JACKSONVILLE – Let's get to it …
Marc from Oceanway
Zone, do you think that Tyson Campbell will struggle in man coverage this season? He seems to be the perfect cornerback for a zone scheme. He did struggle a bit with man coverage prior to our adopting a zone-heavy scheme. Or is this a false narrative and was due to him being a rookie prior to his sophomore jump?
My sense is it's a bit of a false narrative, and the Jaguars certainly believe this. Remember, too: While cornerback Tyson Campbell – a second-round selection by the Jaguars in the 2021 NFL Draft – indeed struggled at times as a rookie, those struggles usually were more about locating the ball in the air than any inability to play man-to-man coverage. The Jaguars entering the 2024 season believe Campbell will thrive in new defensive coordinator Ryan Nielsen's man-to-man, press-coverage based scheme.
Cliff from Orange Park, FL
Humble prediction/hunch for T-Law: 4,500 yards, 68 percent, 35 touchdowns to six interceptions, AFC South and AFC Championship – plus a Super Bowl appearance and maybe a win. Would this make him elite?
First thought: If that's humble, I would hate to say you when you're being cocky. Second thought: Elite is a label, and to spend a morning/afternoon watching big sports faces yell at each other on television is to grasp the arbitrary nature of labels in professional sports. The season you describe for Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence would be successful by any measure. It would be memorable. It would mean Lawrence in the first season following his contract extension quarterbacking the Jaguars to their best season in their three decades in the NFL. Some people would call him elite after such a season. Some people would argue with that first group of people because we live these days in an argumentative society. Some people would never accept him as elite even if he had three or more similar seasons. Advice from this old man: Don't worry so much about labels. What to do if he has the season you describe and people don't call him elite? Remember how damned fun you had watching the season and hope he can do it again.
Pookie from Panda City
Come on, John. The offensive line last year was a debilitating and embarrassing problem, and you're saying that signing a 90-year-old center and re-signing a guy who already couldn't run block last year is "addressing the line?" I'm just a ticket-buying peon who clearly wouldn't know better than the experts, but it's obvious what Jaguars General Manager Trent Baalke's did to fix the horrible line from last season: diddly poo.
So one not fer Baalke, apparently.
Chris from Tampa, FL
Sorry, I wasn't very clear. In mentioning the one pick-six in the game, Coach Mora brought up that they had thrown four interceptions returned for touchdowns that season. Someone in the room corrected him by saying five.
You're referencing a recent O-Zone thread discussing former Indianapolis Colts Head Coach Jim Mora's infamous "playoffs" press conference following a November 2001 loss to the San Francisco 49ers. Mora indeed was approaching his limit with the entire season at that point, particularly with the interceptions thrown by then-Colts quarterback Peyton Manning that were returned for touchdowns. Manning after that season significantly reduced his interceptions without reducing his aggressiveness, with his ability to balance good decisions and aggression producing a Hall of Fame career with five Most Valuable Player seasons.
Boomgrounder from Moundsville
To Marlin from Greenway Springs thru the KOAF: What if you're using an I-Pad?
Keep it on the road, Boomgrounder.
Gary from Dayton, OH
It's the dead "zone", so here's a music question. We're about the same age, so the R.E.M. love from college is no surprise. Did you see them at Swisher Gym (JU campus) on the Fables tour? I was lucky enough to see them on the Murmur tour at Miami (OH) campus, then Fables tour at JU, then Green tour in Orlando.
I saw R.E.M. at the Bandshell in Gainesville in September 1984 on the Reckoning Tour. It's among my best two or three concerts along with Bruce Springsteen on the River Tour at the Coliseum in 1981 and Warren Zevon on his Learning to Flinch tour, the latter of which was in downtown Jacksonville – in 1993, I believe. I also saw R.E.M. on the Pageantry Tour in Jacksonville in '86, but it wasn't at Swisher. It was at the Civic Auditorium. I didn't enjoy the Pageantry Tour as much as Reckoning, but that was my fault. I went wanting to hear "early" R.E.M. and was convinced that they had somehow "sold out" and wronged me when they didn't play "Sitting Still" and instead mainly played new songs. This in retrospect clearly was about my immaturity and ridiculousness when it came to music at that age, and the band members will be relieved to know I bear them no long-standing grudge.
Richard from St Augustine, FL
Good teams find a way to win. They don't go 1-6 down the stretch even with injuries! Going 1-6 means Jags depth isn't where it needs to be to be considered good. However sometimes teams that aren't good yet can play above their weight when the team collectively come together in an all believing mentality. What are your funky thoughts on all these points? DTWD Go Jags Getting close to funkytown time.
"Good teams win despite injuries" is one of those things that sounds good and no one really argues with because it sounds good. It's not necessarily true. Sometimes injuries take such a toll on the season at important enough positions that the situation is debilitating. You can only have so much depth in the NFL.
Dallas from Sioux Falls, SD
It's the dead zone, and I just watched the teaser for throwback uniforms. Those are going to be pretty cool to see. Knowing that you were a Washington fan "back in the day," did you like their uniforms? I guess I don't follow them much so I'm not sure if they really even have a throwback.
That team was my favorite growing up, so I liked the uniform. I didn't like anything particular "about" the uniform. The Oakland A's were my favorite baseball team and the Seattle SuperSonics were my favorite basketball team, so I liked their uniforms, too.
Scott from Gilbert, AZ
Zone, I think it can be argued that the only times this franchise has ever enjoyed any type of "long-term success" was when they took guys who were ready to contribute as rookies in the second round like defensive end Tony Brackens, center Brad Meester, cornerback Rashean Mathis, linebacker Daryl Smith and running back Maurice Jones-Drew; as opposed to projects that can be found in later rounds.
OK.
P Funk from Murray Hill
If Freddy T and Jimmy Smith eventually make HOF, having three Hall of Famers on a single roster is special. On one side of the ball! What is the first team with that honor that you think of? What about a team with three not making the Super Bowl?
Former Jaguars running back Fred Taylor and former Jaguars wide receiver Jimmy Smith both from this view should be in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. That indeed would mean three players from the 1998-2001 Jaguars teams being so enshrined, with left tackle Tony Boselli a member of the 2022 Hall class. My sense is that Taylor has a chance to be elected in the next few-odd years. My sense is that Smith will have a difficult time making it. Teams that come to mind with multiple Hall of Famers on offense: The Dallas Cowboys of the mid-1990s and the Indianapolis Colts from the 2000s. If a team that didn't make the Super Bowl had three Hall of Famers, I would say sometimes really good teams don't make the Super Bowl.
Sean from Saint Johns City
Why would you use a Word Processor when there are perfectly fine text editors available?
I have given this question no thought. I don't plan to change that.
Troy from Dover, PA
Why isn't Tony Boselli on the Jaguars "experts" panel anymore?
You're referencing our "Final Analysis" series, in which a "panel" of so-called "experts" analyze Jaguars issues. Boselli typically partakes in this exercise during the regular season, but not in the offseason. He's a busy guy and presumably very important. We take what we can get.
David from Orlando, FL
KOAF – I don't see running back Tank Bigsby as a short-yardage back. I think he compares to a smaller, slower version of Leonard Fournette, who wasn't exactly known for his short-yardage prowess. A short-yardage back can run into a brick wall and come out the other side. He should run with great vengeance and furious anger. I agree with Don from Marshall NC, this player is not currently on the roster.
"A short-yardage back can run into a brick wall and come out the other side" is another one of those things that sound good without always being true.
