Dominate the Super Bowl

Chapter 402 401 League First

"I never would have imagined the Minnesota Vikings completely falling apart in the National Conference championship!"

"Wait, were the Minnesota Vikings just too weak, or were the Philadelphia Eagles too strong?"

"I just can't make heads or tails of this year's playoffs, really can't."

"Can someone explain, is it normal for the National Conference championship to end up like this?"

"The Minnesota Vikings got too cocky and played themselves out of the game, heh."

"Wow, the Philadelphia Eagles went crazy! The Philadelphia Eagles are the champions!"

Social media went berserk immediately, the unpredictability of competitive sports catching everyone off guard once again.

For a while, netizens didn't know whether they should call this National Conference championship game exciting; in this way, having the American League championship at night doesn't seem so bad, and who knows, it might even bring additional surprises?

Then—

"Hold on, the Jacksonville Jaguars won't collapse like the Minnesota Vikings, will they?"

Suddenly, a question popped up and swept across social media in no time.

After all, it's not impossible for the team ranked first in league defense to fall apart in front of an unknown like Foles, just as the star-less Jacksonville Jaguars could completely collapse in front of Smith and Li Wei.

This...there's no way the night game is also going to be a blowout, right?

But then.

Reed had a different opinion, the seasoned coach who had been around the league for many years maintained his composure, quietly controlling the mood in the team's locker room—

The Jacksonville Jaguars should not be underestimated.

If anyone does, the Pittsburgh Steelers are a testament to the consequences of such oversight.

Perhaps, some are curious how a team like the Jacksonville Jaguars, without stars on either offense or defense, became the top favorite to win the Super Bowl, which seems counterintuitive.

The answer, a very hardworking blue-collar team under the correct tactical guidance of their new coach Marrone, truly created an effect greater than the sum of its parts, demonstrating the team power of football, and that is the real danger.

In fact, the answer is right in front of us.

This season, the Jacksonville Jaguars' defensive line earned the nickname "Sacksonville", a moniker derived from "Jacksonville", with the first letter changed to "Sack".

In sixteen regular season games, this defensive line accomplished 55 sacks, just behind the Pittsburgh Steelers' 56, ranking second in the league, and they are one of only two teams whose sack count exceeded fifty.

Moreover, they defeated the Pittsburgh Steelers in the divisional round.

One can see their prowess.

The Jacksonville Jaguars employ a "4-3" defensive formation, with four defensive linemen and three linebackers.

Back in the day, at the height of the Seattle Seahawks' Bombing Corps, they often added linebackers or cornerbacks or even safeties to join in rushing the passer, using the element of surprise and a numerical advantage to create sacks, rewritting defensive tactics since the new century.

However, the Jacksonville Jaguars rarely employ such tactics; at most adding a linebacker, not relying on a numerical advantage but on player collaboration to achieve sacks. Detailed and rich tactics are the fresh elements Head Coach Marrone has brought to the team.

Defensive ends, Calais Campbell and Yannick Ngakoue.

Defensive tackles, Malik Jackson and Abry Jones, plus Marcell Dareus who joined from the Buffalo Bills mid-season to increase bench depth.

Among the names mentioned above, Jackson is the most well-known. He ascended with Peyton Manning and the Denver Broncos to become the Super Bowl Champions of the 50th Super Bowl as a key player.

Jackson has always been regarded as an outstanding defensive tackle, but his abilities have never been duly acknowledged, having never made it into the Pro Bowl or the All-America First or Second Teams.

It is widely known that the Denver Broncos relied on defense to win the 50th Super Bowl, with linebacker Von Miller being crowned the Super Bowl MVP. It is precisely for this reason that the Denver Broncos dared to push Manning into retirement. From this angle, it is evident Jackson is a grounded, blue-collar player.

Alas, without the accompanying glory, Jackson seems to have always been underestimated.

In the defensive line, only Campbell and Dareus have made it to the Pro Bowl, but not frequently—Campbell once, Dareus twice.

This season, the outstanding Campbell is the only player from the Jacksonville Jaguars likely to be selected for the Pro Bowl.

Unobtrusive, steady, reserved.

But, efficient.

It is this defensive line that completed 55 sacks over the season. Apart from Campbell who led the charge with 11.5 sacks, the other three, along with rotational player Dareus, divided the remaining equally, each with stellar performances and shining moments throughout the season, giving offensive lines and quarterbacks a tough time, even earning the name "Sacksonville".

And yet, this is just the tip of the iceberg of the Jacksonville Jaguars' defensive group.@@@@