5 NFL Stats to Know Through Week 5
The Jaguars -0.24 Adjusted Defensive Passing NEP per Play Leads the league
Coming into Week 5, the Jacksonville Jaguars led the NFL with -0.21 Adjusted Defensive Passing NEP per play. Conversely, they ranked 21st in Adjusted Rushing NEP per play (0.02). So it would have made sense for the Steelers in Week 5 to lean on Le'Veon Bell, who has averaged over 100 rushing yards per game last season. Instead, they chose to let Ben Roethlisberger attempt 55 passes, which led to 5 interceptions and the Steelers managing just 9 points.
Following that dominant performance, the Jaguars are at or near the top of the league leaderboard in most major pass defense categories on a per game basis:
| Category | Value | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| Pass Yards Allowed | 177.8 | 3rd |
| Pass TD Allowed | 0.6 | 2nd |
| Interceptions | 2.0 | t-1st |
| Sacks | 4.0 | 1st |
They are dominating the league with -0.24 Adjusted Defensive Passing NEP per play -- no other team is averaging better than -0.11. Despite their 20th-ranked Adjusted Rushing Defensive NEP per play (0.02), their stalwart pass defense has them ranked 3rd in the league with -0.10 Adjusted Defensive NEP per play.
Led by Jalen Ramsey -- Pro Football Focus' third-highest graded cornerback this season -- and Calais Campbell (6 sacks), the Jaguars' pass defense has improved significantly since ranking 27th in the league just two seasons ago.
They have a big opportunity to further prove themselves in Week 6 against the Los Angeles Rams, who rank 2nd in the NFL with 0.27 Adjusted Passing NEP per drop back.
