JACKSONVILLE – Let's get to it …
John from Jax
Hi, KOAGF - Is it me or am I watching the same game over and over and over again?
This is a reasonable question following the Jaguars' 19-14 loss to the Las Vegas Raiders at Allegiant Stadium Sunday afternoon. That's because the Jaguars' seventh loss in eight games in a very real sense mimicked many of their previous 11 losses this season and marked their ninth loss this season by a touchdown or less. The Jaguars again had a chance to win and again couldn't make a big play at a crucial time late. They again couldn't force a takeaway, marking the fifth consecutive such game for this struggling defense. They again weren't good enough in the secondary. And wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. again was the only Jaguars player who stood out offensively. A couple of differences also hurt Sunday, with tight end Brenton Strange and running back Tank Bigsby both losing key fumbles and with the Jaguars committing a slew of pre-snap penalties. But did this one overall have a familiar feel? Absolutely and unfortunately.
Peter from Ponte Vedra Beach, FL
Losing lots of close games is not proof that you are close to being a good team. It means you are a bad team, especially when you ignore the complete blowouts. I hope Jaguars Owner Shad Khan does not fall for the, "Well, we were pretty close" motion. Head Coach Doug Pederson and General Manager Trent Baalke need to go. ASAP.
Losing close games absolutely does not mean you are a good team. The NFL is about close games. Good teams win them. Bad teams don't.
Jacksonville Bill
If you're a fan of professional football, this entire game was just hard to watch.
This was absolutely true. Sunday's game felt like what it was – a late-season game without playoff ramifications between two of the NFL's worst teams who also are two of the NFL's most injured teams. This was a recipe for ugliness. We got it.
Bradley from Sparks, NV - on holiday in Oceanside, CA
I guess it's hip or trendy to say it isn't one person at fault, but I see many similarities with this Jaguars team and last year's Los Angeles Chargers team. The Chargers did fire the head coach and general manager and replaced them with Head Coach Jim Harbaugh and Ravens front office No. 2 guy, Joe Hortiz. Hortiz sheared a lot of bad attitude and dead weight while Harbaugh hired smart professional coordinators even if they aren't in total lock step with him. He appears to be secure enough not to need " yes, men" constantly bending the knee. The Chargers went from a floundering joke of a team with a lot of quit to a team poised to consistently be contending over quarterback Justin Herbert's prime. I know that is two people, but the point is that it actually is one or two people at the top that propels massive culture change.
It's neither hip nor trendy to say one person isn't at fault when an NFL team struggles. It's actually hip and trendy to want to assign one person all blame. Either way, I had to smile a bit an email that made the point that sometimes it's one person to blame by citing a team that overhauled its front office and coaching staff.
JT from Palm Coast, FL
Cannot wait for this season to be over. All I want for Christmas is Trent Baalke to be fired. I don't care if we retain Doug Pederson (get rid of offensive coordinator Press Taylor), but keeping Baalke is football malpractice. I am sick of finding myself rooting against my team for better draft position. I have rooted for this team in a delusional manner since their inception, but I am finding myself caring less and less. This is the worst time in my Jaguars fandom. I despise Baalke. John, I want to ask you to talk me off the ledge, but I am afraid we are waaay past that. Happy holidays brother.
Merry Krimma.
Bill from Springfield, VA
The physicality aspect is what concerns me most, or lack thereof. If we have an identity, what is it? We need to draft nasty trench guys!
The Jaguars don't really have an identity. This isn't unusual. Most bad teams don't have an identity. That's because bad teams don't do enough well to stick to an approach and form an identity. But yes … the Jaguars absolutely must get more physical on both sides of the line of scrimmage, particularly on the interior.
Kyle from No thanks
Fan since inception. This is the worst product ever placed on the field. Baalke is very bad at his job. These players are terrible. Nuff said.
One fer not much of nothin'.
DuvalJag95? from Everywhere
This has to be the worst dumpster fire of a team in Jaguars history. They're a joke from the top down. How do you fix this garbage without it taking another couple decades to do it?
Get back to work. Draft better. Develop better. Stay away from so much free agency. There's more. Start there.
Dave from Jacksonville
What a comedy show!!! Shad Khan is a very smart man. He can't possibly believe that the football "brain trust" overseeing this debacle should remain in place for 2025, can he? CAN HE?!?!?
Stay tuned.
Chris & Katherine from Mandarin
O-Zone: My daughter and I are huge Jags fans. We were talking about the gifts given by quarterbacks and others in the NFL to their teammates. Did Trevor get anything for the o-line? If so, what did he get, coal?
The Jaguars' offensive line has protected quarterbacks Trevor Lawrence and Mac Jones well for the most part this season. Lawrence sustained two serious injuries this season outside the pocket. Why in the world would he have gotten the offensive line coal?
Brian from ROUND ROCK
Playing for pride and professionalism is always mentioned. How about playing for the fans? You know, the ones who paid good money to see you play? So stupid...
OK.
Tony from Johns Creek, GA
O, it's painfully obvious that only the New York Giants are worse than the Jaguars. At this point, I don't think it's unreasonable to discuss the draft. We fans have to have something to look forward to.
We talk NFL Draft here in the O-Zone after the end of the regular season. There are more than three months between then and the '25 draft. That's enough.
Paul from Lake City
So, what do you want for Christmas, John?
The companionship of good friends and family. Or bourbon.
Bruce from St. Simons Island, GA
O, A pause in the fire talk. What is your opinion on the injury to Lawrence's shoulder? Is this injury a cause for concern on his future?
I don't have much opinion on Lawrence's shoulder, partly because I'm not a physician and partly because the injury is an AC joint sprain on his left, non-throwing shoulder. He had surgery this past Tuesday and is expected to be 100 percent healthy in the spring. I do have an opinion that Lawrence needs to protect himself better with better awareness in and out of the pocket because he has been injured seven times in the last two and a half seasons. That sort of early-career wear and tear can take a toll.
Sam from Orlando, FL
We can build around Travon Walker? How? Are we using him wrong? Are we using Josh Hines-Allen wrong? If it's not always coaching, then in these two instances it has to be the players, right? If it's not the players in this case, then in this instance it has to be the coaching. Which is it? Hutchinson is better than Walker and it's not close.
We view Jaguars defensive end Travon Walker differently. That's fine.
Gabriel from Glasgow, KY
This is not a coaching problem. This is 100 percent a player problem. Starting with the missed interception in the first half all the way to the holding penalty in the fourth. I am convinced that somehow, someway, complacency is the norm in Jacksonville. It's sad that the fans half to watch only two-to-three players carrying the team. The locker room lost Doug, not the other way around.
The Jaguars have a lot of players capable of starting in the NFL. They don't have enough great players who make winning plays at the biggest moments. They're also not good enough on the line on defense and they're leaning toward just, plain awful in the secondary. What wasn't a great collection of skill players to start the season is now down to mostly backups. That doesn't make for pretty Sundays.
Rob from St. Augustine, FL
There aren't many things I dislike more than the insanity line. It's unbearably annoying, incorrect, and overused. My hope is that anytime one uses it, you simply omit the question altogether.
That's crazy talk.
