JACKSONVILLE – Let's get to it …
Josh from Avondale
Why hasn't anybody been fired? Is it possible that Jaguars offensive coordinator Press Taylor is doing some sort of Jedi mind trick to stay employed? Should we get Watto as our next head coach (maybe GM)? We all know mind tricks don't work on Toydarians ... but a GM with a gambling problem is gonna be tough. I don't know what to do.
The Jaguars have started the 2024 regular season 0-3. It is by any definition a disappointing start, just as a 47-10 loss to the Buffalo Bills this past week on Monday Night Football was by any definition a brutal and unacceptable loss. The Jaguars will play the Houston Texans at NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas, Sunday and it's hard to consider that anything but a must-win game. No one has been fired because the answer in the NFL isn't always "fire everybody." This is what many want to be the answer, but it's not always the answer.
Jeff from Orange, CA
What kind of changes do you think could be in store for the Jaguars over the next couple of weeks; referring to Pederson's "everything is on the table" comment.
Head Coach Doug Pederson indeed said after the loss to the Bills that "everything is on the table" in terms of potential changes. Remember: Putting everything on the table doesn't always mean standing up and wiping the table clean in some dramatic gesture. I would expect subtle changes more than dramatic ones to start. If the Jaguars' struggles continue, I would expect more tangible changes – perhaps beginning with a move or two along the offensive line. That's a guess. It is only a guess.
Ryan from Jacksonville
I have been a life-long Jaguars fan. I have been a diehard fan ever since a friend a school told me their games were on TV. (My parents didn't let me know because they thought I would ask too many questions about Cialis.) Outside of 2017 and 2022, I have had very little to celebrate. I wish I could choose another team. No matter how hard I try, I just have an emotional connection to the Jags that I cannot manufacture.
You are a fan. It's not always easy.
Joel from Jacksonville
The assumption has been that Trevor Lawrence will be improving into an upper-tier quarterback, based mostly on his college history and the flashes he has shown in the NFL (some sustained success). What if that assumption is wrong and we are seeing the ceiling now? I understand that there are a great many factors involved, but that thought is concerning. Please convince me I am wrong.
You may be right. You also may be wrong. NFL quarterbacks develop at their own pace, and that development often features times of success and times of struggles. My thought on this is the college game has skewed so far from professional football that we're going to see a trend of many young quarterbacks taking longer to develop in the NFL than previously has been the case. I wonder if we're not seeing this with quarterbacks such as Sam Darnold, Baker Mayfield and the like. Just a theory. I may be right. I also may be wrong.
Brad from The Avenues
!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?
Fair.
Benjamin from Jacksonville, FL BWO Upstate, SC
I know you don't actively follow other teams, but I'm curious to know your thoughts on the seeming resurrection of Sam Darnold's career and – if his performance continues – could it impact quarterback development philosophies around the league.
I think the resurrection of Darnold's career could be a very good example of what I was referencing in the previous answer.
Sal from Austin, TX
I think you might have misread the thrust of Kei from Japan's letter. By smoke, I think he just means a meaningful conversation, and you didn't (which is your prerogative, of course) acknowledge his point that Shad Khan's ownership is the constant variable through this chronic losing the Jaguars are experiencing. Thank you for allowing us to vent, but when it comes to the owner, (we know he cuts your checks, by the way), he sets the tone for the entire organization, and the good old, "He spends a lot of money, hires football guys, and didn't move us all to Britain" is starting to wear thin. The coach, like you've said, sets the tone for the players. The owner, because he's the owner, sets the tone for the entire franchise – which he was awarded, by the way. Are owners who think they can directly affect the outcomes of games delusional? Of course they are, but establishing a culture of winning has to come directly from him, and not just be "The guy who pays everybody and hires football guys." Any billionaire can do that.
I understood the thrust of the email. In addition to being good at many things, I am incredibly good at knowing a thrust when I see it. As for NFL owners … they pay everybody and hire football guys. This is their role. It's what owners do. They are indeed responsible for hiring the right people. The ones that do, win and get credit for this. The ones that don't, lose – and get blame – whether they really knew if they were making the right hire or not.
Alex from Michigan, formerly Florida
Really embarrassing. Where do the Jags go from here? Trevor looks lost and during the game it showed two embarrassing statistics — Trevor has the most turnovers for a QB over the past 4 years or something and the Jags has the most drops in a similar time span. Where do we go from here?
To practice. And then to Houston to play the first-place Texans.
Marcus from Jacksonville
When you lose confidence? That's when you have problems? Seems like they already have problems, and apparently their confidence hasn't helped much through three games. Maybe it's time to look at more tangible things, like how to throw and catch a football, how to block, how to tackle…or maybe not, maybe they just need to believe in themselves and have confidence and go out there and have fun. Hopefully one day they'll all make varsity!
My point on this topic is that when players lose confidence and faith in the direction of the team and or the head coach it's very difficult – if not impossible – to make that right. That's perhaps the head coach's most important role. Does that sound juvenile? Maybe. It doesn't mean it's not true.
Eric from Columbus, IN
Since when did excellent career defensive tackle Arik Armstead decide to and get approved to experiment as a new defensive end? And why?
Since he signed with the Jaguars earlier this offseason. Because that's what the Jaguars thought would be best for the defense.
Paul from Gloucester, UK
Why don't you give Louis Ree Zammit a game? I'm sure he would help your offence, because he couldn't do any worse. I saw him play at Gloucester rfc and he was fabulous.
Okey doke.
Eric from Jax Beach
Everyone seems to be scratching their head on how to fix this season. I can only see one path that will lead us back to the top. Doug, Trent and the team all stand aside and Gene Frenette takes over as coach, GM and plays all positions. 14-0 the rest of the season, here we come!
On some level – deep, deep down in his core – longtime Florida Times-Union sports columnist, Northeast Florida cultural icon and noted philanthropist Eugene P. "Gene" Frenette would tell you that you make a good point.
Jason from North Pole, AK
I heard a theory floated that Shad Khan struggles as an owner because he isn't around the team that often and Jacksonville isn't his home. He relies on Trent Baalke for a lot of information and there is no oversight like a President of Football Operations that can evaluate the GM. I don't want an owner that meddles in football operations all the time, but I am having difficulty understanding why an intelligent person such as Khan is so bad at hiring the right people. Do you expect some kind of VP position to added eventually? Is there any merit to those thoughts?
Theories are floated all the time and an NFL team's football operations can be structured many ways. There is nothing inherently wrong with the structure you cite just as there is nothing inherently wrong with the Jaguars' structure. A general manager can oversee and speak to the owner directly. A different level – a VP position, in your scenario – can oversee and speak to the owner directly. If that different level isn't performing to par, do you hire another level to oversee that person and speak directly to the owner? At some point an owner trusts he has hired the right person and that person must lead the operations – no matter the level or title.
Nick from Annapolis, MD
This is going to be an awesome story when the Jags finish 13-4.
Nick, like Don in times of yore, remains "all in."
