JACKSONVILLE – Let's get to it …

Doc from Jax

Hey, John. Of the Jags' losses, six have been by an average of 4.16 points. Good teams find a way to win those games, but where does that come from? Do the coaches instill that? Is that something that the players are responsible for? Is it culture? What I'm looking for is where does the organization need to focus its attention to be able to turn those losses into wins.

The Jaguars' 2024 season indeed has been defined by close losses. Their 12-7 loss to the Minnesota Vikings at EverBank Stadium Sunday marked the sixth loss of the season by five or fewer points, with all six games decided in the final minutes. It's absolutely true that had the Jaguars at 2-8 won even half of those games they would be very much in the postseason discussion with a very different perception of the season. But it's equally true that the NFL is a league of close games – and when you can't win those games, it's not as much about being "close" as it is simply not being good enough to win close games. Witness the Kansas City Chiefs: They are 9-0 and have come from behind to win in eight of the victories. They are not getting lucky. They have players who make critical plays at critical moments. Why don't the Jaguars do this? Perhaps it's a little culture or coaching. Those things matter. But the bottom line is the Jaguars need more great, playmaking players. When you don't have enough, it's hard to have an identity. It's hard to get momentum. Everything's hard. The Jaguars have a lot of good players. They have a lot of players who are very capable starters in the NFL. How many difference-making, elite players they have is a different question. Solution: Keep drafting, keep developing. Grow great players. It's the only way.

Lance from Lebanon, TN

No question, just an honest observation. Other teams are improving, this team is not!

This is probably fair. I don't know that the Jaguars are actually getting worse. They have played a tough stretch of opponents in recent weeks and have competed each week. They're a team that loses close games because they don't make critical plays in critical moments – and they're just as much that team now as they were early in the season. They're also getting progressively weaker because of injuries, which makes it difficult to improve when you're playing contending teams. But no … the Jaguars right now aren't improving.

Ryan from Apopka, FL

We are supposed to have a "great" offensive head coach who believes in his offensive coordinator. Coaches work on scripting the first 15 plays. These are things they work on during the week that should be successful. Why are we so inept on our first drive this year? Through 10 games, we have three points on those drives with three three and outs and four other games with one first down then a punt. So 70 percent of the time we are punting the ball right back to them. Why?

Good question.

Sascha from Cologne

Hey, John. They must be kidding. I thought this offense is bad but with Mac Jones under the helmet it was the worst offense I have maybe ever seen.

Sunday was bad. This offense never was great. Now, with quarterback Trevor Lawrence and wide receiver Christian Kirk out, it seems really limited – and it seems to be getting compressed with defenses better able to limit strengths and take away the run. Uh-oh.

Chris from St. Augustine, FL

I understand that losing, especially the way the Jags did Sunday, is hard on the team and coaches, but doesn't Doug come off in a bad light when he interacts with the media the way he did after the game? He isn't doing himself any favors by being snarky/talking down when we can all see the problems.

Jaguars Head Coach Doug Pederson following Sunday's game said this when asked about Jones' final interception late in the fourth quarter: "I'm not going to go through the details of the play because you guys wouldn't figure it out." It wasn't a great look.

George from Savannah, GA

Pederson's snide response to a reporter's question about the last play that led to another Jones interception is another nail in the coffin of a coach that has lost control. Embarrassing to both the team and the citizens supporting the Jaguars.

What Pederson said was ill-advised. It wasn't good for perception. I wouldn't associate it with a lack of control. What a coach says to the media isn't a measure of that. And it shouldn't be a "nail in the coffin." Pederson could be better overall in postgame availabilities. That he's not great doesn't put him in a one-man league among NFL coaches.

Mark from KC via OP

At this point, who cares?

Very fair.

Don from Marshall, NC

You just love the fire Mac Jones brings to the game with enthusiasm and his powder puff blue passing. He is really going to make a great coach someday. Go Jaguars!

When it comes to backhanded compliments that aren't really compliments but might sort of be compliments, Don remains "all in."

Allen from St C OH

Poor offensive showing and very poor end to an excellent defensive performance. Can we get a game where both offense and defense play well for at least half of a game?

It doesn't seem like it.

Ronnie from St. Pete, FL

Let's be real here, O-Man. Regardless of how the season concludes in January, Shad Khan has absolutely NO ONE to blame for this dumpster fire of a season but himself. Wouldn't even surprise me if he even penned a "Too Long, Didn't Read" statement addressing the fans on why this season has been a failure given how he didn't do much to fix the glaring issues of play-calling, O-Line, Defense, etc. yet still claim it's the best team he's ever assembled? The day Shad takes accountability and makes changes for the direction of this franchise will probably be the day hell freezes over and pigs start learning to fly, I sadly reckon.

Jaguars Owner Shad Khan has hired five head coaches, two general managers and an executive vice president in charge of football operations in 13 seasons. He has made changes in the direction of the franchise, and he by any measure has invested far more than adequately in all things football. Hell doesn't have to freeze over and pigs don't have to fly. This is a frustrating season. It's frustrating for coaches, players, fans, personnel people. And yes … it's absolutely frustrating for Khan.

Nick from Virginia Beach, VA

I got a gripe O. Kerry complaining about the fans instead of the terrible teams the jags put out almost every year for a decade and a half. Why shouldn't fans complain? It means they give a #$&!

Fans absolutely should complain. And they do. Why shouldn't they?

Jeremy from Gilbert, AZ

Mac Jones clearly isn't special. Lawrence has yet to prove he's special. So you're telling me the Jags won't draft a quarterback in the next draft because they're holding out hope that Lawrence will turn out to be special in his fifth season or beyond?

I have no idea the Jaguars' plans in the 2025 NFL Draft. I do expect Lawrence to be the Jaguars' quarterback for the foreseeable future.

Jeff from Middleburg

Hey O, I'm really proud of what Matt Jones was able to get done yesterday. A lot had been made of this and that with Trev many excuses and not much to show and the way we see Matt take the reins with the same team and put up a fight against the best team in the league looking like the door for Trev return is basically done. We have seen Trev play for a while now, give the young gun a shot and maybe with some actual preparation he will wow us some more! Not a trev hater by any means but the writing is on the walls and besides I like the hometown story and always root for the David over the Goliath, this is duval we do it with our own!

"Matt Jones."

David from Eau Claire

Man, this offense is horrible. What should we watch for the rest of the season? It has been fun to see which way they can lose each week. Any predictions for the next game?

The Jaguars will play the Detroit Lions on the road Sunday. That might be the best team the Jaguars play this season. I will pass on making a prediction.

Scott from Jax in DE

I know it must be hard trying to find answers for all of us invested fans who are very emotional at this time, O-man. But honestly, what is there to look forward to at this point of this nightmarish season?

Christmas break.