JACKSONVILLE – Let's get to it …
Jerome from New York, NY:
John, this one hurts really bad. We should have won this game. The stars and planets were lined up perfectly – and still, we found a way to lose. To me, this game was one of those games that can make or break a season. I won't even bring up the field-goal misses; what hurts me more is the play-calling. What's wrong with us? What is Jacksonville doing wrong in your eyes?
John: Sunday's loss did hurt – and it's indeed one that can make or break a season. The Jaguars absolutely should have been 2-2 and leading the AFC South right now. Jaguars Head Coach Gus Bradley and tight end Marcedes Lewis both said it after the game, and they were echoed by many others: if one or two plays of many go the other way, the Jaguars would have been talking about a victory rather than a loss. And if that had happened, a lot of the things that feel so bad would feel a lot differently. But you know what? The Jaguars didn't win and they're 1-3. What are they doing wrong? On Sunday, it was a simple case of not making plays. The Jaguars drove into Colts territory six times in the second half and didn't get a point. That's almost impossible to do. That's about not making plays, and not closing, and missing opportunities. All of those things are CoachSpeaky clichés, and they're all things fans hate hearing, but they were the reality for the Jaguars Sunday.
Teddy from Section 214 and Jacksonville:
No question … just really getting tired of feeling this way on Sundays, O. Just really tired of being a Jaguars fan …
John: I get it, Teddy. Losing sucks.
Chris from Heath, TX:
It's starting to look like we had two bad kickers during the preseason – not two good ones.
John: I understand the inclination to be very, very down on Jason Myers today. I could write that the loss was not all on him. The offense, for example, did not score a touchdown despite driving into Colts territory repeatedly in the second half and overtime. But while that's certainly true, kickers in this era need to consistently convert from 50 yards in – and sometimes even from beyond that. Myers has had two good games and two rough ones. That's two too many rough ones in the NFL. That's not to say the Jaguars are going to give up on Myers. I don't believe they are. But Sunday's misses hurt. No doubt.
Eric from New York City:
Play calling. Don't get it. Explain it to me.
John: This was the much-anticipated first email of the game, and the play-calling indeed was a topic among many fans Sunday. This loss wasn't about that, though. The Jaguars had more than 400 yards offense. Blake Bortles nearly had 300 yards passing. T.J. Yeldon had 105 yards rushing. Allen Hurns had 116 yards receiving. The Jaguars moved the ball; they just made too many mistakes and didn't make enough important plays at the right time.
Scott from London, England:
John … that pass rush … I have no words to explain how discouraging this is against a quite-frankly-atrocious Colts o-line.
John: Discouraging is a good word. The reality through four games is the Jaguars have a lot of trouble generating pressure on the quarterback rushing four down linemen. The solution has been and likely will continue to be to bring pressure with blitzes. You can't do this all of the time because of the risk involved, and that frustrates fans. The solution is get better pressure from the front four. Perhaps it will improve when defensive tackle Sen'Derrick Marks returns. That's a lot to ask from a player returning from a torn anterior cruciate ligament. We'll see.
Alton from Melbourne, FL:
Regardless of the outcome of this game, the Jaguars are in serious need of dynamic playmakers. There isn't a threat on the offense who can "take it to the house." I think Bortles will be as good as the playmakers the Jags surround him with.
John: Yeah, there's a lot of truth to what you say. There's a reason the Jaguars signed Julius Thomas in the offseason and there's a reason Marqise Lee is important. There's also a reason the Jaguars like Denard Robinson as a backup. Those guys are varying degrees of dynamic. Their return won't cure all that ails the offense, but it won't hurt.
Rob from Jacksonville:
O, these penalties are ridiculous ...
John: It was rough Sunday. It was particularly rough in the second quarter, when Jaguars penalties accounted for 42 yards on the Colts' lone touchdown drive of the game. A couple were questionable, and a 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty on Chris Clemons for contacting Matt Hasselbeck's helmet … well, that's just the rule; you can't touch the quarterback in the head. But 13 penalties for 92 yards? Yeah … not good.
Michael from Orange Park, FL:
Woulda … coulda … shoulda …
John: Didn't – and that's all that matters.
