As we entered the season, fans were questioning whether or not the Jacksonville Jaguars pass rush would be improved this year. In the past two years, Dante Fowler and Yannick Ngakoue have been added to improve the team’s pass rush, but both entered the season without playing an NFL snap. No one knew how well they would perform.
Well, up until their Week 4 matchup against the Indianapolis Colts, they were good. Very good, in fact.
Fowler, the Jaguars’ first round draft pick in 2015, did well last year in rush stunts by shooting the gap and creating pressure, and had earned two sacks in four games. His run defense has also been great, which has translated well from his college game. All in all, he’s done well, but can certainly get better in bull and pure rushing, as well as becoming a more mature football player.
Yannick Ngakoue, however, has looked like the steal of the draft.
As you can see in the above highlight, Fowler shot the gap and forced an extremely quick toss from Andrew Luck, which he tips and Ngakoue quickly finds in the air to intercept.