Week 4 Preview with Jaguars' John Oehser (9/27)

on there in Florida. But right here up in the tri stated A. First of all, the weather took a little dip this weekend. It's pretty nice that typically happens screens, the leaves start falling, start dancing a little bit, gets a little cooler. But the Jets aren't going to be cool this weekend because the forecast in Jacksonville calls for

temperatures in the high eighties with high humidity. If you recall a couple of weeks ago when the Patriots went down there, it looked like everyone on the field was boiling, literally boiling, and so I wouldn't be surprised if the weather were similar. I didn't see much of that ball game because I believe we played. The Jets had their home opener in Week two against the Miami Dolphins, and that was the four o'clock game, so got home a little bit late, and then uh, I saw Jacksonville take

care of business. Unfortunately for them, they looked like they were gonna take an early season stranglehold on the n f C self. But Tennessee's had their number of late and we're gonna talk to John Hole sure about that, because the Titans have won three consecutive games against the Jaguars and that's a difficult team to go off against. I mean, the Jaguars were a couple of plays away

from the Super Bowl. Funny thing about that game, and we're not focusing on Tennessee here, but Blaine Gabber goes out and I think Marcus Mariota is a better quarterback despite dealing with an elbow injury, and he is a knack for making plays on the ground and tight matchups. So listen, the Jets are gonna be in for a dog fight down there against the Jaguars team who brings it defensively and on occasion they can get gone offensively.

And we saw that against the New England Patriots. Like you mentioned before, Uh, I think it's a good little mini buy for the Jets after that what occurred in Cleveland. So they're able to get away from football for a little bit and the coaches maybe had some time for a self scout after three games in eleven days, where the Jets did a lot of good things. Unfortunately they

didn't do enough. So they're one and two, and I know they'd love to finish this first quarter of the season with a two and two mark, which would be all the more impressive considering this is their third road game and this proceeds a three game homestand so this is a big game for the Jets here earlier year. We'll see what the status is of Jaguars running back Leonard for Net, he missed the past two games with

a hamstring injury. Will speak to John Osher about that too, because you know what, maybe it's a lingering thing, maybe it's not, but I'm not used to these Jaguars. We're gonna talk to Oshan about it. But the Keitlan Cole and d D Westbrook. D D Westbrook, one of Baker Mayfields in Oklahoma, did Westbrook had a tremendous collegiate career, and this Jaguars offense in the passing game is again a little different than what fans may remember because two

years ago Alan Robinson was the guy down there. He is now a Chicago Bear. He missed last season with an a C. L tare and then Mark UIs Lee, who resigned with the Jags in the offseason. He also got hurt no longer available. So this, this Jaguars receiving corps is one that I think a lot of football fans have questions about. And Keeling Cole came all in real weight last year and he's a speed demon. But then you say this is I don't know what his forty times were, but you probably say the same thing

about d D the other guys. The other guy, uh, Blake Bordles one of his top targets here on this season. A lot of people know him very well here in Jets Nation. That would be Austin Sans. He also, ironically, in Week one against the Giants, had another touchdown catch reversed, So he's uh. He may not be on the Jets anymore, but he as does not have some good luck at MetLife the past couple seasons there in terms of reverse touchdowns, I and I think, listen, I think Jacksonville had one

seven consecutive games at home before facing Tennessee. So, uh, you know, they want to get the three and one, and I think the Jets are gonna come out there with the game offert and be ready. This is a double chin strap game, all right, I think without further ado, we talked about the Jaguars. Let's call in John Osher of Jaguars dot Com. Alrighty eight's it's time to go down to Jacksonville. Now. Welcoming in John Osher of Jaguars dot Com. John, thanks so much for joining us today.

No problem, guys, No problem the ozone, I guess. So after last season, you know, being so closed to a Super Bowl birth is what's been the pulse in Jacksonville so far entering the fourth week of the season. Well, the pulse, uh, you know, all off season and really the first two weeks of the season has been sort of a feeling of, you know, they got close last year, and then even beyond that, you know, sometimes you get close and you feel like, okay, that was our shot.

We blew it. Now we got to move on and try to rebuild or whatever. Well, the pulse of this team is that pretty much everybody came back. They lost a few pieces on defense, uhst Allen Robinson on offense, wide receiver, but overall the feeling was, hey, this is a young team. UH. The basically ten starters on defense return, including Jalen Ramsey, Miles, Jack Clays, Campbell, Telvin Smith. All the guys I just listened are pro bowlers UH, and

a lot of them are just coming into their prime. UM. So there's really a feeling of, hey, as good as we were last year, this is a team that ought to be getting better and maybe just scratched the surface now. And it was really feeling that after the win over New England a couple of weeks back, UH came out on Sunday, followed that up with the lost to Tennessee where the offense was just really bad. So the overall pulse maybe doesn't match this immediate after Matt pull switch.

As you guys know, being in New York, every loss is the end of the world, right, What is the magic formula? You've been talking about it all week down there in Jacksonville. Now, what does the town of see Titans have over the Jacksonville Jaguars. Now they've won three consecutive games in a regular season, and can the Jets take anything from their game plan? Well, you know, I don't. I don't remember exactly what the Jets did defensively last

year against the Jaguars. That was Week four last year. I haven't gone back and looked at it. But you know the Jets did, if you remember, did a nice job of limiting the Jaguars offense. Made that close game and the Jets had a long run below pal I think, you know, get along and they kind of kept it in it and and I sort of swayed the game. But it was it was a defensive game that the Jets one because the field position at the end of the game a huge punt to change the field position.

So we're talking about field position type games where you shorten the game. Um, that's what the Titans always do against the Jags. It's it's a field goal type of game. It was only field goals the other day. Uh last year they beat him fifteen to ten. They had another game that was six three at halftime. So the Titans are able to get the Jaguars in a situation where they shortened games. They play kind of sloppy, they play

kind of messy. They get big first downs that you wouldn't expect with Mariota, you know, scrambling and running for five yards on third and four and then all of a sudden you're on the field two or three minutes more. Um. I don't know that that's had. That's the way the Jets want to play. It seems like with Donald that they're looking toward a future where they're really efficient on offense. But as of right now with the Jets kind of trying to get going and being a good defensive team. Uh,

that's a way that you can hang with the Jaguars. Yeah, I'll tell you what. I remember last seasons the game like it was yesterday, and the Jets really they pounded it on the ground. It was big, big games from not only Blah Paul, but Eli McGuire as well. Eli won't be playing in this ball game. And it's a

different offensive system up front, the zone blocking scheme. Black poles come out and he's averaging about four point five yards to carry and the Jets are getting the contributions from the running backs with the big thing John Uh, that they're stressing here up in New York with Sam Donald his commitment to the run and also a balance offensive attack. Yeah, it's Uh, it's a little bit of

a different feel for the Jaguars. And you mentioned last year the Jets ran all over him and when the when the Jags struggled early last year defensively, that's where they struggled. They got run on. Uh, that's changed a little bit since they went and got Marcel Darius, who Jets fans know from his days with the Bills. Uh, the Jaguars after mid season last year, we're a much better running defense. And even the other day, Uh, Derrick Hennry got a hundred and fifty on him. Um, but

it was on thirty five carries. It didn't feel like a gash kind of game. Um. So the Jaguars at least feel like they're a better overall defense, certainly than the one that played the Jets last year in Week four. Um. So, obviously the Jets are gonna want to run, but maybe

a different matchups than always last year. What's up with Leonard Fournett because he heard his hamstring or tweaked it in MetLife Stadium Ironically, against the Giants, and do you think that one do you think that he's going to be ready to play Sunday? I know it's very early in the week as I record here on Monday. And then the second part is is I know it's been a small sample size this year, but how different is this offense with four net playing in the game versus not.

It's it's tricky to try to project if you'll play Sunday. I he had a much better chance I think of playing this past Sunday than the first week he was out, which makes sense with a hammy. Um, you know, if I had to guess, I'd say he plays, because he said he was so much further ahead than where he was. But you know, this is not a team that's very forthcoming in terms of degree of injury on that front, which you know most NFL teams aren't. But it's it's it's kind of have to get a read on it.

I would guess he plays, but I sure wouldn't. It wouldn't bet anything important on it and follow me. Um, it's a it's a different offense in this sense. They they have had stretches where they're better offensively when he's not in the game. It's kind of a weird thing, but they open up the offense a little more. They throw effectively. But for the most part, they're a better offense when he's in the game because he gives them such a threat of running that teams really have to

defend it. When he's not in the game, you don't feel as much of a sense of urgency as a defense to make sure you get him stopped. Uh, And therefore you know you're not His apter to pack the line of scrimmage makes it a little tougher on the passing game. So he's really the the offense's identity. Even on games where he doesn't run for a hundred yards. Uh. They like to get physical. They like to run. You know, I'd like to have him run you over. It gets

their videos fired up. Uh. He's sort of a calling card for him, if you will. And it does change when he's not in the game. And the Jets twenty overtime victory over the Jags last year. I'm looking at four nuts stats right now, and I didn't realize it actually during that Sunday action, But man, what a workload. Carries eighty six yards, four receptions, fifty nine yards and receiving touchdown. So uh, he was very productive. Uh last fall against the Green and White. What have you seen

from Blake Bortles here early this season? I think it's gonna help the Jets that they've faced a couple of uh quarterbacks who can use their legs here early on in the season, Ryan tanney Hill the r POS with the Dolphins, and to Rod Taylor. I faced him for a half. Bortles is another guy who can use his legs. But he had a coming out party against the Patriots, so I think he threw for over three hundred yards and then uh, the whole offense wasn't able to get

gone against Tennessee. It's been kind of up and down. Probably the best way to describe Bortles is, uh, for for the first three years of his career, everything around him and him it was all so bad that he really got sort of a bad rap as just being awful. I mean, there were people who just wrote him off and said, this guy is one of the worst quarterbacks in the NFL. Well, he's not that. He's a quarterback

who can beat you if you're covering guys. Man, if if he's got guys that when he can hit him. I don't think he's one of the best ten quarterbacks in the NFL, but he is a guy who is very savvy, very tough. This team believes in him, and i've primarily he's been really good for the last i'd say, nineteen twenty games at if he hits a patch of adversity.

I mean, if he has a bad game like he did yesterday, or if he has a bad throw and interception, he's been exceptionally good at putting it away and moving on. Early in his career, a bad play, a bad game, things would sort of, you know, sort of start to snowball. I don't know if he would see the shoulders dropped, but there was just sort of a collective Okay, here we go again. Well, now he's much better at if

something goes bad, he responds to it. They tend to have a good drive after he throws an interception, and that's really what they ask of him is, hey, you're gonna make mistakes. Who know it's not gonna be perfect, but bounced back. So that's where he's improved, and it's one reason he got to the a C Championship Game last year. He just doesn't concern himself with the criticism, doesn't really worry if there's a bad play. Uh. He

knows the team has confidence in him. So he's not turning around and looking over his shoulder trying to lose his job every week. Flipping sides of the ball. Here to the defensive side is from New York. When you think about the Jaguars, you say, oh my god, that's one of the best defenses in the league. When you look at the front seven and then A J. Bouyer

and Jalen Ramsey. And so what I want to know is from your perspective, because you're very much closer to the team than we are, is what is the strength of this defense? And then secondly is if you're an offense, let's say the Jets this week, is how do you even go about attacking a defense like the Jaguars. Well, it's tough. And I'll give you a stat that I just I just sort of dug up in the last Uh. You know, I was doing the game on a Sunday night.

They really given up one touchdown this year, uh, when they've had a lead of less than ten points, And that was when s Kwan Barkley went I think for sixty seven yards and the opener, they had the Patriots down twenty one three before they have a touchdown, and they didn't give up one against the Titans. Even though they lost their game, the defense was very strong, had a couple of drives late where they gift some runs they didn't want to. Um. It's probably like any defense,

it's really really good. If you can run on them, then it forces them to do things they don't want to do. They have to commit a little more to it, and then you open yourself up on the back end. Which is a little bit of a cliche. It's not really detailed towards this defense, but that's how you get this defense. If you can run on them, then they have to single cover a little bit or they have to do things in the back. Seven. They don't like

to answer the question of why they're good. Uh, they rushed the past, serve very very consistently, and they tend to get the ball out when they had the quarterback. And then of course, like you said, they've got two cornerbacks who are as good as there is. And the safety is Bury Church and to Seawn Gibson are very underrated. They're both veterans, and probably the thing that makes them really unique beyond those two levels of the defense, Miles

jack and Telvin Smith, who are their main linebackers. They're the guys who play all three downs. Might be the fastest due in the league. So they're tough to get outside on if if you're trying to run or or you know, hit plays in the short passing game and the running backs they tend to cut that off pretty quickly. Are they creating a home field advantage down there? I know this it comes right after losing the Tennessee at home, but prior to that game, I believe it was seven

in a row. Or do you think that's more just of the reasoning there is Jacksonville is just a good team. It doesn't matter where they play well. Uh, probably the best way I answered this for a long time. You know, I got this team back in the nineties when it was a terrific home field advantage. Well, it was not nearly as good a franchise for about fifteen years, and for about five or six years before last year, they were bad every year, so the home field advantage went away.

Uh really because the team hadn't earned it. About midway through last season you really saw it come back. Um and in the last three or four games. The last season Buffalo playoff game, there was an afternoon game against Seattle where to me, it felt once again like it had felt in the nineties when they had Fred Taylor and Tony Besselli and guys like that, they're going to the playoffs every year. You were starting to get that

feeling back. To answer your question, when this team is good, this is a very, very tough place to play, and it has felt like that the last two weeks. Now one factor. Yesterday it was so unbelievably hot that once you hit the third quarter, I think the fans, I think the heat was just as often happens in Florida sometimes you just had a heat factor where maybe not quite the advantage that had been in a late afternoon

game the week before. But it's uh, as somebody who covered this team early on, it's been impressive to see that home field advantage come back. John on the defensive side of the ball really quickly. Here is since Aaron Colvin has departed in the offseason, who's stepped up as that slot third corner and how has he been performing well? D J. Hayden was the slot um who was the former first round pick by the Raiders and then played a year with the Lions. They signed him as a

free agent to replace Colvin. He played very well at that spot um for the first two weeks. I had a toe injury last Friday. Didn't play on Sunday against the Titans. He had been playing very very well. Uh. Tyler Patman played in this place the other day. I hadn't really watched specifically on how he played, but they've liked him for a while. Uh, didn't seem to hurt them because the Titans really didn't. Titans weren't able to throw because Marriot's elbow was still bothering him. So probably

a little bit of an incomplete on Tyler Patman. Uh, And it'll be something to watch this week. Does d J. Hayden come back and play because he had replaced Colvin? I think much better than people thought he would now. Finally, John, how's Austin some Ferrian Jenkins doing down there? He's uh, you know, I've gotten to know him a little bit,

as you guys know, a great guy. He's added a little something to their their passing game last year they had a guy named Mercedes Lewis who had been here forever. Mercedes is a frontline run blocker, not a great pass blocker. I mean, I had a great pass catcher at the stage of his career. So Safari and Jenkins caught a touchdown against New England, had one called back against the Giants. They had hoped he'd out a wrinkle to the passing game,

and you know, through three games he's getting incomplete. So far, so good. All right, well, John, thank you very much for joining us here on the Official Judge Podcast, and we'll see a Sunday at salute. Looks forward to you guys. Great stuff from the O Zone down in Jacksonville. Long story short, Yeah, I think a lot of fans think this too. Is that it's gonna be a tough, tough game for the Jets, especially facing Jacksonville defense that's widely

regarded as probably top three in the NFL. It's a winnable game, though, because the Tennessee I went down to Jacksonville last week and they want a slug fest, and I think the Jets do have an ability to get in the slug fest with him. I think it's gonna be difficult at times for Jacksonville to move the ball on the Jets defense. Uh. Conversely, we know it's gonna be an ugly game at times for the Jets offense because you're going against a tremendous defense who has players

at all three levels. With that being said, I like, uh, the scrambled ability and uh and Sam Donald in this kind of situation and maybe he can get some your it's on the ground here and Uh, when you look at that game last week, what did Tennessee do? They played great defense and they stayed in it. So that's what the Jets have to do. You have to make this a game where it's in the third or fourth quarter it's really tight, and then make the plays down

the stretch. And I think they have the ability to do that. Bottom line is, yes, Jacksonville is one of the FC's top teams, but the Jets certainly have a shot and winning this ball game. I thought that the stat that Osier talked about was pretty staggering when he said that the Jaguars have only let up one touchdown when they were within ten points of their opponent. I thought that that's a very impressive stat And I know that you the Jets are very capable of being involved

in a slug fest. But just to inform fans of what a slug fest is, where do you look to like are you talking you just talking about like defensive game and we're talking about a physical game with the run with the run game? What what exactly is the slug fest? And offensively, how did the Jets go about attacking this Jaguar defense scienticipated as being a low scoring game. I don't think either one of these teams are going

to get in the thirties because they get in the twenties. Yes, Um, what I mean by slug fest is again, Uh, the Jets this year defensively have not given up a ton of points. We think about Detroit seventeen and the defense actually got on the scoreboard in that ball game at

home against Miami. They give up twenty points, but fourteen of those points came off of turnovers inside while not inside that for the first touchdown there was inside the twenty yard line where Miami benefited from and then Cleveland scored twenty one points. So the Jets right now, in terms of giving up points, they're not giving up a ton. They're not giving up a ton of yards no matter what Baker Mayfield did in the second half last week, and give him a lot of credit for coming out

and giving the Browns that spark. Browns didn't have a ton of yards against the Jets, and uh, Jacksonville offensively has scuffled at times. Is it going to be different if Leonard Fournett is in the ball game, No doubt about it. He is their workhorses. Oshan said, he is their guy. Interesting though, Greens is that ocean commented on it. Sometimes their offense looks a little smoother withour fornet in the ball game, but then you go to the other

side of the ball. The Jets scored a lot of points in Detroit, but complimentary football all three phases scoring Against Miami, Sam Donald throws for three on the thirty four yards, but they're limited to twelve points. And then against the Browns points were hard to come by. I think when I say a slug fast is this is going to be a low scoring game unless teams turn over the football deep inside their territory. I think the Jets defense is going to be a problem for the

Jaguars offense. Sam Donald, I anticipate he'll play better than he did Thursday night in Cleveland, just because he'll have more preparation. This is his first true NFL week in his career. You think about it, he played Monday night football. Then he comes back and it's a short week against Miami and it's a really short week against Cleveland. Well, now this guy has ten days to prepare for the

Shacksonville defense. I think he'll be better this week. What the Jets have to do is probably not offensive banance. Chad Pennington told me, uh this week on Jets Flight Plant, which airs Sunday mornings on CBS, told me that, Jets, we're doing a good line of scrimmage in the first half against Cleveland. That you didn't see that as much. Cleveland took control of the line of scrimmage against the Jets.

It's going to be tough to win the battle. Constantly lying a scrimmage against Jacks film, that's just not gonna happen. So I anticipated slutfest. I agree with that because whether or not for Net plays, Uh, let's assume just let's assume, yeah, let's assume he is. If he is playing, and you would imagine your attention goes to Leonard for net in the running game, so then all you know, you stack the box whatever it maybe, Well, the Jaguars receivers are

much different than what the Jets faced last year. And last year was Mark Easley was the primary guy because Allen Robinson already had hurt his knee. This year, Marquis Lee's hurt his knee earlier this season and he's done for the year, so your primary option is Keeling Cole and and and one thing you wrote about it too, but we gotta remember Austin Seferian Jake. Yes, absolutely, but it's a very different look. And I think that last year's receiving corps might have been better. I'm not I'm

not sure. Um well there, whether it's last year or this year. They don't go by Blake Borls. I think that he is a guy that they're hoping that he doesn't lose a game, but you never put on the shoulders that he has to win. The game against New England were like always saying John Osher was saying that they decided they're gonna play a lot of man and the Patriots defensive backs, frankly have struggled early in the season. If anybody watched that game, against Detroit Lions Sunday night.

That defense is trying to find themselves. The Jets secondary, while they encountered some problems in the second half, I don't think they're trying. They're they're having issues right now. I think, in fact, I anticipate they're gonna get better and better. Well. I think last year what the Jets did so well against the Jaguars is that I remember at the time Coney eally talked about it. He actually

picked off Blake Bortles last year. But I remember him saying that, and then it wasn't just him, It was a large chunk of the defense. Is what they did so well was pinned the Jaguars deep after first and second out, so it's third and long, and then you rushed the passer heavily and you make Blake Bortles throw

to get to move the chain. So I thought the last year the Jets had a very good job of that, and why had good numbers last year he had good numbers receiving two He actually probably screen he probably total what near Yeah, he was a very effective player for the Jaguars last year against the Jets, So it would be a big boost if he's in. But if he's not in, like we've talked about before, is t J. Elden is not some slouch. He's a very talented running back and he's a dual threat. Also, he can run,

he can catch. It'll be interesting for me to see what happens how the Jets respond long week after three games in eleven days, and frankly, I think that this team is ready for a slug faster, another dog fight, And I'm really excited to see what happens because I think that the that the Jets match up pretty well

against the Jaguars. Yeah, listen, we don't know if they're gonna win or lose, but it would be really something if they wanted to get to two and two and then you have a three game homestand coming up, you got Denver coming in, followed by Indianapolis and Minnesota. You'd like where you're at if you're two and two after four games. The thing that stood out to me about last year's game looking back, these two teams played each other in Week four as well, which I didn't know

before I went back and looked again. Obviously, the Jets won three twenty in overtime, but they pounded the Rocky two what thirty six yards Russia. It was a two hundred fifty six years Russia. It would be tough to duplicate that kind of offer the Jets. I mean, Bile Powell had a seventy five yard score. Eli McGuire had a sixty nine yard score. I mean that there were some some splash plays, but the Jets were consistent on the ground. I mean that those two played obviously stick out,

but throughout the game the Jets were moving. And what Oshan said is that after the Jags got Marcel Darius midway through the season, the run defense got a little better. So it's different. It's a different look up front, and that's in that sense for that. Saxonville, about this number for you, seven sacks through three games, eight sacks through three Here you go. Uh No, listen, Saxonville. Comma New York, Calvin Beacham said it this week, and you wrote about

a green set. We know we have to run the football. They know we have to run the football. So listen, it's sometimes it's not. Sometimes you're gonna get two yards, sometimes you get in one yard, but you gotta keep on pounding the rock and that's what the Jets are gonna do this week. I think Bla Paul has looked phenomenal early in the season. I think he's average about four and a half yards to carry. Isaach Royle has

been in that zone four times as well. Uh. The other thing that I wrote about my storylines piece looking ahead to this matchup is which one of these teams is going to be able to take a shot down the field and complete it and pick up some chunkyards Because if you're playing a game and a phone booth, at times, you're gonna need a chunk play, probably in the passing game, and the Jets weren't able to get that going against the Cleveland Browns. Uh, you know, relying mostly.

The most successful passed against the Browns screens wide receiver screens to Quincy and noon law. Robby Anderson had a long touchdown in Week one against Detroit, and then when you look at Jacksonville. Oshan wrote about that this week that Tennessee Dared Bortles beat us down the field, he didn't take his shots down the field. So we'll see

what happens there. Is very interesting matchup wise. The other think a lot of people say, oh, the Jaguars were a game away from the Super Bowl last year, and the Jets were five five and eleven and had the sixth overall pack and then time before the trade out. I'm just saying that I think the external narrative is not representative of how close of the game this will be. It will be close if the Jets continue to play

sound on special team. So far, you gotta be encouraged by Andre Roberts as you returned, man, he's making Hay his apartment return especially not too many attempts. And as far as the kick returns concerned, Jason Myers continues to boot the yep. It continues to boot the ball out of that and zone. You want your coverage team to spin uh sound as ever, and you can't turn it over.

The second interception of Donald in Cleveland through a throat away, Yeah, no time outs left or that the clock was turning counting down. You had to get the ball up the field. The first one is the one that he would want to have back. He's Jermaine Curse is open, his eyes are on him, and it's split second he hesitates, then the rush comes to him and he tried going back to him there's Joe Schobert, and there's your ball game. I can't do that this week. This Sunday, one o'clock,

Jets Jacks in Jacksonville pre Game Central. That's a pregame show. You're gonna want to watch it. E A. Anthony beck is gonna be making a guest appearance along with laverneus Cole. So will the e A and Anthony becked and the Laverne calls are gonna hop on Jets Jacks. What more could you ask for? That's eleven o'clock Sunday morning. Be sure to lock in and then we'll be back next week.