J.T. Thomas Emerging At Opportune Time For Jacksonville Jaguars
By K.J. Momberg
@K_Momberg
Melina Vastola-USA TODAY Sports
Linebacker J.T. Thomas continues to step up when the Jacksonville Jaguars need him most.
With the Jaguars’ defense decimated by injuries, Thomas made his first career start at middle linebacker in last Sunday’s 27-13 loss to the Miami Dolphins. The fourth-year player finished with six tackles and intercepted a pass in the end zone.
Thomas could not have picked a better time to have the best performance of his young career. With Pro Bowl middle linebacker Paul Posluszny out for the season, there were some who wondered whether the Jaguars’ defense would be able to withstand such a devastating loss. If last Sunday’s game was any indication, the defense should be able to hold its own going forward.
The Jaguars’ defense held the Dolphins’ 12th-ranked offense to just 326 yards of total offense, most of which came in the fourth quarter with the game already well in hand. If it were not for two pick-sixes by rookie quarterback Blake Bortles, Thomas and the rest of the Jaguars’ injury-riddled defense played well enough to carry the team to a win.
A former sixth-round pick by the Chicago Bears in the 2011 NFL Draft, Thomas joined the Jaguars before the start of last season after being claimed off waivers. A special teams player for most of his career, Thomas has only recently taken on a larger role defensively. If last Sunday’s game was any proof, his role should only continue to expand in the weeks to come.
There is still a lot of football left to be played this season. For the Jaguars’ defense to continue to be successful, Thomas must prove that he can consistently play at a high level for the remainder of the season starting this week against the Cincinnati Bengals.
K.J. Momberg is a Jacksonville Jaguars writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter @k_momberg or add him to your network in Google.
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