Jaguars Insider Podcast: Predicting the Packers Game

Today’s Jacksonville Jaguars Insiders Podcast offers our Week 8 prediction against the Green Bay Packers.

To watch today’s episode, watch above.

Jaguars defensive coordinator Ryan Nielsen also spoke this week; below is a transcript.

Q: Where has he seen the most development in DE Travon Walker’s tenure?

Nielsen: “He did a really good job. You can see he’s with his teammates and coaches and coaching them. He encourages them and you see all the things you want to see from a guy in that position and you do the things he does and you’re very encouraged by where he’s going, he continues. His game was very good. He does a lot of really good things and then he adds that piece. He really got it and we’re excited about that.”

Q: About Walker getting ready to face more double teams?

Nielsen: “He’s just adding to his plan. If there’s a tight end on your side, you have to rush it a little different or there’s a back on your side, just watch for a chip or a nudge from a tight end or a guard hitting you. All the good, every week, against this they oppose. It’s just another guy you have to keep finding a way to win and work your plan. It doesn’t matter who is around you.”

Q: How did Walker handle being double-teamed?

Nielsen: “He did a good job. Ever since the Indianapolis game, you’ve seen his plan when you watch him back-to-back. One rush after another. He has a plan. He executes his plan. It doesn’t matter if he has a nudge or a chip on his side. He’s going to rush like that, and you’ve really seen him grow and take that next step in terms of just the football IQ, the rushing side of it. You’ve seen his game take it to another level because he has power, finesse rushes, his hands. It’s on the edge. He can go to the middle. He can do anything and you just see his development grow and his confidence, I think, is the biggest thing that has grown throughout the season.”

Q: To bring S Andrew Wingard’s energy back to the defense?

Nielsen: “It’s the recovery of a player you expect to contribute. We expected it at the beginning of camp and things happen and the other guys did a good job. Just getting our full defense together again was good. You get Foye (LB Foye Oluokun) back. We are excited. We’re excited to have these guys back in the mix with what we’re doing.”

Q: Where does CB Tyson Campbell’s impact have a ripple effect in the secondary?

Nielsen: “Sure. He is a very good footballer who can do everything. Man coverage, zone coverage, speed. You watched the last game – the drive route, it came out of nowhere. It was a great play by him. It just adds to the things that you can, ‘Hey, you got that guy, you want to play in the cloud or look like a human, play area,’ those things and it really adds to the package.”

Q: What if Campbell adds a level of confidence in the secondary?

Nielsen: “Sure. I think it can be done without getting all these guys back. You see the boys playing and look, we’ve played a few games together now. There is also that part of the boys know where each other will be there. Continuity at the defensive back position, you see the communication getting better and things like that. We just keep wanting her to get better and go one more day today.”

Q: About watching Packers QB Jordan Love grow up?

Nielsen: “He is a very good footballer. He handles the position, the offense. He rules everything. He knows where to go with the football. Matt (Packers head coach Matt LaFleur) has done a great job with the offense, the scheme and putting them in position to make throws that – he can make every throw. That was last year and this year. The guy can make every throw. The offense has obviously been built around the time he’s started now, from the beginning of his career to now. See its progress. Then, with his feet, he can get out of trouble. You saw him in the Philly game, he gets out of the pocket and throws the deep ball. The ability to move and throw on the run makes him an elite player at the position. It will definitely be a good challenge.”

Q: On the impact of securing S Darnell Savage?

Nielsen: “He’s played there before. It was not new to him. That was always, when we first had him here, nickel, safety and we had him in that dual role. I just wanted to try it last week and good communication, I thought, there. He did some really good things with his disguise and stuff like that. He flew around and made some plays. It was very good to see. We will continue to grow with it.”

Q: About the safety positioning when S Andrew Wingard returns?

Nielsen: “I don’t know yet. We will get through this. We handle this game. Then when Dewey comes in, maybe we’ll have another package.”

Q: What did he see from DE Joe Gaziano?

Nielsen: “He’s a tough guy, a tough player, a very good run defender, a good tackler. He is excellent in the running game. Then, like lightning, like a power, it rushes with more power and then it can reach the edge and move. Our plan is to get him some more shots this week and see how he goes. But Gaz, the history with that player, it’s solid, you know exactly where he’s going to be. You know how hard he’s going to play, and that’s what you like about a guy.”

Q: Is he surprised by the success LB Ventrell Miller has had?

Nielsen: “No, because you saw it in OTAs, you saw it in camp. It flew around. He did a really good job with the reps he had. He has command in his position and in the things he does there. He is in the right place of many. It does some really good stuff. The thing that really excites you is how physical he plays. He’s a physical guy, direct contact. He doesn’t stop his legs. He will accelerate. There were some shots in the last game that were very impressive.”

Q: Is it possible to see Miller and LB Foye Oluokun on the field together?

Nielsen: “Sure. But that’s the thing we’ve been doing since OTA. We had that rotation in that position group and you kind of saw how it worked in the game, so when Foye comes back, we’re going to have a rotation. Those guys will keep playing. Ventrell definitely won the snaps. So he’s going to play in that rotation and how it all goes.”

Q: What did he see from DT Jordan Jefferson the second time he played against him the first time?

Nielsen: “Yeah, he did some really good things in the passing game. Escaping blocks – He may not have shown up on the stat sheet at the end, but you saw him escape blocks a little better in this game. He played with a little better pad level and just his confidence. That’s the biggest thing from one game to the next is the confidence that has grown, ‘I belong. I should play here. So, he did a good job.”

Q: What if he thinks DT Maason Smith is struggling with his confidence?

Nielsen: “I don’t see it. Maason is a very confident guy. He is a smart player. It has nothing to do with it. Had a sack against Chicago. We’re sticking with him and he’ll certainly continue to improve.”

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