JACKSONVILLE – Look-ahead Wednesday.

Let's get to it …

Sal from Austin, TX

The Marine Corps had its birthday on Sunday, November 10 and Trevor Lawrence was on the sidelines nursing an injury to his non-throwing shoulder while his team took the field in a game where if they start a run, they might still make the playoffs. See 2022's record through nine games. What does his decision to sit out say about his toughness and his leadership?

While we have a rule here in the O-Zone about being nice, this will be difficult in this case. That's because in the thousands of O-Zone emails I have received in 13-plus years, this easily ranks among the silliest and most misguided. Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence indeed missed a loss to the Minnesota Vikings last Sunday with a left (non-throwing) shoulder injury and it's possible he will miss Sunday's game against the Detroit Lions at Ford Field in Detroit, Mich. But to call into question Lawrence's toughness? Really? Lawrence during his four-year NFL career has played through at least five significant injuries – doing so once in 2022 at the start of the season-ending streak referenced in this email and doing so four times after four different injuries last season. His ability and willingness to repeatedly play through injuries in the second half of 2023 was perhaps the major storyline of that season – and was prominent enough that many observers criticized Head Coach Doug Pederson and the organization for not forcing Lawrence to sit out. Lawrence isn't yet elite. Time will tell if he ever will be elite. But whatever he is or isn't, he absolutely is tough. Perhaps to his detriment at times. And he's a leader. Anyone questioning that hasn't paid attention to the Jaguars the last two seasons.

Oscar from Palm Coast, FL

Hey, O. Do you think Shad put bad juju on this team after saying what he said at the beginning of the season? You know all that stuff about the best roster ever this year.

Jaguars Owner Shad Khan indeed before the 2024 NFL season called this the best Jaguars roster ever assembled. What he meant was it was the best Jaguars roster of his tenure. The thought here is he was wrong on that front, but far greater crimes have been committed than being wrong about a team's roster quality. I don't think Khan saying what he said was bad "juju" – whatever that means. The Jaguars haven't been unlucky this season. There is no curse on this team. This season hasn't been waylaid by injuries, weirdness or funky plays. There simply aren't enough players making important, special plays during crucial moments. The Jaguars aren't good enough to be better than 2-8. No juju necessary.

Al from Orange Park, FL

Since the Jags have lost a lot of games to very good teams by just a few points in the last minute or so, what do you think the chances are that they win their last six games against teams that aren't quite as good? (I'm living in a fantasy world, aren't I?)

Slim.

Rusty from New Iberia, LA

If Trevor Lawrence hurt his shoulder in the second quarter of the Eagles game, how is he able to finish that game? Did they just hold him out against the Vikings because the season is lost anyway?

Lawrence finished a Week 9 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles the same way many players play through injuries – because his adrenaline and pain tolerance allowed it. Once he and the Jaguars moved into the week, it was decided that Lawrence needed to sit out the following week. If the Jaguars held Lawrence out against the Vikings because the season was lost, they would place him on injured reserve and end his season.

Michael from Middleburg, FL

Hey O, WE'RE NUMBER ONE!! In draft order that is!

Yep.

Jonathan from Formerly of Jax Beach

You will laugh but there is psychology in colors. Teal is weak and needs to be relegated to a secondary color. There is a reason some college programs paint their visitor locker rooms pink and yellow. We came out Sunday with more attitude and fight than at any point this season. I've been saying forever that we should replace real with navy blue, cuz … ya know … Navy town and all, but I'll settle for secondary color. Look what happened when the Bucs got away from the pink and yellow, they became a real franchise that competes. Couple that with a general manager that prioritizes the line of scrimmage and doesn't take projects throughout each draft and we may exit this long, miserable stage of this franchise.

The Jaguars have fought in their last three games – and they have fought for much of the season. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers got good in the late 1990s because they had an elite defense. The Jaguars aren't changing their colors.

Rob from St Augustine Fl

Please never wear the white helmets again. They were not cool. I do not like them. A black and white uniform is the latest idea one can think of. I don't know why the team constantly seems to want to limit our teal.

Maybe they hired Jonathan.

Raleigh from Jax

I watched the first five minutes of Doug's presser. Did it feel as depressing in the room as it looked online? Not sure I have ever seen someone look so defeated. Tough days to be a Jaguar.

I'm not sure which Jaguars Head Coach Doug Pederson media availability you mean. I suppose it could be postgame or Monday following the Vikings loss. The Jaguars had 143 yards offense Sunday and had just lost for the 13th time in 16 games. Did it feel depressing? Well, no one was doing cartwheels.

Rob from Orange Park, FL

If Jones wore No. 16 do you think anyone would have noticed Trevor wasn't playing?

You seem to be suggesting there is no difference between how backup quarterback Mac Jones played Sunday and how Lawrence has played this season. I don't agree with this suggestion.

Riscoe from Southside

Will the Jaguars win another game this season?

Sure.

Jarret from Crosby, ND

Did Peter and Anthony do their regularly scheduled Happy Hour this week? I didn't see it posted and it's honestly the highlight of my week, Zone. Much more fun and entertaining than watching the Jaguars attempt to play football.

Jaguars Happy Hour did not stream this past Monday. It was Veteran's Day. Jaguars Happy Hour is scheduled to resume next week.

Bradley from Sparks, NV

Perhaps I'm not remembering correctly but it doesn't seem like NFL teams poach current NFL head coaches that often – for example a team with a vacancy offers a Mike Tomlin or a Kyle Shanahan or someone of that ilk a huge contract to change jobs. Is this frowned on amongst owners in the league?

It's frowned upon in the sense it's against the rules. Other than that, it's fine.

Craig from Ponte Vedra Beach

With his smug attitude, sounds like Pederson is lobbying for a decent in-season severance package. I know you can't say either way. Just an observation. If he was my employee he would get a good talking to.

Pederson doesn't always come across great in postgame availabilities. The thought here is that's out of frustration and having his mind on other issues more than smugness, but he could still be better in that situation. I don't at all think Pederson is lobbying to be fired during the season.

Marty from Jacksonville

Hey, John, I always enjoy your columns. Here is my question. When you say the Jags don't have enough really elite players who make plays to win close games, and the solution is to keep drafting and developing, it seems like you have come up with an analysis in which no one is to blame for the results of this season, and the solution to our problems is to keep doing what we've been doing. Am I wrong?

That wasn't the point of the answer. The point of the answer is the Jaguars have spent enough time and resources overinvesting in free agency in recent years and the thought here is that that must be curtailed at least somewhat moving forward. That's not saying that the team must never participate in unrestricted free agency. That must happen sometimes. But the team for far too long has depended on free agents to be "core" players. It's hard to be great when the core of your team are players their former teams didn't want to re-sign. As for this season … the Jaguars are 2-8. Everyone's to blame and everyone is responsible. That's the reality when you have the worst record in the NFL.

Boxcutter Bill from Mass

I know you're a company man so I'm going to ask this hypothetically. Could the Jags keep the head coach and get a new general manager? Or does a GM like to pick his guy? Could a head coach try and get someone he's familiar with, that believes in the system in place?

"Company man."