JACKSONVILLE – Let's get to it …

Dan from Greer

I understand fans gotta fan, and it's always coaching, every game is winnable, it was Week 1, and it's rainy days and Mondays, but I think we're going a little heavy with the grumbles over Miami. Granted, we were ahead and should have won, but we weren't favored, we were on the road, and according to Briggs from Unnecessary Roughness, we weren't working as a cohesive unit. Perhaps we should save our heavy grumbles for when we are favored, we were ahead, it wasn't Monday and it wasn't raining and we were working as a cohesive unit, and we still lost ... then, Let's get ready to really GRUMBLE …

The Jaguars play the Cleveland Browns in the regular-season home opener at EverBank Stadium Sunday. It's a home game against an opponent that made the postseason in 2023. The Browns are good and the Jaguars believe they are good. The Jaguars also made the kinds of offseason moves that make you believe they should be good. A lot of pieces are in place around here. Hope remains high. If the Jaguars win Sunday, it gives this team an entirely different feel and the outlook will seem bright. If the Jaguars don't win … I don't want to talk about it.

ROY from FROM THE BLOODY STREETS OF RIDGEWOOD

Will Pederson continue to call the first half and let Press continue to call the second half?

Jaguars Head Coach Doug Pederson called plays in the first half of games in 2022 with offensive coordinator Press Taylor calling them in the second half of games that season. Taylor called plays throughout games in 2023. Pederson has not yet said who is calling or will call plays when this season, and I do not know if he will do so. I have seen nothing legitimate to indicate that Pederson is calling plays in the first half with Taylor calling them in the second half this season.

Ron from Tallahassee, FL

Speaking of mental toughness, do the Jaguars have a sports psychologist available to the team?

Yes.

Deane from Sands of Daytona

Yo, O-Zone!!! With the injury bug on the Browns' running back room, running will be extremely difficult against the Jags' defensive line. This will require quarterback Deshaun Watson to try to beat us with his arm and legs; both are average at best. If our secondary can lockdown their two playmaking wide receivers, the Browns are going to have a hard time scoring. This should allow our offense to play more relaxed. I'm liking our odds this week. What says you, O-Zone???

I think this is a game the Jaguars can win. I expect it could be close in the fourth quarter. I expect the Jaguars' defense to play well and to give the team a chance to win. I expect the Jaguars' offense to have some issues against a good Browns defense, but I expect the offense to make enough plays for the Jaguars to win.

Charlie from Jacksonville

The Jags need to make adjustments during halftime so we did come out flat in the second half.

Here we go, Jaguars.

Wayne from Brunswick, GA

Why are we running the ball more than passing the ball? We put in 10,000 percent more money in the quarterback and wide receiver than the running game. The Miami quarterback had all day passing long bombs on every play. What is going on???

The Jaguars have played one game in 2024. They ran well in the first three quarters of that game, led by 14 and 10 points and were a lost fumble from leading by 17 points late in the third quarter. To repeat: The Jaguars played one football game last Sunday. They will play 16 more.

Nick from Annapolis, MD

Is the play-calling in the Dolphins game the silliest thing the fans have been upset about since when they wanted to fire General Manager Trent Baalke? It's driving me crazy.

It's quite a scene.

Don from Marshall, NC

Switch the tackles with the guards and handoff to Travon Walker and get off the tracks! Moodachay Baby Moodachay! Take what we need!

When it comes to Jaguars third-year defensive end Travon Walker doing something the Jaguars won't have him do, Don remains "all in." And oh yes … Don's back.

Nelson from St Augustine, FL

John: After 28 years of watching Jaguars football, my expectations for the team have always been pretty low based on their performance most years. Recently, I have been leaning on Don and his overwhelming enthusiasm to motivate me and get me ready for some Jaguars football. I can handle losing our first game. I actually expected it, but I'm not sure I can handle losing Don now. What do we have to do to get him back on board the positivity train? I'm finding that I need the Don to be all in Monday through Saturday so I can be ready for whatever happens on Sunday so I can see some sort of silver lining ahead of these games.

Don's back. He's a leader of men. He's also all in until he's not.

Haney from Little Elm, TX

The knock on this team a few years ago was that this team couldn't close and needed to learn how to win. Leads were snatched away regularly late into games. In 2022 and half of 2023 that seemed to change and the Jags were the ones cashing in on late-game comebacks and winning the second half. That changed in the second half of last year and it seems like it's progressing back to the old days. What do you see in this team that can make us believe they can get back to finishing?

The Jaguars' offensive line run-blocked well for much of Week 1. The run defense also played well much of Week 1. I expect the pass rush led by Josh Hines-Allen, Arik Armstead and Travon Walker to be able to close games at times if they have a late lead. The Jaguars also are more experienced than they were last season. Those are all elements that should help a team close games. None of these guarantee the Jaguars will be able to close games. And until they close games, these questions about them not closing games will be vey fair and very important.

Bill from Jax

What is the minimum number of games the Jaguars can win and still have a realistic chance of making the playoffs this season?

My early guess: Nine.

Nick from Palm Coast, FL

Everything is all well and good about rotating players to keep them fresh. What happens when the other team decides to use the no-huddle offense? Then, you will be stuck with those players on the field. What then?

First, it's difficult and rare these days for a team to go no-huddle an entire game. When teams do, you get players in and out as quickly as you can when you can – and for the part, you go with the matchups you got.

Charles from Riverside

Hello John, you mentioned "wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. appears well on his way to being a player teams must defend and scheme to take away." Which also leaves wide receiver Christian Kirk, tight end Evan Engram, Thomas and wide receiver Gabe Davis and our running backs and tight ends as potential targets. My question is how deep in the corps on any given play can quarterback Trevor Lawrence check down, where is he in his development in that regard? Certainly a skill of most of the great quarterbacks. Have you seen that ability on a regular basis from TL? Also, is there a minimum check down we would generally expect from a top ten QB in the league? Realizing of course all of the above is tempered by the pass rush on any given play.

I'm not sure what "minimum checkdown" means. Lawrence has the ability to go through his progressions and get to the third or fourth read. He has the ability – and the clearance – to see the defense and get to a different play he likes. How often he does this – and how effective he is – absolutely depends on the pass rush on any given play. Where is he is in this development? He's improving. He's better than he was two seasons ago. He must continue in this vein because it's pretty much the defining skill for an NFL quarterback.

P Funk from Murray Hill

When was the last time you were giddy or did a cartwheel?

I never have done a cartwheel. I recall doing some sort of flip or somersault during recess at St. Andrews in Arlington in the sixth grade in early '77, but I recall hurting my nose. I was giddy once in the late 1980s. I forget why, though I think it had something to do with a new flavor at Fat Tuesday's at The Landing.