JACKSONVILLE – Let's get to it …

Riley from Palm Harbor, FL via Duval

John, in a response to a question on Shad's decision to retain Baalke being the wrong one, you said: "We live in an age where people make judgements in real time, which is often the wrong time." I disagree with your assertion that a judgement was being made in real time. That judgement is being made having been informed by 13 seasons of Shad's ownership. In those 13 seasons, the Jaguars have compiled the worst record in the NFL, a full 9.5 games worse than the second-worst team, the Cleveland Browns. Why does Shad's decision deserve the benefit of time before judging it when consensus from the broader NFL landscape coupled with his atrocious record as owner tells us it's most likely the wrong one?

People can judge how they see fit. And people obviously can feel about Jaguars Owner Shad Khan's decision to retain General Manager Trent Baalke how they see it – and the Jaguars' record over the last decade and a half means people will doubt whatever decisions get made until proven otherwise. When I wrote that people shouldn't rush to judgement on Khan's decision-making during the Jaguars' ongoing head-coaching search, I meant that it's too early to judge THIS process because THIS process isn't remotely finished. It barely has started. The Jaguars have requested interviews with 10 candidates. Included in that list are some of the most coveted candidates of this cycle. Those candidates will begin interviewing this weekend. None of the candidates requested to my knowledge have left the process for whatever reason they might choose to do so. When the process is finished – when it's all finished – we'll see the results. Until then, it's not done. Not remotely.

Scott from Aruba

It's official. The win over the Tennessee Titans is the difference between the No .1 and No. 5 overall selection in the 2025 NFL Draft. My upset is that we lost in overtime to the Indianapolis Colts. Winning is cool. We get a first-round pick either way.

The Jaguars will select No. 5 overall in the 2025 NFL Draft. Had they lost more during the entire season, they would have selected earlier. Had they won more, they would have selected later. Were there specific games that would have made a huge difference? Sure. But NFL teams aren't going to try to lose to improve draft position. Never have, never will.

Travis from Ormond Beach, FL

Look on the bright side John: I don't see any late Sundays or Monday Nights for the O-Zone next season.

It's the little things.

Bruce from St. Simons Island, FL

O, Reading the many posts lately I believe there is an overriding issue developing. That issue is apathy. I am an avid fan, but I didn't even watch the last several Jaguar games. Retaining the GM does not appear to be helpful in this regard. Your thoughts?

Of course there's some apathy. The Jaguars were 4-13 this past season after entering the season with high expectations. They have lost too much in the last decade and a half. They retained Baalke. All those factors are going to create some apathy. There likely will be a level of apathy throughout the offseason. This is the reality of the situation. When can apathy end? When the Jaguars win. It can end in that sense in mid-September. Win. That's how you make apathy go away. Period.

Adam from Saint Johns, FL

"One fer perspective – and one fer Baalke." I've noticed that the only time perspective is in the reply, it's when agrees with the team. When someone writes with perspective but disagrees with the team, it gets an OK. I find that funny. You're letting them have their say, but definitely not agreeing with them. Are you worried that Trent will get you fired, too?

Not in the least.

JK from NY & Fernandina Beach, FL

John - After the firing of Head Coach Doug Pederson, tight end Evan Engram gave an honest assessment of the team's performance this year, correctly noting that the players did not make the plays that were needed to seize the pivotal moments that could have won the many close games. Engram stood tall as a team leader and accepted the player's responsibility for the lost season that culminated in the dismissal of the head coach. Has quarterback Trevor Lawrence or defensive end Josh Hines-Allen given interviews since Mr. Khan made his postseason decisions?

Lawrence spoke to the media Thursday. Here's what he said: "We need to get some juice back in this place. It seems like we've lost that in the past year and a half or so for whatever reason, and we've got to get that back. I think that's something that us as leaders on the team really have to look at and we've got to take our part too. This isn't just, 'We fired Coach Pederson, so now that's all on him.' It's on us as players, too. We have to get that energy back, we have to take our part of it too because we're the ones out there on the field playing. I think that that's something where we can't just think just because some changes are made, staff and everything around us, that it's all going to fix. We have to be the ones to really change our trajectory, to be honest."

Rosa from Barranquilla, Colombia

JO- Was it a mistake to send Roy Robertson-Harris out of Jax?

Not particularly.

Rob from St Augustine, FL

How are division winners determined? Specifically, how LA won over Seattle. Same division record, split their two matchups, Seattle had more points scored, and better point differential. Strength of schedule, possibly?

The Los Angeles Rams won the NFC West because they had a better "strength of victory" than the Seattle Seahawks. That's the fifth tiebreaker, with the teams finishing with identical records in the first four tiebreakers – head-to-head (1-1), division (4-2), common opponents (7-5) and conference (6-6).

Bill from Hammock, FL

Zone, sorry Pederson got fired. If nothing else, he seemed like a really nice guy. Do you think the nice guy goy in the way of making the right decisions? It seemed the coordinators were weak at the best. For instance, playing Arik Armsted out of position all year. Not playing several younger players sooner. Wouldn't this be ultimately on the head coach?

All such decisions are ultimately on the head coach. All responsibility for a team's record is ultimately on the head coach. It's why they make a lot of money and why they are usually fired.

Bob from St. Augustine, FL

When was the last time the jaguars hired a top-quality head coach?

Before the 2022 season.

Marcus from Jacksonville

It seems as if the team is required to report on interview requests, at least for candidates who are currently employed by other teams. Do they also have to report other information regarding these requests, like if and when they are accepted or declined, when the interviews are happening, and so on?

The team isn't required to report on interview requests. The Jaguars and Jaguars media have opted to announce these for the sake of transparency for Jaguars fans.

Adrian from Manchester

2024 season. What a disappointment. Postseason. What a disappointment.

Hang tight.

Gabe from Washington, DC

"I suppose any conclusion about what moves were right and what moves were wrong drawn before then is drawn too soon." How long is enough time to properly evaluate? What about three years? Because this feels eerily similar to the process three years ago and what we can understand is that the process has not worked. Khan keeping Baalke when he has his third chance to finally do a full reset is ridiculous. Bring in a new general manager and head coach who will work together instead of butting heads. Otherwise, we will never contend for a Super Bowl. The level of distinction is astounding. Just an unserious organization.

Hang tight.

Adam from Round Here

I find that narrative that a person interviewing for their dream job to be a first time NFL head coach and one of only 32 would come into an interview dictating who they will work with. I challenge anyone who ever interviewed for a first-time senior position to think they would really handle an interview that way. Especially when that interview is for life changing type money.

An NFL head-coaching position indeed is a life-changing, life-defining opportunity. It's also an opportunity that doesn't happen for every coach multiple times. If a candidate is in high demand, it's not inconceivable at all that that candidate could do whatever is possible to dictate a situation he considers favorable to winning.

Chris from Fleming Island

KOAF: With the coaching search including so many "hot" coordinators, it occurs to me the teams with multiple high end Pro Bowl/All-Pro talent have genius coordinators and coordinators with subpar talent get fired (see Gus Bradley). Is there some truth to this?

It's always coaching in the NFL.