JACKSONVILLE – Praise oozed from Doug Marrone with nearly every answer Wednesday.
Such was the respect the Jaguars' head coach showed for Sunday's opponent during his weekly meeting with the media Wednesday, with perhaps the highest level reserved for Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson.
"I really think he's having an MVP-type season," Marrone said as the Jaguars (8-4) prepared to play the Seahawks (8-4) at EverBank Field Sunday at 4:25 p.m.
Wilson, a sixth-year veteran, indeed has emerged in recent weeks as a Most Valuable Player Candidate. Marrone said it's easy to see why.
"Whether it's throwing the football, running the football, escapability, prolonging plays, making plays, durability … he just does it all," Marrone said. "I don't know if you can stop him. You hope to just contain him and limit some of the big plays he's been making."
Wilson through 12 games has completed 62.4 percent of his passes for 3,256 yards and 26 touchdowns with eight interceptions. He has thrown double-digit touchdowns in nine of the last 10 games, with nine touchdown passes and two interceptions in the last five games.
He has been sacked 28 times this season, but is one of the NFL's best at avoiding pressure and making plays on the run. He also leads the Seahawks with 432 yards rushing.
"I put the film on, and I hadn't studied him until this week," Marrone said. "I was like, 'Whoa. This guy is special.' … I understand now what everyone's always been saying about him."
Also on Wednesday:
*Marrone said while Sunday will be one the Jaguars' more anticipated, hyped games in recent memory, his message to the team this week focused on focusing on each day – "just like we've been doing; this is the first game of the fourth quarter; that's what it is." Marrone on the pre-game buildup: "I'll ask the team: 'What does that do? Is that going to help us win the game?' I try to present it that way. Whatever's on the outside, that's great. That's awesome. We don't want people not to talk about it. That's fine. That's great. They deserve that – all of that. We acknowledge that part of it, but we also have to acknowledge that we have to be focused on what we've been doing and get better at some things so that we can be able to perform on Sunday. All the other stuff that's going on around is pulling away from that. Let's keep our focus on what it has been on." …
*Marrone discussed the challenge of putting pressure on Wilson: "I've seen him escape every different way. If you don't have the gap handled in the front, I've seen him take off and make great plays. I've seen him sit back there as it's collapsing make a great throw. I've seen him as it [the pocket] is collapsing spin out right, spin out left." The Jaguars lead the NFL with 45 sacks through 12 games and have six games with three or more sacks this season. …
*Marrone said the Seahawks have shown no drop off defensively since season-ending injuries to Pro Bowl cornerback Richard Sherman and Pro Bowl safety Kam Chancellor. "They were hell of a defense when those guys were in," Marrone said. "Those guys are great players – not good players, great players. But they play with the same intensity and expect the same out of everybody else. They're playing at an extremely high level. This is one of those teams: 'Hey, OK, we don't have this guy? This guy's going to step up and we're all going to step up our game and we're going to go out and kick the crap out of this team.' That's what you see on film." The Seahawks are tied for seventh in the NFL in points allowed. …
*Jaguars cornerback Jalen Ramsey (ankle), wide receiver Marqise Lee (knee) and wide receiver Allen Hurns weren't expected to practice Wednesday. Ramsey and Lee both played against the Colts this past Sunday, while Hurns has been out the last three games. Linebacker Telvin Smith and offensive tackle Josh Wells remain in the concussion protocol, with both players expected to practice on a limited basis Wednesday. Running back Leonard Fournette (ankle), defensive end Calais Campbell (wrist), left guard Patrick Omameh (quadriceps), guard Chris Reed (knee), cornerback Aaron Colvin (elbow) and quarterback Blake Bortles (right wrist) were listed on the injury report and expected to practice. …
