JACKSONVILLE –The Jaguars travel to Arizona to face the Cardinals at University of Phoenix Stadium this Sunday at 4:25 pm ET. Here are five key stats on defensive end Yannick Ngakoue and how he impacts this Week 12 matchup:
- Nagkoue News: Last Sunday, defensive end Yannick Ngakoue posted 2.5 sacks against Browns quarterback DeShone Kizer, marking his fourth game this season with at least 2.0 sacks. Ngakoue leads the NFL in games with 2.0-plus sacks and his four multi-sack games in a single season are the most in Jaguars history. The Cardinals offensive line has allowed 28 sacks this season, 10th-most in the NFL, and should be afraid of Ngakoue and the Jaguars defense, who are averaging four sacks per game.
- Yanny's Big Day: Ngakoue recorded two forced fumbles against the Browns on Sunday, giving him five forced fumbles on the season the most in the NFL. In 26 career games, Ngakoue has posted nine forced fumbles, which is tied for the second-most in franchise history, and the most in the league since 2016. With how improved the defensive line has been against the run, Ngakoue should get several more opportunities to force fumbles on Cardinals quarterback Blaine Gabbert.
- Defense Domination: Through 10 games, the Jaguars are the only team to have four players with at least 5.0 sacks each this season, which includes Calais Campbell (11.5), Ngakoue (9.0), Dante Fowler (6.5) and Malik Jackson (5.0). Ngakoue and the Jaguars are the first team to accomplish this feat since the Buffalo Bills in 2013. The last time Jacksonville had four players with at least 5.0 sacks each in the team's first 10 games was 2001 (Kevin Hardy 5.5; Gary Walker 5.5; Seth Payne 5.0; Tony Brakens 5.0). If Ngakoue tallies another sack on Sunday to reach 10.0 sacks, he and Campbell will be the first duo to record at least 10.0 sacks each in the team's first 11 games since the Buffalo Bills in 2014 (Mario Williams 12.0; Marcell Dareus 10.0). The Jaguars have never had a pair of teammates each post 10.0 sacks through 11 games and there has only been one season where at least two players each totaled at least 10.0 sacks (1999; Brakens 12.0, Hardy 10.5, Walker 10.0).
- Signature Strip-Sack Move: In 26 games, Ngakoue has totaled 17.0 sacks, the most by a Jaguars player through 26 games in franchise history. Of his 17.0 sacks, Ngakoue has seven sack-fumbles, which is tied for the most in the NFL with Atlanta's Vic Beasley over the last two seasons. Of the Jaguars' five defensive touchdowns this season, Ngakoue has caused two of them with strip-sacks (Week 1 at Houston and Week 11 at Cleveland), which should advise the entire Cardinals offense to always be aware of where he is on the field.
- #Sacksonville: Including Ngakoue's 9.0 sacks, the Jaguars have totaled 40 sacks through 10 games, the most in the NFL this season. The Jaguars' 40 sacks are their second-most through the first 10 games of a season in franchise history. To post the most sacks through 11 games in Jaguars history, Ngakoue and his teammates will need at least five sacks against Gabbert this Sunday.
Every Friday during the 2017 NFL regular season, Jaguars public relations assistant Gaby Moran will bring five key stats about the Jaguars heading into the game on Sunday. You can follow her on Twitter @gabsmoran.