JACKSONVILLE – Let's get to it …
Brian from Round Rock, TX
Spare me the stock answer that play-calling doesn't matter. It's the only real skill Pederson has. He can outmaneuver the other team like a chess master. Press is playing checkers, like the other 99 percent of play-callers. Get it, O?
I get your point – but know this: You can get a point without agreeing with it. That's certainly the case here. Play-calling does matter in the NFL. No doubt. It just doesn't belong anywhere near the pedestal on which it is often placed by fans and observers. And while Jaguars Head Coach Doug Pederson indeed is skilled in this area, he believes Jaguars offensive coordinator Press Taylor is pretty much equally skilled. It's also far from the only skill Pederson possesses as an NFL head coach. The most important skill for an NFL head coach is managing the team, leading people and setting the organizational tone. That's sort of all one thing and it's Pederson's best skill – even greater than his skill as a play-caller.
Fred from Naples, FL
If you take his record in the back half of the 2022 season – including the win over the Los Angeles Chargers – and include the first half of last year when they were 8-3, that is an incredible run for Trevor Lawrence and the Jags. We all know he got hurt in the middle of the season last year. That record is a big part of why the Jags gave him a record contract. I would be absolutely shocked if he plays really well and we didn't make the playoffs. Now just keep him upright.
Quarterback Trevor Lawrence and the Jaguars went 13-3 over a 16-game regular-season span between the end of the 2022 season and the start of 2023. Lawrence threw 29 touchdowns with nine interceptions during that span, a span that ended when he played through injuries in five of the last six games last season. Lawrence absolutely played that 2022-2023 stretch at a level high enough that you can win divisions and qualify for the postseason. Did that give the team enough confidence in him to merit his recent contract extension? Absolutely.
Marc from Oceanway
Zone, When you were anointed the "King of All Funk," wasn't being able to identify a shill part of the job description? Phil must be related to Gary of St. Augustine.
This is a sound theory.
Steve from AB
Will the sunroof of the future cause difficulty in growing natural turf? Do any domed stadiums have natural turf? Could we do Teal Turf or would that infringe on Boise State's copyright?
To my (vast, vast, vast) knowledge, the only NFL stadiums with natural grass are ones with no roof or a retractable roof – or ones that grow grass on a retractable tray and move it indoors for games. So, yes … not having at least a retractable roof is a challenge when trying to grow grass on the scale needed for an NFL field. But technology moves fast, and I expect the Jaguars to seriously explore having grass in the Stadium of the Future when it opens in August 2028. I expect the Stadium of the Future's field will be green whatever the surface.
Nicholas from Fort Cavazos, Texas
KOAF: A few points to make. I finally caught up after being behind by 70-plus daily O-Zones, which took about three months. Your suggestion to read ten O-Zones a day is too high. Three is manageable, but no more than five – otherwise your boss gets mad at you for not doing any work for 45 minutes or so. It was delightful to see all the fan angst for draft day and trade machine ideas and thinking anyone can predict past the first few picks – much less all of Round 1 – in a draft discussed, what it meant to "watch film" versus watching ESPN/YouTube highlights, angst over who the Jaguars passed on during draft days and drafting for need versus Best Available Position, questions on player evaluations during OTAs, concerns over what "voluntary" means for practice, angst over helmet design and Guardian Caps, angst over uniform colors and "Gold Rush" mustard stain/Gold being the best/worst ever, baseball caps and shorts during practices, (supposedly a wide receiver tried out for the team as well and his status was on the mind of loyal readers), angst over letting wide receiver Calvin Ridley go, angst over paying Josh Allen and the "negotiating in the media" technique, angst over if we would sign Trevor and angst over the amount both sides reportedly agreed to, angst over why didn't use the fifth-year option and franchise tag on key players, some sensibility that the current quarterback contract may look "reasonable" in the next few years, angst over the new "hip drop" tackle ban, discussion on which non-kicker would take over kickoffs. Concerns about the Stadium of the Future and if Jacksonville is too run down to host a massive downtown attraction, angst over the names of the Four Seasons Hotel to be called "Two Seasons," angst over if Pederson has lost the team and his ability to coach, angst over the Jaguars not having home prime-time games, angst over losing two home games to London. I have seen the Great O-Zone meet up group start as an idea and maybe come to fruition at Bullet Bob's. We gained insight into the KOAF's lack of interest in Star Wars movies, learned that "Rat Dog" is in fact female, favorite fan moments from Oehser with his father and the Washington Football Team/Commanders and how little Oehser would throw objects in a tantrum if his team lost. Hotly debated was who the "loyal reader" truly is, heated talk of the best support staff and where they rank, Eugene P. Frenette VS some "boom mike operator" known as "Tank," angst over why media question and answer sessions don't have a better microphone for the fans to hear the questions and answers. Discussion on when the "Dead Zone" begins and relief that the Dead Zone was delayed by contracts and Stadium Deals, Jackson de Ville entering the mascot Hall of Fame, KOAF not wanting to drive to Orlando or Daytona for a home game, and ideas of playing an NFL game on an aircraft carrier. Most important is that we covered the journalistic streak of the all mighty Ozone – and by my estimation means the streak started on August 7, 2011. Anything else that I missed in the last 70 days?
Can you repeat the question?
Stokes from Orange Park. FL
Methinks that while I don't doubt Josh Hines-Allen wanted to pay homage to his family with the name change ... putting an end to all of the flubs (shoutout @NFLPrimeVideo) not distinguishing him from Buffalo's quarterback may have also been an ideal and timely side effect of that maneuver. Good for him with the jersey swap. Hard to fake class.
That certainly will be a side effect of the move. But Hines-Allen's sister long has gone by the name Myisha Hines-Allen. My sense is Josh Hines-Allen always has wanted to do go by Hines-Allen and now he's doing it.
Limo Bob from Neptune Beach, FL
I read in the Florida Times-Union that the Tottenham Stadium is the most environmentally friendly stadiums on the planet. Will our new stadium give that stadium a run for its title as the most environmentally friendly stadium? Sounds like something that would benefit this city and the NFL immensely!
My understanding is that both the Jaguars and the city are focused on "green initiatives" when it comes to the Stadium of the Future. I expect more details on the stadium's "greenery" as we move forward.
Steve from Nashville, TN
Last year the AFC went 46-34 against the NFC (plus a Super Bowl win), this year it seems like there is more parity between the conferences. Do you put any credence in the AFC being a tougher division to win this year than the NFC?
I don't know that we have any idea if there is more parity between conferences this year compared to last year. We won't know this until we see what teams are good. We'll know that by about Week 5 or 6. The AFC still from this view seems to have at least slightly better quarterbacks. That usually means being at least a slightly better conference overall.
Nick from Milton, Canada
How much money did that quarterback up in Buffalo pay the real Josh Allen to change his name? I could see how getting dominated by a person with the same name as you could lead a man to take drastic action.
I'm not sure how often we have to remind people here in the O-Zone about the importance of being nice. This was not nice.
Bob from Sumter, SC
After the Jags win the Super Bowl Mayor Deegan can send a few "Speak to the Sheik" T-shirts, too, to add a touch of class to the camel riders.
Down in Jacksonville, wonderful Jacksonville … in the land of sunshine.
