Jacksonville began the year utilizing a 3-4 front but just switched to the 4-3 last week in an attempt to generate more pressure. They had some success with the switch and collected three sacks but their opponent was the Kansas City Chiefs so we must take this with a grain of salt.

The Jaguars’ pass rush was to be fortified when they drafted DE’s Derrick Harvey and Quentin Groves but so far neither has delivered. The duo has only 6 sacks between them in over a season and a half (none this year) and the team must wait for them to mature.

Harvey has a ton of ability. He has 13 pressures so far this season and it is just a matter of time until he becomes one of the better pass rushers in the league. Groves, on the other hand, has serious bust potential and has had problems cracking the starting line up.

Although D’Brickashaw Ferguson has faced better DE’s, he will nonetheless have to be on his game against Harvey who is improving each week. He has great burst off the snap and can bring some pressure but I expect Ferguson to win this battle.

Harvey lacks experience and does not read blocking schemes particularly well. The Jets should run away from him because he does not use his hands well to pick through traffic.

DT John Henderson has been the key figure in this defense for years but his production has slipped since fellow DT Marcus Stroud left for Buffalo in 2008. Henderson has also been slowed by injuries and is not the player he used to be.

Rookie Terrance Knighton mans the other DT spot. Although he plays with a good motor and has some quickness, he is an ordinary player at this point. Both he and Henderson can be moved off the line, which is why the Jets figure to run up the gut frequently.

One guy the Jets’ offensive line will have to pay attention to is weak-side linebacker Darryl Smith. He leads the team in tackles and has a real nose for the football.

Smith is very smart and instinctive. He recognizes blocking schemes quickly, gets off of blocks and fills lanes well. He is a punishing tackler and already has forced three fumbles this year.

The Jets will have to double him whether they run to his side or not. He has good lateral range but does not always break down well in space.

This is why the Jets might have success running outside against Jacksonville. In addition to Smith’s issues on the outside, the Jag’s other outside linebacker, Clint Ingram, struggles making plays on the perimeter.

Ingram does not diagnose runs well and takes poor angles. He also prefers to run around blocks rather than taking them on and consequently takes himself out of plays.

The Jets should target him with their rushing attack. He has been beaten often to the outside this season.

The Jaguars’ best cover man is Rashean Mathis who returned recently from an injury. He will no doubt be matched up against Braylon Edwards for much of the game.

The Jags play a lot of zone to cover up their secondary’s weaknesses and Mathis is just as good in zone coverage as man-to-man. He recognizes routes well and likes to read the quarterback’s eyes.

Mark Sanchez must be careful not to lock on to his primary receiver because Mathis will be waiting. He has great ball skills and will come down with the interception if Sanchez does not look him off.

In addition to giving up tons of yards, Jacksonville’s defense cannot keep opponents out of the end zone. They are giving up nearly 25 points per game because they struggle to get off the field on third down.

They rank 27th in third down percentage (43%) and make few big plays. Their 5 interceptions are near the bottom of the league.

Aside from Mathis, their secondary is pretty weak so the Jets’ receivers should have room to operate. This should be a big game for Jerricho Cotchery who excels at finding open spots in zones.

The Jags will likely bring a lot of blitzes because their front four does not generate enough pressure on their own. This will be an important game for Sanchez to recognize the blitz at the line and audible to a screen or quick slant.

The Jaguars’ defense is in transition. Once a dominant unit, they are now trying to work in new players. Their front seven has been pushed around and their secondary has been forced to cover too long because they have no legitimate pass rushers.

The Jets should have many opportunities to move the ball against these guys. Our offensive line is more talented then their defensive front and should be able to control the line of scrimmage.

Look for the Jets to have success on the ground. They should be able to run up the middle and off the edges. If they are successful early they will mix in their play action passing game although with the Jag’s weak pass defense, they could just as easily come out throwing to loosen up their front.

The Jets have plenty of options against this defense and should be able to move the football and score points.


Keys

• Double-team Daryl Smith. He is very active, particularly against the run, and will make plays all over the field if the Jets do not pay attention to him.

• Run at Clint Ingram. He does not take on blockers well so the Jets should have success running toward his side of the field.

• Even though Jacksonville struggles to pressure the quarterback, second year DE Derrick Harvey has been improving and can bring pressure off the edge. D’Brickashaw Ferguson will have to be on his game to slow him down.

• Avoid Rashean Mathis’ side of the field. He is an excellent cover corner and can shut down whomever he faces. Although the Jags will probably play a lot of zone, he will still be matched up a lot on Braylon Edwards, which should open things up for Jerricho Cotchery.