JACKSONVILLE – There's more to the Jaguars' defense than Jalen Ramsey.
A lot more.
Ramsey, the Jaguars' All-Pro cornerback, knows this – and the topic arose in his weekly media availability Thursday afternoon when he was asked if there was a player on the Jaguars' defense that perhaps didn't get enough credit.
"Everybody – besides myself," Ramsey said Thursday as the AFC South-leading Jaguars (2-0) prepared to play the Tennessee Titans (1-1) at TIAA Bank Field in Jacksonville Sunday at 1 p.m.
"I'm kind of talked about all the time. It's getting old a little bit. It is what it is. There are positives and negatives that come with it."
One of the positives is Ramsey, the No. 5 overall selection by the Jaguars in the 2016 NFL Draft, indeed gets a large amount of media attention. He also has been widely honored, earning first-team Associated Press All-Pro honors last season and being named No. 17 on the NFL Network's list of the league's Top 100 players for 2018.
Other defensive Jaguars players such as defensive end Calais Campbell (No. 14), cornerback A.J. Bouye (No. 35), linebacker Telvin Smith (No. 67) and defensive end Yannick Ngakoue (No. 88) were named to that group.
Still, Ramsey said there are Jaguars defenders who deserve more recognition.
"T-Gip (free safety Tashaun Gipson), (strong safety Barry) Church, Telvin, [middle linebacker Myles Jack], the whole defensive line," Ramsey said. "Yeah, they (the defensive linemen) are talked about sometimes – 'Sacksonville' – but they do their thing; it's not just sacks. We have two of the best linebackers in the game and of course me and A.J. … the best damned duo in the world …
"Everyone complements each other really well. We have a pretty stacked defense."
Ramsey on Thursday discussed a variety of topics including:
*The Jaguars' defense performing at a high level during an era in which many NFL rules seem to favor and promote offensive production. "It's tough," Ramsey said. "I feel like offenses are favored a little bit, but we get paid to go out there and play and I feel like that's what we're doing right now. In an offensive league, that just makes it all the more important that all 11 guys are on the same page. We're doing that right now. We've got to keep it up." …
*Sunday's game against the Titans. He was asked if the game indeed is one of the more physical games the Jaguars play each season. "Probably," he said. "They're a very physical team, but we are, too. They had our number last year for sure, but we're going to put it in the past. We're not going to continue to talk about that. That's not something we're using as motivation. We're pretty self-motivated. We motivate each other internally." …
*Quarterback Blake Bortles' physicality. Bortles rushed six times for 35 yards in a 31-20 victory over the New England Patriots Sunday, including a four-yard fourth-quarter on which he attempted to run over cornerback Stephon Gilmore. "I love that," Ramsey said. "I mean, he has to be smart but if he's feeling it now … go on and do your thing. We're going to be behind you 100 percent." …
*Whether a better game would be not being thrown at or being thrown at and allowing a few completions while also getting an interception. " Ya'll hear this?" he said, looking at the other media. He then asked the questioner, "Did we win?" Ramsey was told that both scenarios would end in Jaguars victories. "Well, if both of them are wins then of course I want to make a play," he said, laughing. "If we win, of course I want to make a play, but if before the season started God spoke to me and said, 'Jalen, you won't make one pick this year but ya'll are going to win every game …' I'm going to make that deal with God." He paused, "But if God is telling me we're going to win and I'm going to make plays? Let me get that deal."
