JACKSONVILLE – Let's get to it …
JT from Palm Coast, FL
Mediocre play on offense and injuries seem to be the undoing of the 2024 Jaguars. It is getting late early.
The Jaguars are 0-4 after a 24-20 Week 4 road loss to the Houston Texans this past Sunday – and as is and should be expected, fans and observers have myriad thoughts about why a team with such high expectations has played so poorly. Mediocre play offensively absolutely is one reason, with the offensive line and quarterback Trevor Lawrence seemingly taking turns struggling – along with pretty much everything else. While the defense has played well enough to win in three of four games, that unit has yet to force a turnover this season and has allowed key, extended drives in huge situations in three close losses. As for the injuries … while they have been an issue, particularly on defense, they don't yet from this view feel like the overriding storyline. Either way, it's absolutely getting late early for the 2024 Jaguars. No doubt. Maybe too late. We'll see.
Michael from Orange Park, FL
I assume you rewatched the game. Bad clock management or nah?
I did rewatch the Jaguars' loss to the Texans Monday morning, and I'll assume you're asking about the Jaguars' clock management when they took possession at their 28-yard-line with 3:51 remaining leading 20-17. I received emails Sunday night wondering why the Jaguars didn't try to run clock at that point. I see the reasoning of these emails, but the Jaguars did run on first down – and running back Travis Etienne Jr. gained just one yard. Lawrence then threw incomplete on second and third down, with safety Jalen Pitre making a nice pass breakup on a second-down throw to wide receiver Gabe Davis – a play that quietly was a huge turning point. I can't say this was a clock-management issue. The Jaguars only led by three points at the time, and simply running three plays and punting would have meant giving the Texans the ball back with two timeouts and probably around two minutes remaining. That's an eternity in the NFL. You must be able to throw for a first down there. The Jaguars just couldn't do that.
P Funk from Murray Hill
The first-round picks on this team are underwhelming.
This doesn't feel fair to rookie wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. But I won't argue. The Jaguars are 0-4. Everything on this team is underwhelming.
Barry from Amelia Island
Just what would it take for Jags to put in Jones?
Mac Jones? The backup quarterback? An injury to Lawrence.
Big Jags Fan from Jacksonville
Hey O! Do you think the emphasis placed on quarterback Trevor Lawrence by Head Coach Doug Pederson and offensive coordinator Press Taylor to reduce turnovers this year has resulted in him playing more tentatively? He has put up pedestrian numbers thus far this year while overthrowing receivers numerous times. If he seems to be pressing at times and not progressing towards being the elite quarterback that this team expects. What says you, O?
These are tough questions, because they require speculation. Only Lawrence can know what's happening in his head – and even he may not know. An argument can be made that Lawrence appears to be pressing at times. I don't get the sense that he's playing tentatively to avoid turnovers. Could he be having some issues with expectations after signing a huge, franchise-defining contract this past offseason? That seems more plausible from this uninformed eye.
Bobby from Summerville, SC
Hi, John. Are the Jags the only team in the NFL that has the uncanny ability to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory?
No.
David from Eau Claire
Season's over. Still in the running for the top draft pick. Can we start talking about the draft yet?
Anyone can talk about pretty much whatever they like. Within the context of the O-Zone, I don't discuss the NFL Draft in much detail – if at all – until the end of the regular season. There's plenty of time after that.
Nick from Annapolis, MD
I think a lot of people are missing the forest from the trees here. Is it all on Trevor Lawrence? No. But the things happening around Trevor are par for the course. Overall if Trevor was playing like an elite quarterback, the Jaguars would be at least 3-1. If he was playing as well as he was pre-injury last season, they would be at least 2-2. That's it. Every team is going to have missed opportunities and roster deficiencies. The Jaguars have had their fair share, but as a whole it doesn't appear to be at the point where elite quarterbacks can't function. Is it at a Super Bowl-winning level? No, but the Jaguars don't have enough players playing at a blue-chip level to be a surefire Super Bowl contender at the moment. But they should be competitive and should be in the mix for the division.
Fair.
Brian from Wheeling
I'm wondering what's really going on behind closed doors and the public doesn't know what the actual truth is. Seemed like Pederson was basically saying it's not them it's Trevor playing like garbage. They can coach him but not make his throws for him. Idk O what do you say about it?
Pederson when speaking to the media following Sunday's loss didn't say Lawrence was playing like garbage. He said he missed some throws Sunday he needed to make. Lawrence said the same thing. Most people watching the game would have said so, too.
Chad from Jacksonville
I guess it is sometimes coaching in the NFL?
You apparently heard wrong. It's always coaching in the NFL.
Tom from Jupiter, FL
- C'mon man. There's got to be a change. You can't continue to blame the L's on "bad play." The offensive coordinator needs to go. Make a change (that needed to be made last year) and let's see what this offense can do. The defense… unfortunately continues to be a major weakness for this team. How do you see this ship righting itself???
It's the NFL. These are professional football players. There are always many issues involved with winning or losing. But to categorically say you can't blame the outcome of a professional football game on "bad play" is categorically incorrect. Of course you can. I mean … of course you can.
Paul from Washington, D.C.
The season may be over — but can the Jaguars finally admit they need to rebuild the offensive line?
The offensive line hasn't been great this season. It was a lot better for the most part on Sunday.
Jeremy from Gilbert, AZ
The inevitable is going to happen by the end of the season, Owner Shad Khan is going to fire people and reset this thing again. The sad thing is we likely need a better general manager, a better head coach and an actual franchise quarterback. We're basically starting all over, again, in 2024, and it's just not fun anymore.
I can't tell you what will happen by the end of the season – or anytime in the future, actually. I can tell you losing sucks and it's never fun when you're 0-4.
Rob from San Antonio, TX
Funk-meister, with all the doom and gloom surrounding the team I'm trying to keep life in perspective. My Dad just retired after nearly 50 years of service to the US Navy (in uniform and as a civilian). Can I get a one-fer the Old Man?
One fer Rob's dad? Absolutely.
Al from Orange Park, FL
Would you please provide a list of injured defensive starters with status of each? Especially interested in which type of IR status for some.
Cornerback Tyson Campbell (hamstring, injured reserve, can return), defensive end Josh Hines-Allen (concussion protocol), safety Darnell Savage (quadriceps, could return Sunday), linebacker Foye Oluokun (foot, injured reserve, can return this season), safety Andrew Wingard (knee, injured reserve, can return this season).
Drekarr from Atlanta,GA
O Zone, I am trying to figure out why we drafted to defensive lineman from LSU who have yet to play. Defensive coordinator Ryan Nielsen said he wanted to keep a fresh rotation. Maason Smith and Jordan Jefferson would provide that. So why are they not in the rotation?
They're not ready yet. It's October of their rookie seasons. This is not unusual.
Don from Marshall NC
This team is just not any fun to watch anymore. The offense is boring along with lackluster defense. You have the highest payroll in the league. They have blown thru an unbelievable amount of draft picks. The show just stinks. I had more fun watching Urbans offense. I am 100 percent positive that I could have done a better job and I have no experience. How these guys get away with this is mind blowing! Go Jaguars!
When it comes to a whole bunch of Jags-related topics, Don is not "all in" to the point that it's concerning and a little disconcerting.
