Vic: I’m incredulous at the number of these questions I’m receiving. You’ve got to be kidding. After a year in which the Jaguars spent $22 million in free agency on two players with negative result, I can’t imagine the team would try it again, especially with a player whose past is more checkered than a Kansas road map.

Vic: They would’ve won more games and we would’ve had more fun watching them, but I don’t think it would’ve made the difference. The real problem was on defense, which only lost one starter, Rashean Mathis, and that wasn’t until late in the season and after the issue had been decided.

Vic: You don’t own a TV? You’ll go far in life.

Vic: I would circle Feb. 9 on my calendar so I make sure that I waste no time in cutting a certain wide receiver. He ruined them.

Vic: Sure, there are lots of guys in free agency who address needs without representing a major financial risk. Mewelde Moore is such a player. Carolina got mileage out of Keydrick Vincent and Tyler Braden. Chris Crocker has picked up some slack for Miami. Danny Clark starts for the Giants. Reynaldo Wynn is a rotation guy for the Giants. Byron Leftwich won an important game for the Steelers. You have to find them. You have to find the bargains in free agency, just as you have to find talent in undrafted free agency. If you rely only on the draft and free agency, your roster will lack depth and your salary cap and payroll structure will be a problem.

Vic: There’s nothing wrong with having big receivers, provided you haven’t sacrificed skill for size. I have a prejudice against heavy-legged receivers. I’ve never seen a heavy-legged receiver who could run after the catch. The Jaguars have heavy-legged guys and maybe that’s why they have such unimpressive YAC (yards after the catch) stats. Jones leads all Jaguars wide receivers in YAC with 71 yards in 65 catches. That’s 1.1 yards of run after the catch per catch and that’s not gonna work.

Vic: Take her in the backyard, give the ball to one of the kids and have him or her stand on a spot five yards behind mom. All right, now rush the kid; mom’s job is to block you. I think she’ll come around to your thinking.

Vic: None; Jack Del Rio said on Tuesday that all of his coaches will be retained, provided they don’t leave for another job.

Vic: That depends on their structure, which should be the first thing they determine. Do they want to hire a general manager who will be given broad powers that include the final say on player acquisition? If they do, then I would hire that person first and allow him input in hiring a new coach. If they want to hire a personnel director who will not have final say on player acquisition but will coordinate with the head coach, who will have final say on personnel, then I would hire the head coach first and allow him to assist in selecting a personnel director.

Vic: I think that’s what it means.

Vic: Mike Shanahan is a great coach. He’s the kind of coach you fear if he’s your opponent. Shanahan, however, made the mistake of using his success to acquire total control of the Broncos’ football operations. What it means is that when somebody has to be blamed, you’re the guy. That’s what happened in Denver. It got to the point that somebody had to take the fall and Shanahan was the guy because he picked the team and he coached the team. One voice is a big mistake. I have a friend who likes to say it’s not who’s right or wrong, it’s who gets the blame. There was no one else to blame and the Broncos had reached blame time.

Vic: All right, let’s take a look at the Chargers’ schedule. First of all, what makes Buffalo and New Orleans easy outs? The Chargers also played against the Panthers, Jets, Dolphins, Patriots, Steelers, Colts, Falcons and Bucs. That’s not a tough schedule? Are you kidding? They also had to travel across the country four times (at Miami, Buffalo, Pittsburgh and Tampa), and the game in Pittsburgh was in frigid conditions. I’m not saying you’re right, I’m saying you’re dead wrong if you’re suggesting the Chargers didn’t play a challenging schedule. Their 8-8 includes a three-point loss, a two-point loss, two one-point defeats and one that was the direct result of an officiating error. The Chargers, in my opinion, earned the AFC West title and deserve to host a playoff game.

Vic: Into the game more? That’s so disrespectful and incorrect. Yes, I think coach Del Rio will be stricter with his players in 2009. I think his season-ending press conference on Tuesday drew a line in the sand that all players will interpret as such, but I don’t think coach Del Rio will be any more into the game in ’09 than he was in ’08 because I have no doubt that he has never been anything but completely into any game in which he has ever played or coached in his life.

Vic: Those are the dates of my annual winter golf vacation and they are very important. Happy New Year, everybody.