Wake-up call: How a boombox and a 40-point drubbing renewed Jacksonville’s swag

In the bowels of MetLife Stadium, as the Jaguars prepared to take on the New York Jets on Thursday Night Football, cameras caught Arden Key skipping through the hallways with a large speaker anchored on his shoulder.

Key was rapping the words of “Set it Off” by Lil Boosie as he vibrantly bounced through the tunnel and made his way toward the field.

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The clip went viral with San Francisco fans clamoring at Key — a former 49er — for stealing their trademark pregame tunnel routine. But in Jacksonville, it signaled a renewed confidence.

A confidence that was missing from the Jaguars for a part of the season. Key told John Shipley of Jaguar Report it’s something he’s done all year and brought it with him from his time in San Francisco.

Though the song selection has varied throughout the season, the Jaguars have been winning since they switched to "Set It Off," and it’s here to stay, according to Key.

“We ready, we coming,” Key said on what he thinks of when he hears the song. “It’s no turning back from what we’re doing. When we go on the field we’re going out for battle.”

The wake-up call that turned around the season

There’s been a different swagger to Jacksonville’s defensive unit lately. It’s flashed in moments like K’Lavon Chaisson hitting a dance in his hometown after picking up a sack or Tyson Campbell emulating riding a bucking bull after his scoop-and-score touchdown last week.

Or even Rayshawn Jenkins waving goodbye to Dallas as he returned a walk-off pick six to defeat the Cowboys a few weeks ago at TIAA Bank Field.

Jacksonville has only allowed an average of 15.5 points per game to their last four opponents while giving up only six points in their last two games.

And they're not shy in letting their opponents know how good they're playing right now.

So, what changed?

“I think it would’ve been Detroit,” Key said. “Detroit whooped our a-- and ever since then we probably vowed that would never happen again.”

Since allowing Detroit to score 40 points on them, the Jaguars' defense has been on a tear. They forced a game-changing fumble against Derrick Henry to rattle the Titans and take the first step in gaining the division lead.

Then they walked off the Cowboys with a pick-six. Then followed those performances up by stifling the Jets and Texans into six combined points.

And now, a shot at the playoffs after being 3-7 going into the bye-week.

“I think that was a wake-up call for us that if we want to get to where we need to be, we can’t do this crap no more,” outside linebacker Josh Allen said Thursday. “I think we all took an oath and [now] we are where we are.”

J-Villains on the rise

During a mic’d up recording posted this week Jenkins broke down a huddle with the name “J-Villains.” On Thursday in the locker room, he expounded on the origins of the name.

Jenkins said it was a collaborative effort as a name, but they see themselves as villains.

“We try to just think about ourselves and the journey that we’ve kind of been on,” he said. “We know each other and that's exactly how we think. It's us 11. It might be however many thousands of people in the in a stadium right now but it's truly us 11 right here and it's the only thing that matters and we got each other’s back out here.”

Defensive coordinator Mike Caldwell has taken notice of the uptick in energy and closeness from the defensive unit. For him, he sees a unit that’s been through a long season and are playing for each other.

“I think guys are just enjoying being around each other, and they’re growing closer together, and they’re playing for one another,” Caldwell said on Wednesday. “When you play for your brother next to you, excitement just picks up.”

There won’t be a lack of energy or excitement on Saturday as the Jaguars host the Titans for the AFC South crown and a playoff spot.

Juston Lewis is a sports reporter for the Florida Times-Union. You can follow him on Twitter at @JustonLewis_.

This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Arden Key, Lil Boosie help spark remarkable Jaguars resurgence