JACKSONVILLE – Let's get to it … Ryan from Jacksonville:
Well, that ended up being a train wreck of emotions.
John: This sort of reflected a lot of the in-box Sunday during and after a 23-20 victory over the Miami Dolphins. There were highs and lows and a lot of ecstasy to go along with a lot of angst. It struck me that that may be because the Jaguars hadn't won a game like this in a while—a hard-fought game against a team that might be pretty good. There have been a lot of one-sided losses around here in the last few years, so it may be easy to forget that a lot of NFL games are like this. Games are competitive. They are close. They seem lost, then won, then lost again. They are not always pretty and at times it may seem like your team is failing when in fact the other team is simply playing well – as they are paid to do. The bottom line is the Jaguars on Sunday played well enough to win. They did so in dramatic fashion and it made for a fun day at EverBank Field. Enjoy it.
Alan from Maine:
This defense is terrible. Really bad.
John: This was sent early in the third quarter, and I include it in this O-Zone Late Night not to be snide or cute, but to illustrate a point. The NFL is a momentum league, one that usually is evenly matched. Teams are usually going to move the ball at times during a game and the key is how a defense responds to those times. On offense, you're sometimes going to get stopped and the key is how you respond. I don't believe this is an all-time great defense. I don't know that it's a Top 5 defense. But it absolutely in the first two games has shown itself to be a resilient defense capable of making big plays at big times. It certainly showed that on Sunday in the final 25 minutes.
Dan from Cary:
Nice drive, touchdown and extra point! Is it too early to be #fanning?
John: This was the much-anticipated first email of the game. There was a lot to like early. As might be expected on a day when the offense was efficient early and struggled late, the in-game inbox was not all happy and giddy after that. It ebbed and flowed as the game ebbed and flowed. Fans indeed fanned, but when you win … well, let's just say it was a happy place as day turned into evening.
Keith from Palatka, FL:
Shock of shocks. We scored on a nice drive. Just waiting for the other shoe to drop …
John: Second email … Faith is correctly hard-earned.
Scott from Aurora, IL:
Jags showed heart, gumption, whatever you want to call it. Things got tough in the second half. Know what? The defense stood firm and the offense found their legs when then needed to, so to speak. I'll take that win! Go Jags! 15-1?
John: Heart, gumption … yeah, the Jaguars showed all of that Sunday and more. This was not a perfect victory, but the Jaguars undoubtedly made plays when they had to and they played very well defensively throughout the last part of the second half. That was a professional football victory Sunday, and by that I mean the Jaguars made plays down the stretch when necessary. It was a big moment. Now, they must build on it.
Scot from Daytona Beach, FL:
There's still 5:00 left in the second quarter but I just want to say. "That's what I'm talking about" … Bortles to Robinson.
John: You were not alone.
Matt from Austin, TX:
58 yards. #redemption
John: Jason Myers was a more popular guy this Sunday than he was last. #WelcometotheNFLrookie
James from Atlantic Beach, FL:
Josh who?
John: Now, that's just not nice – but on a serious note, there were a lot of examples Sunday yet again of the NFL not being a league in which you can draw sweeping conclusions based on one game. After Week One, fans were down on Blake Bortles, the Jaguars' wide receivers and the offensive line. After Week Two, there understandably is a bit more confidence in those areas. The reality is they are the same group now as they were after Week 1 – i.e., a young, improving group that has a lot of potential and still must continue to grow into that potential. The difference? They made some big plays – and, of course, they won. The same is true of Myers: he is still a young kicker who appears to have a chance at a long career. That means he has many makes and misses in front of him. But give him a lot of credit Sunday: there was big-time pressure on him and he not only made a 58-yarder at halftime, he made all five of his kicks. Included in those five was a game-winner that almost certainly seemed much longer than 28 yards. The kid got it done Sunday. Good for him.
Dave from Jacksonville:
O'man, you know all that stuff I said after the last game? Never mind. Can't wait for the new power ranking to come out. We are now tied for first place in the division. #DTWD ...
John: Remember what Ebby Calvin "Nuke" LaLoosh said about winning … how it was, like, you know, better than losing? Yeah. That.