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When the Jacksonville Jaguars put up 10 sacks in their 27-0 Week 7 thrashing of the Indianapolis Colts, it marked the first time a team had put up 10 sacks in a game more than once in a season since the 1984 Chicago Bears did it. That was one season before the Bears put perhaps the greatest defense in NFL history on the field. And while it’s too early to put the Jaguars in that category, there is absolutely nothing about this Jacksonville defense that is a fluke, nor are there multiple examples of it beating up on bad opponents.

Yes, Jacksonville’s other 10-sack game came in its opening contest against the Houston Texans and their subpar line, but this is a defense getting pressure against every opponent in ways that feature the talents of its front four. Defensive coordinator Todd Wash is using veteran Calais Campbell as a super-sized end, bookending him with Yannick Ngakoue, who’s been one of the more underrated edge-rushers in the last couple of seasons. Campbell leads all 4-3 ends with 35 total pressures, per Pro Football Focus, and he presents a unique problem with his bull-rush and pass-rushing moves. Ngakoue ranks third with 31 total pressures, and pure speed off the edge is his game. Malik Jackson leads a rotation of interior defenders who can blow up inside protection on a regular basis.

With so much pressure coming from the front four, the Jaguars don’t need to blitz a lot—they can send their linebackers into different run fits and coverages, and Telvin Smith is one of the best and most versatile linebackers in the business.

But the thing that makes Jacksonville’s defense so special in this era of the high-volume, multifaceted passing game is a cornerback duo without peer in the league. Jalen Ramsey and A.J. Bouye lock down every receiver combination they face, forcing quarterbacks to hold the ball longer and fold under all that pressure.

Bouye leads all cornerbacks with a 41.1 opponent passer rating allowed—he’s given up just 18 catches on 45 targets for 261 yards and two interceptions. He’s the technician who is just as comfortable facing up with a top receiver as he is reading a running back in bail coverage. Ramsey is the alpha of the group—poised to be as physical as possible with receivers, he can run step-for-step with anyone in the league and erase his targets. He ranks second in opponent passer rating allowed at 41.4, and he has allowed 19 catches on 42 targets for 216 yards and two interceptions. Neither of Jacksonville’s outside cornerbacks have allowed a touchdown all season.

Add in the fine play of safeties Barry Church and Tashaun Gipson (four picks, no touchdowns on 25 targets between them), and you have a defense that is playing ridiculously well at all levels. Each player fits the low-blitz Cover 1 and Cover 3 concepts.

You’d best get used to this Jaguars defense; it looks very much like the NFL’s next great version. Could they match the '85 Bears? Perhaps not, but could the '85 Bears deal with today’s offenses?

— NFL1000 lead scout Doug Farrar