Jaguars CB AJ Bouye: ‘It’s safe to say we didn’t win any phase of the game today’

Failing to stop the Tennessee Titans (6-5) during the second half of football on Sunday, the Jacksonville Jaguars (4-7) have found themselves searching for answers that do not seem to be coming their way.

Jaguars cornerback A.J. Bouye has been apart of a tremendously talented Jaguars defense in 2017, and has gone through the struggles on both sides of the football over the past two seasons. The Jaguars have not been able to put together two solid havles of football since their victory over the New York Jets (4-7) in week eight this year.

“We aren’t doing the things we need to be for 60 minutes,” Bouye said after the game on Sunday. “We’ve been starting off fast in the first halves, but not in the second. I told my DB coach straight up, ‘We put up 20 points on offense, that’s more than enough.’”

The Jaguars surrendered just seven points in the first half against the Titans, only to allow a staggering four touchdowns within the first 10 minutes of action in the third quarter. The Jaguars gave up over 200 yards on the ground on Sunday, much of that (126 yards) coming in the third quarter including two touchdowns by running back Derrick Henry.

Bouye, understandably frustrated after the game on Sunday, did not feel the team did enough to put themselves in position to win.

“That was a good job by the Titans and (Mike) Vrabel trusting in the run. At certain times as a corner, the most frustrating thing is to know a route is coming and you are yelling because you know where your help is supposed to be, and it’s not there. It’s a mix of everything.”

Bouye was subject to a 65-yard touchdown catch-and-run by Titans’ receiver A.J. Brown a little over seven minutes into the third quarter on Sunday. Bouye was caught in no-mans land and had no shot at staying with a crossing Brown as he made the reception and turned up field for touchdown, extending the already insurmountable lead even further.

While the team seems like one which enters every Sunday — at least over the past several weeks — unprepared, Bouye says he has always been prepared, and the team — while they did fine at stopping the run in the first half — did not execute when needed during the second half. The Jaguars are just not making the adjustments necessary, and ultimately, players are not where they should be.

“It just frustrates me when you see something in practice and you know somebody is going to be there, and then it doesn’t happen in a game,” Bouye told reports after the game on Sunday. “Adjustments weren’t where they needed to be.”

The Jaguars were forced to use backup safety Andrew Wingard in place of an injured Ronnie Harrison (concussion protocol) on Sunday, and the secondary suffered because of it. Wingard is an undrafted free agent rookie and has not played much on defense thus far this season — leading the team in special teams tackles. However, the play of the rest of the team’s secondary — and defense — have no excuses. The defensive unit has been routinely out of position.

Jaguars head coach Doug Marrone already proclaimed the team is not changing defensive coordinators as of right now, so help in the adjustments area may not be on the way.

“It’s safe to say we didn’t win any phase of the game today.”