Tag: CALAIS CAMPBELL
Campbell on Ngakoue: ‘You can’t let that guy leave, guys like that don’t grow on trees’
For Jacksonville Jaguars DE Yannick Ngakoue, Sunday could have been the last time we see him in a Jaguars’ uniform. Ngakoue will be an unrestricted free agent at season’s end.
During training camp, Ngakoue held out for 11 days with the hopes of trying to get a new deal, but both sides could not work out a contract.
In four seasons, the 24-year-old Ngakoue has 37.5 sacks, including 8.0 sacks in 2019. If it were up to Jaguars DE Calais Campbell, there is no way Ngakoue leaves Jacksonville.
“You can’t let that guy leave, guys like that don’t grow on trees,” Campbell said after the Jaguars’ 38-20 victory over the Colts. “He plays with so much passion, and he’s just scratching the surface. He plays with so much tenacity, and he can change the game. I mean, when he stripped the ball away and caused the fumble, it gave me the opportunity to pick up the ball and score a touchdown for the team.
“I know it’s going to cost a lot to keep him, but I would not let him go.”
Ngakoue added, “I have been here for four years, and I’ve learned a lot. Business is business, and I’m not sure what the future holds.”
Campbell is right. In a league where teams throw the ball a lot, you are going to need a guy that can get after the quarterback, especially a talented guy like Ngakoue. Also, with the way rookie DE Josh Allen(10.5 sacks) played in 2019, Ngakoue and Allen could anchor Jacksonville’s defensive line for years to come.
There will be new management and probably a new coach in Jacksonville next season, so maybe things could be smoothed over, and Ngakoue and the Jaguars can come together on a new deal. If they can’t come together on a deal, maybe Jacksonville would slap the franchise tag on Ngakoue. With his talent and age, it probably would not be wise for Jacksonville to let Ngakoue walk.
Jags’ Foles on loss to Colts: ‘We got our butts beat pretty good’
The Jaguars finally got QB Nick Foles back on Sunday, but unfortunately for them, it did not make much of a difference as Jacksonville was dominated by the Colts 33-13 at Lucas Oil Stadium.
Jacksonville’s defense had a hard time stopping the Colts and was dominated at the line of scrimmage. The Jaguars’ defense allowed 264 yards rushing, including a 116 yards from the Colts’ Jonathan Williams, and 109 yards and a touchdown from Marlon Mack.
“We didn’t tackle well,” Jaguars DE Calais Campbell said. “We just weren’t assignment-sound enough. We’ve got to wear it. We played ugly. This is what we have done every game. But you know, we will go back and watch the tape and figure out what we can do better.”
Foles had his moments in this game, including a 34-yard touchdown pass to D.J. Chark to put the Jaguars up 7-0 in the first quarter, but the offense was not able to put up any more points until a meaningless touchdown late in the game. However, Foles, who finished the game, completing 33 of 47 passes for 296 yards, 2 TDs, and 1 INT, still believes in himself and his teammates.
We got our butts beat pretty good,” Foles said. “That’s a good team; we’re a good team. We’re not where we want to be, but we will get to where we want to be if we keep believing in each other.”
Jacksonville is now 4-6, and at this point, they are two games out of first place in the AFC South, but according to Foles, the team can’t panic.
“I think the big thing is don’t press,” Foles said. “I think it’s easy to press in this situation and think the sky is falling and the world is over. It’s not. We’re blessed to play a game. The big thing for the guys right now is go home. You have a family at home. You have a wife, go love her and go be with her. If you have kids, go be with your kids. That’s part of life. And like I said, leadership will come from everybody because it will be looking at the film being critical of yourself (and) then going out there and improving. There will be some guys who will probably be more vocal than others.
“I think the big thing is we can’t press. We are 4-6. That is the situation. But, we can’t win six games at once. We’re going to have our opportunity to look at this game, improve on this game next week, and then we’re going to prepare for the next game. It’s as simple as that.”
The Jaguars got beat up the past two games against division foes, and have another division game coming up next week against the Titans. This was the most significant stretch of their season, and to lose the way they did against the Texans and Colts is very disappointing. It’s not over for Jacksonville, but it’s getting very close.
Campbell named AFC Defensive Player of the Week
Jaguars 12th-year DL Calais Campbell has been named AFC Defensive Player of the Week for his performance in Jacksonville’s Week 3 victory over the Titans
In the team’s Thursday Night Football victory over AFC South-rival Tennessee, Campbell made seven solo tackles, including 3.0 sacks, and an additional tackle for loss. This marked the Aurora, Colo. native’s second career game for the Jaguars with at least 3.0 sacks, as he also owns the franchise record after registering 4.0 sacks against the Texans in Week 1 of the 2017 season. Campbell is now the only player in franchise history to post at least 3.0 sacks on multiple occasions and his six multi-sack games are tied for fifth in the NFL since he signed with Jacksonville in 2017.
Since joining the Jaguars prior to the 2017 season, Campbell’s 28.0 sacks rank third in the NFL during that span. His 173 games played and 155 games started are both the most among active defensive linemen in the NFL. In Week 3, Campbell also became the only player 33 years or older to tally at least 3.0 sacks in a game over the last three seasons (2017-19). Since turning 30, Campbell has totaled 153 tackles & 28.0 sacks in 35 games.
In 2019, Campbell and his CRC Foundation is committed to the Season of Giving, a charitable campaign with funds directed to four deserving charities based on several performance-based metrics. Following last week’s game, Campbell pledged $18,000 for his 3.0 sacks, a tackle for loss and a team victory to Feeding Northeast Florida, a community food bank in Jacksonville.
Overall, this marks Campbell’s fourth time earning Player of the Week honors: AFC Defensive Player of the Week in Week 3 of the 2019 season, AFC Defensive Player of the Week in Week 1 of the 2017 season, NFC Defensive Player of the Week in Week 2 of the 2012 season and NFC Special Teams Player of the Week in Week 2 of the 2009 season.
Campbell is the first Jaguars player to earn AFC Player of the Week honors since WR-PR Jaydon Mickens earned AFC Special Teams Player of the Week honors in Week 14 of the 2017 season, and he’s the first Jaguars defender to earn a weekly award since CB A.J. Bouye was named AFC Defensive Player of the Week in Week 10 of the 2017 season.
Campbell on Jags: ‘This 2019 team could be very special’
There is a new day and a new feeling in Duval County with the Jacksonville Jaguars. They have a new quarterback, who happens to be a Super Bowl-winning QB in Nick Foles; running back Leonard Fournette is healthy and hopes to rebound from a disappointing 2018. Also, there is still a lot of talent on defense, which will be led by Jalen Ramsey, Myles Jack, and Calais Campbell. Plus, rookie DE/LB Josh Allen has played well in the preseason.
Campbell, who was apart of the 2017 Jaguars that went to the AFC title game, believes this version of the Jaguars could have something special.
“Well, it’s a new year, a new opportunity, but this 2019 could be very special,” Campbell said after the Jaguars’ loss to the Dolphins on Thursday night. “It’s just one game in the preseason. It’s a clean slate, but I do believe that if we play up to our level, if we could play like the level we are capable of playing, we’ll be a very tough team to beat.
“This team could be very, very special. This defense could be very special. I like going three-and-out. That’s kind of like what I want. That should be the standard.”
Last night, Foles made his Jaguars and preseason debut against the Dolphins. Foles finished the game 6-10 for 48 yards and one touchdown and an interception. As a whole, Foles was happy to be out there with his teammates.
“Obviously there’s some good, there’s some bad. I think the big thing it was just good being out there,” Foles said. “It’s always good just stepping in the huddle, playing in games. It was my first time wearing the Jaguars uniform in a game. That is emotional in itself. So it was a good first step forward. We were able to move the ball a little bit, score a touchdown. Obviously, we wanted to score more points. And there’s things that we’ll learn from. But all in all, it was just great being out there with the guys today.”
The Jaguars’ defense should be very good in 2019 and was a top-five defense in 2018. I don’t think there are many questions about that side of the ball. The question will be if whether Foles is truly the guy for this team at the QB position, and anytime you give a player a four-year, $88 million contract, you want some serious results, and the pressure is on Jacksonville to make serious noise in 2019, but if Campbell is right, Jacksonville could be one of the teams to beat this season.
Jags’ Allen: ‘I have two All-Pros with me’
Being a rookie in the NFL is never easy. However, if you are rookie that is surrounded by Pro Bowl talent, well, maybe it’s not so bad, which is the case for Jaguars rookie DE/LB Josh Allen. The 22-year-old, who was the seventh overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft, is fortunate enough to have a lot of great players to learn from in Jacksonville.
He has four-time Pro Bowler Calais Campbell.
“I mean, ‘it’s Calais Campbell. You all have seen his work, ‘you’ve seen what ‘he’s been doing for the last 10-plus years,” Allen said on Thursday. “So, having a guy like that, that wants to teach me, that needs me, ‘I’m going to listen to anything he tells me to do. And what ‘he’s telling me to do, I can do it, so when I do it, ‘he’s making a play and ‘I’m making a play, ‘we’re going to be an unstoppable duo.”
Allen also has the pleasure of playing with two-time Pro Bowler DT Marcell Dareus and DE Yannick Ngakoue, so essentially, Allen has a lot of resources.
“I have two All-Pros with me [Marcell Dareus and Calais Campbell]. I have Abry Jones, and I have Calais with me,” Allen said. “They are teaching me so much about the game. I know when [Yannick] comes back, my game is going to get so much better. Right now, we are just focused on winning, and I know when he comes back, we are going to have a good tandem going on.”
Allen, who was a 2018 All-American last season, and also the 2018 SEC Defensive Player of the Year, knew how to get after the quarterback at Kentucky; Allen had 17 sacks last season, which were the most by an SEC player in a single season since the NCAA started official sack records in 2000, and he finished his four-year career at Kentucky with 31.5 sacks.
Allen is going to have growing pains, but with the talent he has around him, the transition may not be all that bad.
Jaguars’ Calais Campbell named to Pro Bowl
Jacksonville Jaguars 11th-year DL Calais Campbell has been named to the AFC Pro Bowl roster, the NFL announced today. Campbell is replacing Houston Texans DE J.J. Watt, who is unable to participate due to injury.
This marks Campbell’s fourth career Pro Bowl selection (2014, 2015, 2017, 2018). He’ll join CB Jalen Ramsey as the two Jaguars players selected to this year’s Pro Bowl, both of whom are making their second consecutive Pro Bowl appearance. Campbell finished the 2018 season with 72 tackles (53 solo), including 20 tackles for loss and 10.5 sacks. He also added 22 QB hits, two passes defensed, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery. Campbell’s 20 tackles for loss were tied for the third-most in the NFL, and according to Pro Football Focus, his 43 run stops were the most ever by an edge defender in a single season. For his career, he has totaled 631 tackles (474 solo), 141 tackles for loss, 81.5 sacks, 47 passes defensed, 12 forced fumbles and 10 fumble recoveries.
“I am grateful for the opportunity to represent my family, the Jaguars organization, my teammates, my coaches and all of our incredible fans at this year’s Pro Bowl,” said Campbell. “Although this season didn’t go as any of us had planned, the Pro Bowl provides one final opportunity to throw on the pads and lace up the cleats before turning the page to a new chapter. I’m grateful to be returning to Jacksonville for the 2019 season and I know that we have the people and the mentality to get this turned around and bring playoff football back to Duval County.”
This season, Campbell was also recognized by his peers around the league as the Bart Starr Award winner for his outstanding character and leadership in the home, on the field and in the community. Campbell is the first player in Jaguars history to win the Bart Starr Award. In addition to his stellar play on the field, Campbell is very active in the community, running the CRC Foundation named after his late father, Charles Richard Campbell. The foundation strives to educate youth on critical life skills through sports, vocational platforms, financial training and health and nutritional awareness, among other programs. The award was first presented in 1989 and the list of recent award winners includes Peyton Manning, Drew Brees, Thomas Davis and Jason Witten. He will receive the award on Feb. 2 in Atlanta at the 32nd annual Super Bowl Breakfast.
In his first season with the club in 2017, Campbell broke the team’s single-season franchise record with a career-high and AFC-leading 14.5 sacks, en route to first-team All-Pro honors from the Associated Press. After posting 10.5 sacks during the 2018 campaign, he became the first player in franchise history to post double-digit sacks in consecutive seasons. Campbell is one of eight players to post at least 10.0 sacks in each of the last two seasons.
Campbell, 6-8, 300, originally joined the Jaguars after he was signed as an unrestricted free agent on March 10, 2017, following a nine-year career with the Arizona Cardinals. Campbell joins Tony Brackens (1999) and Yannick Ngakoue (2017) as the only defensive ends to be named to the Pro Bowl in franchise history.
Jags DE Calais Campbell: ‘I still believe in Blake(Bortles)’
Jaguars QB Blake Bortles has been struggling the past few weeks, and today Jacksonville head coach Doug Marrone had to do something about it. With the Jaguars trailing 20-0 in the third quarter, and with Bortles(9-12, 61 yards) struggling, Marrone decided to go with backup QB Cody Kessler.
“I just literally did it to try to get a d*** spark from this football team,” Marrone said after the game. Kessler(21/30, 156 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT) did lead Jacksonville on one scoring drive, but it was not enough as the Jaguars were beaten soundly by the Texans 20-7 at TIAA Bank Field in Jacksonville on Sunday.
The Jaguars(3-4) have lost three in a row after starting the season at 3-1, and according to Marrone, Bortles was not very happy about the move.
“He was pissed, I mean he was pissed. You know? That’s good,” Marrone said after the game. “He should be pissed. He’s pissed at me, and he should be. I have no problems with that. If it was any other way, that would be a problem.”
When asked if Bortles was still the starter, Marrone had this to say.
“It’s open,” Marrone said. “Who’s the starter at right tackle? Who’s the starter at center? Who’s the starter at receiver? Who’s the starter? Everything is open. We’ve lost three straight games, and we can’t stop shooting ourselves in the foot for lack of a better expression. “
While some fans and media may not believe Bortles is the guy to take this team forward, Jaguars DE Calais Campbell still has faith in him.
“I still believe in Blake. I understand Coach’s decision, and I respect it,” Campbell said after the game. “At the same time, I believe in Blake. He’s just got to take care of the ball. It’s as simple as that. Cody came in and played a great ball game. I wish we could have won the game and it would have been incredible. But he did bring a little spark. I have seen that in practice, and I was confident in him.”
It does not get any easier for the Jaguars as travel to London to battle the world champion Philadelphia Eagles, who lost a tough one to Carolina on Sunday.
Fortunately for Jacksonville, the division is still within reach, but Bortles/Kessler and the defense have to play much better if they want to get back to the playoffs this season.