Jags' primary issue on D? Del Rio sees 'eye violations'

Posted by ESPN.com's Paul Kuharsky What's wrong with the Jaguars defense?

That's been a popular question this season. We've talked about how Drayton Florence came up well short of expectations, how they've missed Marcus Stroud, how some key linemen are too old and others too young and how the linebackers have been too easily blocked.

But Jack Del Rio offered a good assessment in a conversation with Jacksonville reporters that hit on another broader and more vital issue: Discipline.

Here's what he said:

I think the last four or five weeks we've settled in and played a little better defensively than we did to start the season. I still believe that eye violations are really the primary culprit, some of the shortcomings that we've had defensively. We absolutely must have guys with disciplined eyes on what they're supposed to see, everybody going together and reacting based on their assignment. And then it just becomes down to a matter of ability, and I think when we have done that and played with good eyes and have an understanding of where we belong I think we've been pretty good. And when we haven't we've broken down and allowed some easy plays and that's the primary focus for us defensively, to get that fixed. You just can't play great defensive without it.

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