news…2ndly blitzing gives him a chance to have more one on one match ups which he has really taken advantage of….3rdly…he doesn’t really appear to get rattled or phased by pressure at all so blitzing which is the entire point of blitzing….. a well timed blitz that is hidden when he isn’t expecting it would be more ideal …not increasing the volume of blitz packages

by Shankdiddy on Sep 22, 2011 7:19 PM EDT up reply actions

His QB rating drops to 30 when he is blitzed

I’d say thats rattled..haha

by Sylvester.The.Jaguar.fan on Sep 23, 2011 7:15 AM EDT via mobile up reply actions

where is this stat coming from?

That stat really doesn’t match what we see on the field. The Cards tried blitzing often but it did not bother Newton at all… this must be refering to blitz on 3rd down. The first game Carolina had a very difficult time on 3rd down.. but did alot better in the 2nd game vs the Packers…. yea not sure how they come up with that stat or what they define it as…..is it vs the blitz …or are they refering to someone in his face? He hasn’t looked phased by pressure or blitz …. may not have the best stats in those situations.. but the main thing is he isn’t phased or panic at all… which is pretty much his MO.

by Shankdiddy on Sep 23, 2011 10:44 AM EDT up reply actions