JACKSONVILLE – Call it a reemphasis. Or a recommitment.
Whatever you call it, make no mistake:
Jaguars defensive players are always thinking about takeaways. And as they prepare for a key AFC South game a few days after their first game this season with none, the thinking is particularly strong.
“It’s a focus of ours,” defensive coordinator Mike Caldwell said Thursday as the Jaguars (2-3) prepared to play the Indianapolis Colts (2-2-1) at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Ind., Sunday at 1 p.m.
The focus typically has produced this season.
The Jaguars, after forcing an NFL-low nine turnovers in 2022, led the NFL with nine takeaways through four games. Their first game without a takeaway this season came this past Sunday in a 13-10 loss to the Houston Texans at TIAA Bank Field.
“Anytime you focus on something and it doesn’t happen, you come back to work that Wednesday just like they did yesterday,” Caldwell said. “They came back, and they were focused on creating turnovers, and that’s what you have to do.”
The area figures to be Sunday. Colts quarterback Matt Ryan leads the NFL with 11 fumbles through five games, with one of those fumbles coming in a 24-0 Week 2 loss to the Jaguars – a game in which the Jaguars sacked Ryan five times.
“That’s one of the things we try to do all the time is pressure the quarterback,” Caldwell said of the Jaguars, who have registered 10 sacks through five games. “He (Ryan) is a veteran quarterback, he’s savvy. He understands when to get rid of the ball, so we just have to go out there and try to stay committed to what we truly believe in and go from there.”
Ryan this season is also tied for the NFL lead with seven interceptions. The Jaguars intercepted Ryan three times in Week 2.
“They come in bunches, and we didn’t get one [this past Sunday],” Caldwell said. “That’s another thing we’ve got to continue to get better at, turning the ball over and giving the offense another chance.
“That’s our mindset, and we’re going to continue to work at…
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