JACKSONVILLE – Gus Bradley's focus usually is on the immediate task at hand.
Bradley, the Jaguars' head coach, said that shifted a bit Monday, with the team's first meeting after the bye week having a "State-of-the-Union" feel, focusing on the current situation and what lies ahead for the rest of the season.
Bradley called the meeting positive.
"It was very good," Bradley said as the Jaguars (0-8) began early preparations to play the Tennessee Titans (4-4) at LP Field in Nashville, Tenn., Sunday at 1 p.m.
Bradley said coaches reviewed with the offense, defense and special teams what was learned last week in the coaches' "self-scout," an extensive review of the first half of the season. The Jaguars call Monday "Tell the Truth Mondays," and Bradley said Monday's meeting had a similar theme.
"We had good feedback from the team," Bradley said.
Bradley said one focus was too many missed tackles on defense, which has led to too many "explosive" plays by the opposition.
"We talk about our preparation and trusting our preparation, and at times I'm not seeing that carry over to the game field," Bradley said. "That happens with young players. We've just got to keep drilling it and drilling it until it becomes part of them and who they are."
Bradley said he also discussed red-zone efficiency, with a continuing emphasis of trying to build on positives.
"The last four games offensively we're seeing better perfection both in the run game and the pass game," he said. "Those things are good and we want to keep building on those areas. We were also telling the truth as far as some of the things that have affected us and why defensively we've taken a little bit of a drop in our performance. There are many things."
Also around the Jaguars:
*Bradley said again that Denard Robinson is now the second-team running back. The Jaguars moved the rookie into the No. 2 running back role for the team's loss to the 49ers in London. "We bumped him up to number two and we're intrigued by him at the tailback spot," Bradley said. "I would say that we're going to still continue with that process." Robinson, the team's fifth-round selection in the 2013 NFL Draft, rushed four times for 15 yards against San Francisco and has rushed 11 times for 25 yards this season….
*The Jaguars signed first-year wide receiver Kerry Taylor off the Arizona practice squad Monday, also signing tight end Danny Noble off the Jaguars' practice squad. The team also waived tight end D.J. Williams and placed wide receiver Justin Blackmon on the reserve/suspended list, leaving Cecil Shorts III, Mike Brown, Ace Sanders, Stephen Burton, Stephen Williams and Taylor as the active wide receivers. With Blackmon out for the rest of the season, Bradley said Burton is a player with intriguing potential. The team acquired Burton off waivers from Minnesota shortly before the season, but he has been inactive the last five games, including four with a concussion. "This young man has some potential," Bradley said. "We're going to try to speed it up and get him to where we can trust him, the quarterbacks can trust him and his teammates trust him. He's done a better job. Maybe a situation like this will light a fuse for him where he sees this opportunity and now we'll capture it. We'll see."…
*The team did some early Tennessee-specific work in practice Monday, with each side of the ball working about 10 plays specific to the Titans. The Jaguars visit the Titans in Nashville Sunday. "Primarily, the focus was on competing against each other," Bradley said….
*Bradley said the primary focus in practice Monday was a return to fundamentals. "Over the course of time, we felt like we got away from that a little bit (late in the first half of the season)," Bradley said….
*Bradley also addressed pressure and health as it relates to the coaching profession in the wake of health scares over the weekend involving Texans Head Coach Gary Kubiak and Broncos Head Coach Jon Fox. "We all have those situations where they could arise," Bradley said. "Health is so important. We can't do any good for our team in a situation like that, so my heart goes to both of them. You think a lot about them. You just hope for the best. The last I heard they're both doing well but it's still a tough time." Kubiak collapsed on the sidelines at halftime of a loss to the Colts Sunday, and Fox will undergo a procedure on an aortic valve after experiencing dizziness while playing golf Saturday.
