JACKSONVILLE – Stay safe.
Let's get to it …
Lee from Jacksonville
How do players deal with a distraction as immense as a hurricane? The Kansas City Chiefs are formidable, but Dorian could be a life-changer.
Players, coaches and staff will deal with Hurricane Dorian the same as others in Jacksonville – they'll prepare their families and homes the best way possible, hope for the best and react to events accordingly. The Jaguars won't practice Tuesday or Wednesday with the idea of allowing all concerned to prepare and deal with the hurricane. Weather permitting, they will return to TIAA Bank Field and practice Thursday. Is it a distraction? Obviously, but Head Coach Doug Marrone said preparations and game-planning are essentially done. He didn't sound particularly concerned about the change from a football standpoint.
Tucker from Nashville, TN
I expect to win on Sunday. Let's Patriot that defense by running it right down their throats. And double team tight end Travis Kelce. I don't want to see him shredding the middle of our defense. I repeat double team Kelce.
Doug Marrone … hire this man!
Hank from Toms River, NJ
O-Zone: Don't shy away: Chiefs offense or Jags defense?
Why would I shy away? I'll take the Jaguars' defense. The unit played well against the Chiefs last season -at a time when the Chiefs were the NFL's best offense – and the defense likely would have fared better had the offense not struggled in the red zone and with turnovers. The Jaguars' defense has as many game-changing playmakers as the Chiefs' offense. I thought going into last year's matchup the Jaguars' defense would have a game for the ages; the offensive struggles helped prevent that. I think such a game for the defense is very possible Sunday.
John from Daytona Beach, FL
Im pretty sure if they would of done the 1b thing in reverse it would have gone better i just dont think people would have been fighting to get the stache on there practice squad
I get emails like this sometimes.
Travis from High Springs, FL
Do you believe that having to cancel two days of practice this week, because of the hurricane, will have a major effect on the team against Kansas City? Especially with the starters not playing much in the preseason.
Not particularly. The Jaguars practiced Monday and will practice again Thursday. They normally would have practiced Wednesday and Thursday, so they're actually only missing at most one day of game-week practice. Remember, too: This team has been in practice mode for about the last five weeks – with at least part of that time recently focused on Kansas City. The concern over a lack of work by the starters in preseason games is a legitimate one; they're in unfamiliar territory there. But I wouldn't worry about losing one practice.
Brian from Jacksonville
My question is about linebacker Jake Ryan. What exactly is his injury? Will we see him play at all this year? How does the team feel about him at this point?
Ryan had been rehabilitating a torn anterior cruciate ligament sustained last season with Green Bay; he sustained a setback while away from the team between the end of the offseason and the beginning of training camp. The team is hopeful he will return this season.
Chris from Space City, TX
I'm from Space City, not Odessa. Time for you to enroll in Space City University. #therealscu
OK.
Lombo from Jax Beach, FL
O-Zone: I do not get it. The Jags have serious depth issues on their o-line. They have no depth at quarterback and have invested a good sum of moolah in Nick Foles. If he gets injured, we are in big trouble. I have seen other teams trade for offensive linemen. Why did we not do this?
I'm not sure the Jaguars are as thin on the offensive line as many perceive. Whoever doesn't start at right guard between A.J. Cann and Will Richardson Jr. will be good interior depth, and the Jaguars feel comfortable with Richardson kicking out to tackle if needed. They also like veteran Tyler Shatley as depth on the inside. As for why the Jaguars didn't trade for an offensive lineman this past weekend, they like where they are in terms of a starting offensive line and they acquired Cedric Ogbuehi as an unrestricted free agent in the offseason. The Ogbuehi acquisition was their version of trading for offensive-line depth; they just did it in the spring instead of late August.
Bentley from Boulder, CO
Kaep?
Nope.
Bill from Folkston, GA
Been looking at the posts and your responses concerning Taven Bryan. I understand that it takes some players longer to develop than other. My problem is that Taven Bryan was taken in the first round during a draft when we already knew that we needed offensive help. We needed a running back, we needed a tight end, we needed offensive linemen. What did the Jags do? Did they take Sony Michel? Did they take Will Hernandez? No. They took a chance on a development project. It is like whoever is deciding on who to draft just has no ideas on how to help this offense. It seems as if the Jags are great at picking defensive players, but when it comes to offense either they can't recognize talent or they are just ignoring it. Which do you think it is?
I'm with you that the Jaguars missed not taking a tight end early in the 2018 NFL Draft, but the reasoning at the time wasn't as unsound as your question indicates. The Jaguars believe the core of their team must be a strong defensive front. The selection of Bryan at the time was in keeping with their strategy of having young defensive linemen available when expensive veteran defensive linemen became too old or affordable to keep. Bryan has yet to show he will be able to adequately replace such players, but the strategy was sound.
Don from Marshall, NC
Most teams have no chance if their starting quarterback goes down. I have no idea why fans are worried about the backup. If Tom Brady goes down, the Patriots have no chance. Peyton Manning never had a backup that could win. If you want to win, do not let your starting guy get hurt. Gardner Minshew II can run plays and not turn the ball over and that is all he needs to do. That is his job and no, he will not get you to the Super Bowl. Put your faith in Foles because he is the only one that gives the Jaguars a chance. Go Jaguars!
So, one fer a healthy quarterback – for all 32 teams.
Chris from Mandarin
I would have to disagree that defensive tackle Taven Bryan was one of the 10 best defensive linemen. I believe Eli Ankou and Datone Jones were/are better. Certainly, Jones stood out and made more plays in the preseason. Also, to say that Bryan was not awful all preseason ... well, he played almost exclusively against second and third stringers and hardly did anything of note even when playing what should have been inferior competition. He should have looked like a man among boys in that situation. Instead, we get the defensive version of Luke Joeckel.
Many fans feel the same way you do. That's understandable, though not at all pertinent to the Jaguars' decision to keep Bryan.
Howard from Homestead, FL
I got Delvin Hodges. He almost made the Steelers' roster, but he's a lot better than what we've got.
I'm sure he is.
Hulk from Las Vegas, NV
I think some of us (not me) are a little overreactive when it comes to Minshew. While his IQ is high and he seems to learn and correct as he goes, he's still a sixth-round pick. As far as sixth-round picks go, he's pretty sharp. Give the kid a year as an understudy and I guarantee the next time we see extensive play from him he'll look more like a third -round pick. This is still the NFL and it takes more than IQ to be successful. Training, studying and experience will make him closer to what we're looking for. I'd argue that had he had time with the ones he'd been a lot more productive in the results column. Calm down. Let the boy learn how to be an NFL quarterback.
My guess is many observers see in Minshew what you see. The Jaguars certainly see that. The concern over Minshew is while he's gaining the experience of which you speak he will be the Jaguars' top backup. That means he could play very soon in a very big situation. Is he ready? That's a legitimate concern.
Jim from Jagsonville
We mustn't underestimate our blundering front office. I was with them when they blundered into the AFC Championship Game in 2017 ... Let's Go Jaguars!
Memories are selective. And short. It's no one's fault; it's just how it be.
