JACKSONVILLE – Back to work. Whoo-hoo.

Let's get to it …

Bryan from Rip City

Yo, Grizz! How can a historically bad defense continue to get a pass on accountability and blame? They have given up more big plays than any team in history, given up more yards to Detroit than any in either franchise's history and "keeping it close" meant giving up drive after drive of 80-plus yards. There's one reason we're 2-9, and it's the defense. Maybe start there with scheme and players.

While I have many "awesome" traits, I confess that an area in which I routinely fall short is knowing exactly what "accountability" and "blame" mean when analyzing struggling NFL teams. "Accountability" to many fans and observers means firing – and only firing – coordinators, head coaches or general managers. Blame presumably means finding one person, one player or one unit solely responsible for all that ails a particular team in a particular season and presumably firing some specific person in that group. The reality is football is a game of interdependent factors, with ONE thing rarely being a sole reason for anything. That said, we have discussed the Jaguars' defense ad nauseam in this forum this season, and I have seen and heard many observers noting exactly your points – that the unit has failed to stop big plays, has generally been awful in third-and-long situations and was as bad as is possible in a 52-6 loss to the Detroit Lions in the final game before this past weekend's Week 12 bye. If firing defensive coordinator Ryan Nielsen is the only way to assign blame or accountability, then I suppose no one has "blamed" the Jaguars' defense. But there seems to be little misunderstanding that the unit has been one of the team's biggest issues in 2024.

Scott from Jax in DelaNoWhere

Do you think Jaguars Head Coach Doug Pederson's comments about pointing fingers is a bit contradicting after the release of defensive coordinator Mike Caldwell and Co. after the 2023 meltdown, O-man? Being on the outside looking in, Caldwell's defense looked elite compared to this year's. Now it seems apparent that the fingers were biasedly pointed at Caldwell. And after being released, he made the comment "The solutions are leaving and the problems are still staying." Evidently Caldwell wasn't wrong about that, was he?

I never saw that quote attributed to former Jaguars defensive coordinator Mike Caldwell, though I did see it attributed anonymously to someone on the Jaguars' staff that season. This came after the defensive staff was fired following the 2023 season. I don't know what finger was pointed where. Why I do know is it's common in the NFL these days to overemphasize coaching. Coaches do it. Fans do it. Observers do it. It's why coordinators get hired and fired far too quickly these days, and it's why offseason and in-season storylines around their importance often fail to matchup with what really happens on the field. I often have been told that San Francisco 49ers Head Coach Kyle Shanahan was an offensive genius. I noticed Sunday that he's suddenly really bad. We continue to think coordinators are more important than players. Ya gotta blame something, I suppose. It may as well be the coordinators. Because it's always coaching in the NFL.

Brian from Round Rock, TX

This team has very good talent at the premium positions. It's missing leadership, scheme and coaches that can develop nonpremium positions and young players. Seems like a coaching problem, no?

Of course. It's always coaching in the NFL.

Rob from the duuuuuuuuu

The offensive line definitely seems like the biggest problem on offense. The situation for next year is as dire as it can be. If we lose, we will have two – maybe three, starters returning (only two if center Mitch Morse retires) and only one serviceable backup in Cole Van Lanen. Seems like we need to draft at least two offensive linemen early and perhaps sign another in free agency. With the needs on the defensive line and safety/corner/receiver, it is going to be hard to address all of the team's needs this offseason. How do you see us being able to fix this offensive line before next season?

Start with starting Cooper Hodges and not signing a high-priced veteran to start in his place. There's way too much signing free agents and ignoring young players going on around the Jaguars. Trust your young players, trust your young players, trust your young players.

Bob from St Augustine, FL

Lot of discussion on Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence not being elite. How can he be elite unless he is surrounded by elite teammates.

It's more difficult, but not impossible. Lawrence is still developing.

Kathy from Palm Coast, FL

Dear O, I was watching my Gators Sunday and continue to be amazed at the turnaround in their season. Suddenly the guys seemed to get it. I wonder why the Jaguars haven't been able to do the same. I can think of several answers, but I am asking your opinion.

I haven't the faintest idea why the University of Florida football program does what it does. I don't compare college football to professional football. I understand my answers are a bit repetitive on this front. But the reason the Jaguars haven't turned it around this season is the same reason I have cited throughout the season. We can talk about coaching and details and all the other storylines. But the NFL is a players' league. Big-time players make big-time plays in key moments and are usually the reason their teams win. The Jaguars don't run well in big situations and they don't have players who routinely make plays above the Xs and Os. The combination of that means they have trouble making the big plays in the big moments and it's a big moments league.

Jay from So-Cal

The Jaguars suck and that is reality. All said.

OK.

P Funk from Murray Hill

Which players that are guaranteed to be on this roster next year are "special?"

Defensive end Travon Walker, Lawrence, rookie wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr., defensive end Josh Hines-Allen, cornerback Tyson Campbell and right tackle Anton Harrison have played at a special level and have traits/potential to be in this conversation.

Justin from Jacksonville

Why hasn't Jaguars General Manager Trent Baalke been fired yet?

Because Jaguars Owner Shad Khan doesn't think such a move is right at the current time.

Dan from Jacksonville

At times, when Trevor struggled in '22 and '23, we were told that he was only in Year X of a new offense and should be given some leeway and these things take time, etc. Assuming he has a new coaching staff next season, what's his grace period to "learn a new offense" before we can start to say he's just not that good? Three seasons of mediocrity? Four? I get that he's not going anywhere, and that he's better than the alternative (Mac Jones), but let's not forget going into next season that "better" for us was still 2-7 before he was injured. That's atrocious, bottom-tier QB stuff right there.

It is tempting because we live in an era in which analysts insist on making a team's win-loss record a quarterback stat to assume that a quarterback is solely responsible for a team's win-loss record. This is not always the case.

Ed from Jax by Lionel Playworld

How are other fans coping during this season? My wife and I just finished binging "The Good Place." It tickled me as a Jags fan. I even got to see a vintage Brunell jersey.

Good show. I binge watched it during Covid. It was better than I expected.

Chris from Sec 437

Please tell me Lawrence is coming back after the bye. This team is unwatchable with Mac Jones at quarterback.

I expect there's a decent chance Lawrence will play after the bye. I absolutely expect he will do everything he can to play and be willing to play through pain to do so. That's fine. But the thought here is Lawrence should only play if he is close enough to 100 percent to be able to play close to his best. I don't think he should play – and I don't think he will play – if he's fighting through injuries and clearly struggling to do so, as was the case late last season when he played through injuries in many of the final six games of the season. There's no point in that in this case with the postseason essentially out of reach.

Kevin from Richmond, VA

I have followed the Jags from Day 1 and when you watch winning organizations in business or sports, what make them a winner is their ability to sustain success. How is this done? Using honesty, impartial evaluation and reflection, you must have an organization that is willing to admit defeat or mistakes and then take corrective action. This organization hesitates when they should jump and jumps when they should take a moment. Do ever see them really turning this around?

Of course.