Dante Fowler Jr., on Jaguars’ sack-cess: ‘It’s really cool to see us out-will our opponents’

Defensive end Dante Fowler Jr., is an integral part of the Jacksonville Jaguars’ pass-rushing dominance.

The Jaguars lead the NFL with 33 sacks, five-and-a-half of which are by Fowler, on the way to going 4-3.

‘It’s just our approach and as a way that the coaches have coached us up all season’

They’re only the third team in league history to have two 10-sack games in a season. The others are 1967 Oakland Raiders and the 1984 Chicago Bears.

“It’s really cool to see us out-will our opponents and do good,” Fowler told Alex Marvez and Bill Polian on Late Hits. “I think it’s just our approach and as a way that the coaches have coached us up all season, and, of course, with the add of (end) Calais (Campbell from Arizona in free agency). And I think last year with (end Ngakoue) Yannick being a rookie, that being my first year, coming off my ACL, on the field.

‘Coach Marrone did a really good job in training camp of getting us in shape’

“We had our first year underneath our belt and this year we worked really hard, we’re in shape. Coach (Doug) Marrone did a really good job in training camp of getting us in shape and getting us physically and mentally ready for a 16-game season and it’s starting to pay off.”

It is quite a contrast from the way they looked during the preseason, when the assumption was the Jaguars were headed for another disastrous finish.

‘We figured out how good we can be and figured out how good that feeling is when you win’

“We had to just come together as a team, get our chemistry together,” Fowler said. “We had a few add-ons with Calais and (cornerback) AJ (Bouye) and (strong safety) Barry (Church), guys like that, and (running back) Leonard (Fournette). Just getting used to the NFL and things like that.

“But I feel like once we all came together as one, once we all learn how to play together as a team and execute and win as a team and get stuff done as a team, and we figured out how good we can be and figured out how good that feeling is when you win. We just want to keep that going.”