Jaguars' Defensive Star Gives Secret to Stopping Dolphins

The Jacksonville Jaguars have a tough Week 1 contest against the Miami Dolphins to begin the 2024 season. Stopping the offense is stopping the Dolphins, so what's the secret? Edge rusher Josh Hines-Allen has the answer.

Jacksonville Jaguars defensive end Josh Hines-Allen (41) speaks while being interviewed after a combined NFL football training camp session between the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Jacksonville Jaguars Wednesday, Aug. 14, 2024 at EverBank Stadium’s Miller Electric Center in Jacksonville, Fla. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union] / Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK

In less than a week, the Jacksonville Jaguars will kick off the 2024 season in Miami against the Dolphins. The Dolphins are a tale of two teams -- home and away. At home, they are dominant. On the road, they are vulnerable. The Jaguars will likely see the former.

The Dolphins have wide receiver Tyreek Hill, arguably the league's best player. Hill's eye-opening speed and route-running ability is such a force that it changes the entire defense. Many teams play two safeties deep out of fear that they will be Hill's next burn victim.

It opens up the entire offense for quarterback Tua Tagovailoa and what is one of the best running games in the league, led by Raheem Mostert and De'Von Achane.

Stopping Tagovailoa and is the foremost task on Jaguars' edge rusher Josh Hines-Allen's mind. Hines-Allen, who had 17.5 sacks last season en route to a Pro Bowl selection, told reporters that stopping the Dolphins and Tagovailoa is all about "taking advantage of your opportunities."

"We know what type of game it's going to be, but we can stop what they do best," Hines-Allen said. "We can make it that type of game to where he has to hold the ball. So, for us, it's just winning first and second down and look for our opportunities to come on third down. Stop the run. Really dynamic offense, a lot of playmakers get the ball out quick to these guys and let them make plays, but we can stop and tackle, keep executing what we need to do. It can be a game to where we can have our opportunities to go rush him."

To make Tagovailoa hold the ball, the Jaguars' secondary will have to have a superior performance against the most formidable wide receiving corps in the NFL. Hill and Waddle are incredibly difficult to stop.

Getting coverage sacks and coverage pressures will require a huge effort from what might be the Jaguars' weakest unit. Stopping a fast, versatile run game to get to third down might be an easier task, given the Jaguars' strength at the first and second levels.

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