Jacksonville Jaguars vs. Miami Dolphins: Week 3 sack analysis

The Jacksonville Jaguars were embarrassing on Thursday Night Football against the Miami Dolphins — their defense couldn’t stop Ryan Fitzpatrick from throwing (and running!) all over them, the offense was making mental mistake after mental mistake, and special teams had their best player in Josh Lambo out, leaving the front door wide open for undrafted rookie Brandon Wright to miss an extra point.

And there were four sacks.

Who was responsible for them?

Let’s find out!

Sack #1: 4th & 6 at MIA 36, 1:15 left in 2Q

(Shotgun) G. Minshew sacked at MIA 46 for -10 yards (K. Grugier-Hill).

There are six defenders at the line and all six rush, but two let up after a second or so once Andrew Norwell has committed to lean right in his blocking. That leaves Kamu Grugier-Hill a wide open rushing lane to get to Gardner Minshew.

I know it’s fourth down, but Minshew has to see the mismatch along the offensive line and check out to one of his faster receivers along the outside. Miami’s secondary is giving them a big enough cushion and loading up the middle — throw it outside to Chris Thompson and let him run for the first down.

Fault: Gardner Minshew

Sack #2: 3rd & 13 at JAX 12, 4:16 in 3Q

(Shotgun) G. Minshew sacked at JAX 7 for -5 yards (K. Van Noy). FUMBLES (K. Van Noy) [K. Van Noy], touched at JAX 8, RECOVERED by MIA-K. Van Noy at JAX 10. PENALTY on JAX-C. Robinson, Disqualification, 5 yards, enforced at JAX 10.

It’s a four man rush on third-and-long. The offensive line has to be better. Andrew Norwell pushes his guy into Tyler Shatley who then pushes A.J. Cann off his block. Jawaan Taylor is on the ground. It’s like a Three Stooges film.

Fault: Team

Sack #3: 2nd & 2 at JAX 29, 5:25 left in 4Q

(No Huddle, Shotgun) G. Minshew sacked at JAX 20 for -9 yards (sack split by E. Ogbah and Z. Sieler).

It’s second-and-short. James O’Shaughnessy is running a shallow cross over the middle past the first down marker. Gardner Minshew has to get out of his first read and check it down to O’Shaughnessy when he’s between those two defenders for an easy gain.

Fault: Gardner Minshew

Sack #4: 4th & 5 at JAX 26, 4:54 left in 4Q

(Shotgun) G. Minshew sacked at JAX 20 for -6 yards (A. Van Ginkel).Penalty on JAX-J. Taylor, Offensive Holding, declined.

Another situation where the offense needs to convert against four rushers. But unlike last time, there’s one guy whose clearly at fault — Jawaan Taylor who has to hold his guy to keep him away from Gardner Minshew.

Fault: Jawaan Taylor

Summary

While four sacks in a game looks bad on paper, the offensive line didn’t do as poorly as it might seem scanning the box score. And when you factor in that the offense was down 14-0 by the time they started their second drive, it’s a little more understandable how it could have happened.

Up next: The Cincinnati Bengals!