JACKSONVILLE – Let's get to it …

Leo from Duval

You gurus always talk about complementary football. Yet, when someone had a valid point about the defense being on the field way too much because the offense can't muster more than one first down through 2.5 quarters being a potential cause for the poor play, you downplay it. Watch when the Jags win this week with a competent quarterback and the defense plays well because of … you guessed it, complementary football … you gurus will say the reason the Jags won is because the defense finally played good.

I assume you're referencing an O-Zone email from sometime this past week making the point that the Jaguars' offense not being able to get first downs and committing too many turnovers hurts the defense. The email asked how good a defense can be expected to play in such a situation. I replied, "Better than this." This answer didn't downplay the importance of complementary football. Remember: My answers in this forum aren't always going to say everything every reader is thinking in exactly the way the reader is thinking. While that would perhaps make some readers happier, it would make for pretty boring reading. While me being able to know precisely what every reader is thinking would be "awesome," it also would be a bit weird. The Jaguars' offensive struggles this season absolutely strain the defense. The defense at the same time hasn't been remotely good enough, particularly on the interior of the defensive line and against the deep pass. This is one of those weird situations that sometimes happens in real life when two things are true at the same time.

Mario from West Kelowna, BC

I wish nobody had reported that Press Taylor started calling plays at some point in the past seasons. It's like fans cling on to whatever information is put out there to blame the team for being bad. But at the end of the day Press Taylor is a coach and it's always coaching in the NFL.

PlaycallingGate isn't nothing. Play-calling matters. PlaycallingGate also has been waaaaaaay overblown. This is another one of those weird situations that sometimes happens in real life when two things are true at the same time.

John from Jax

Hi, KOAGF. It's really a silly notion to think we are roughly 10-15 plays this season from being what fans think as a suck team needing to fire the cast to a great team competing for the division title. Only a few plays from jax squat to jax attack.

OK.

Woody from Dunlap

KOAF: Similar to most of us who follow the Jaguars, I have been disappointed and befuddled by how the season has progressed. I now suspect that the injury to Arik Armstead was much more significant/longer duration than reported. I really thought that he would be a major difference maker by this point in the year, given his performance in years past. Have you heard anything definitive as to whether his injury from last season is still hampering him?

Jaguars defensive lineman Arik Armstead missed part of training camp while returning from a knee injury. There was reason to believe he was working back toward full health early in the season. That's less reasonable to believe now.

Art from Glassboro, NJ

When evaluating the coaches and front office, I think this question should be asked, "If they are fired, will they get another job in the same position?" I feel like the answer is no for head coach, offensive coordinator and general manager. The defensive coordinator will probably get another shot in a few seasons, but the others would be done. And if no one else would employ them at their respective positions, why should we?

I know Jaguars Head Coach Doug Pederson and General Manager Trent Baalke are at stages of their careers and lives that they may not seek another position at a similar level if/when they are no longer with the Jaguars. Offensive coordinator Press Taylor and defensive coordinator Ryan Nielsen are young. The way coordinators and assistants circulate around the NFL it would be surprising if this is the last stop/last coordinator position for either of them. I have no idea what the future would hold for any of those respective positions. I do know from three decades around the NFL that just because other organizations do something is no reason to do it.

Bruce from Saint Simons Island

O, This Jags team is hard to root for. However, I think rookie wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. was an excellent draft choice and I think defensive end Travon Walker is really developing into an impact player. However, not too many other players with upside at this point in the season. I do believe that the Jags may win a majority of their games for the rest of the season, regardless of who plays at quarterback. Your recent posts indicate that you do not agree. As you like to say, stay tuned.

I would be surprised if the Jaguars win the majority of their games the rest of this season. This is because they have yet to show they can make the plays necessary at the end of games to do so. It's possible they surprise me. I hope so. I like surprises.

Ron from Orlando, FL

There's a video of Philadelphia Eagles linebacker Nakobe Dean on the sideline mic'd up and he predicts the play that the Jags throw the pick on. He said he's been waiting for it all week. You may make your condescending jokes towards fans who blame the predictable play-calling, but they're right. And they've been right for a long time. How many failed third-and-one draws have been run out of shotgun this season? It's time to make some moves!

Every NFL team runs many of the same plays every week. Dean made a nice play to intercept quarterback Trevor Lawrence on the Jaguars' last offensive play last week. One cool thing about my jokes: They're as funny as they are condescending. I'm a riot. Just ask me.

JK from NY & Fernandina Beach, FL

John - On Sunday, the Jags will debut the Shell White helmets to pay tribute to Jacksonville's beaches and the U.S. Navy's connection to Jax. In this lost season, the fans need something to root for. Sounds like a perfect day to rally around hometown boy Mac Jones. Every kid who plays football dreams of playing for his NFL home team in front of his friends and family. Mac may have the opportunity to live that dream against the Vikings. Get well soon Trevor, but this is a fun storyline.

Well said.

Steve from Hilton Head, SC

John, I remember Mark Brunell throwing an interception in the end zone in the AFC Championship Game (January 2000) against the Tennessee Titans. The cornerback later said he bluffed the quarterback into making the easy-to-pickoff throw. I don't seem to recall fans wanting to get rid of Mark. The NFL is hard.

Brunell played before the glorious invention known as Twitter and in the very early days of the internet. Had he played in a later era, fans no doubt would have clamored for his benching after games in which he struggled. Fans fan. It's what they do.

Kerry from Mount Airy, NC

Hi John, I look forward to reading your blog every day though I do not know why. Jaguars fans (me among them when since 2002, when fellow ECU alum David Garrard was drafted) in this forum are overwhelmingly immature to the point of making it difficult to continue pulling for this team or at the very least, continue to read daily in the OZone. But I find myself coming back anyway, Go Jags....I know we are very close and I for one, hope Khan continues to block out the BS, stay the course and keep the current coaching staff in place. Better days are ahead.

Fans fan. It's what they do. What else are they supposed to do?

Brian from Round Rock, Texas

More black and white uniforms. I think teal is our alternate color. Is there a franchise that despises itself as much as the Jaguars?

It's understandable that in a disappointing season fans will go to extremes to complain about comparatively small issues. Some are better at this than others.

Julio from Southern California

Hey Mr. O. I am going to Detroit next week for a work function and plan to catch the Jag game on 11/17. Do you think Trevor will play in that game? Also, do you need any help that day? I need a ticket to the game.

I expect Lawrence could be questionable and limited in practice next week similar to his status this week. It's too early to know for sure beyond that, but I would project that as a possibility. I don't need any help for the game. I can put out this drivel on my own.