JACKSONVILLE – Let's get to it …
Robert from Oneonta
Your Sunday preamble hinted we might move beyond the website and into more NFL- and football-related topics. Here goes: The Jags' first 2018 regular-season game is in New York against the Giants. I am assuming Jalen Ramsey will cover Odell Beckham Jr. the majority of the time. How do you see that working out? Will the Jags double-team Odell or keep a safety shielded his way? Jalen has done well against other top-rated receivers such as the Steelers' Antonio Brown. I know the game is a long way off, but it will be a great match up. I cannot wait. What do you think?
I would expect the Jaguars in that game to do what they often have done with Ramsey – have him shadow Beckham in a lot of situations while having A.J. Bouye cover him in some situations when the Giants' formation takes Beckham to Bouye's side. There also will be some situations when Ramsey gets some help with a safety shading toward him. It's easy to commentate about defenders shadowing receivers one-on-one the whole game, but it's difficult for that to really happen. As much as Ramsey likes to shadow the best receivers – and as easy as it is for fans and observers to say, "Just put Jalen on him!" – even Ramsey said last season you can't just stay in a man-to-man scheme with no help over the top an entire game. But there's little question the Jaguars will match him up one-on-one on Beckham a lot in the regular-season opener – and yes, it will be great theatre, maybe the best the theatre of the season, if you think about it. As far as how Ramsey will fare … I anticipate he will be just fine.
Scott from Jacksonville
I agree with Jonathan. You should work for free.
Close enough.
Wes from Green Cove Springs, FL
John, what type of access will you have during this week's OTAs and will you be able to report on how the rookies and free agents look in any kind of drills? Thanks
Media members including those of us at jaguars.com will be allowed to attend 2018 organized team activities and the team's three-day minicamp in June. We'll be allowed to attend most of the sessions in full, while there will be a few where we will be limited to the session's early periods. We'll discuss how rookies and veterans look with the caveat that rookies are adapting during this time and there's a limit to how players are going to be evaluated during non-padded work in May and June.
Bill from Hammock, FL
Zone, I understand the over/under for wins is nine and a half for the Jags. Seems like an accurate estimate. The pros: Young team with another year of experience, quarterback Blake Bortles coming off a good year, stronger depth and some free-agency upgrades and consistent coaching staff. The cons: A more difficult schedule, no "sneaking up" on opponents, complacency from last year's success. What do you think?
Sure.
Michael from Middleburg, FL
Don't really care for the new app but getting used to it. My major gripe is how it was introduced (not). No notice of change we just woke up on morning and thought something was wrong with the old.
This has come up before in the last week, and again I ask: Had you known jaguars.com was going to change its look, what would you done with the information? How would it have helped? What behavioral change would this have prompted?
Paul from Gainesville, FL
You'd look famous in some Roy Orbison glasses John, the pre-wayfarer glasses.
Mercy.
Austin from Atlanta, GA
John, which of these worries you most in the AFC South? A healthy Luck, a healthy Watson, or something else?
For the sake of answering your question, I would say I'll be watching the development of Houston Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson more closely than I watch any situation on any division opponent of the Jaguars this season. How he returns from the torn anterior cruciate ligament that ended his 2017 rookie season – as well as how he adapts to how defenses defend him in Year 2 – will be key to the Texans' season. And if Watson is as good as many project, the Texans in turn have a chance to be very good. But honestly, I don't spend all that much time "worrying" about the Jaguars' division opponents – just as I'm not really a fan of teams "building" their roster to beat specific opponents in or out of a division. If you build your team and your roster to be the strongest team possible and therefore make other teams worry about building to beat you … I always figured that made the most sense and gave you the best chance for consistent regular-season and postseason success.
Little Devil from On Top of the Other Shoulder
Dear O-knowing, O-seeing Zone: I love our defensive players' confidence and "swagger," but is it dangerously close to overconfident and "cocky" given that they were only two games above .500 in the 2017 regular season and allowed 100-plus passer ratings against Tom Brady (two fourth-quarter touchdowns and ran out clock), Ben Roethlisberger (five touchdowns, 42 points) and Jimmy Garoppolo (44 points)? If our defense is as elite as we think it is, do we blame Coach Wash? Or is our defense "good" but not "elite?" The Jaguars will have to do better against above average quarterbacks to get a Lombardi.
The Jaguars were four games above .500 in the 2017 regular season. This is inarguable. As for who to "blame" for the Jaguars' defense, this was a unit that was among the best in the NFL last season – and was perhaps the best defense in Jaguars history. It helped the franchise turn around and accounted for 55 sacks, 21 interceptions and seven defensive touchdowns. No, it was not perfect in the playoffs. Playing against a couple of Hall of Fame quarterbacks, it allowed a lot of points on some big-time plays. This is professional football. Great players make plays even when well-defended; that was particularly the case in the Divisional Playoff victory at Pittsburgh. Blame whoever you want, but if you're not pleased with how the Jaguars' defense played last season it may be a while before you're very happy.
Renee from Duval
John! Standardization of all NFL websites so we can look at our phones more? Smells like "parity" going amok. Why should you or I lower our standards? So, if the league gives you lemons we need to make "TEAL" lemonade! (INSERT AD) Johnny O! It's offseason…
Solidarnosc!!!!!
Renee from Duval
John! Did you get the first part of my question!?! Lowering of Jags standards, parity run amok, teal lemonade ... if you did, this makes total sense if not, I was on a roll (insert ad)
I have no idea what you're talking about!!! Solidarnosc!!! (insert ad) Aaarrrgghh!!!!!
Renee from Duval
Arrrgh John! Where did it go? Doesn't matter. GO JAGS! Let's make JAGUARS.COM THE BEST IN THE NFL! and last but not least … Myles Jack is still NOT DOWN
True. (Deep breath…)
Keith from Jacksonville
Hey John, easy yes or no question. The $39 million the Jags will be over the salary cap next season; does that include Dante Fowler Jr.'s fifth-year option being picked up?
No. Because the Jaguars opted to not pick up Fowler's fifth-year option, he is projected to be an unrestricted free agent in 2019 and therefore he's not projected on the team's cap for 2019.
Jim from Georgia
Did the higher-ups thank you for agreeing to be lumped in with "news" instead of having your own line in the menu?
My day typically consists of me thanking the higher-ups for not changing my code between the time I left the previous day and arriving that morning. I try to stick my head in the higher-ups' office once in the morning and once in the afternoon to do this. The thought of being "thanked" for something hadn't crossed my mind. I'll google it to see if I can get a better feel for this and its potential ramifications.
Chad from Yulee, FL
What ads? #scrollingrightby
Fair point.
Joseph from San Marcos, TX
Would it be possible to bold the questions in addition to italics so it's easier to read? Also, you need one of those "raise" things; google it, you'll thank me later.
I googled "raise." I guess I get the point in theory. I just can't get my head around how it would apply on a personal level.
Mike from Section 238
Dear Funk King O, I didn't care about the two-tone helmets, or the shapes of the numbers on the uniform, or what color pants they wear with what color jersey, or the format of the website. Just keep giving me a team and articles with substance. And a head writer who's got the funk.
Jaguars 2018 Organized Team Activities start Tuesday.
