On Sunday the Jaguars defense continued what’s becoming a pattern of bringing five-man blitzes early and often to stymie Dalvin Cook, the Vikings’ outside zone running game and bootleg play-action passes, according to coach Mike Zimmer.
The pattern likely isn’t going anywhere this week against the blitz-happy Buccaneers, because Jacksonville’s pressures were effective. Quarterback Kirk Cousins averaged just 5.8 yards per throw while being blitzed on 34.7% of his dropbacks.
“Basically, Carolina did the same thing [in the Nov. 29 win],” Zimmer said, “They blitzed a lot of linebackers, blitzed the safeties off the edges. So, they’re trying to set the edges with those guys coming, and then if it happens to be a pass, they’ve got some extra rushers.