JACKSONVILLE – Let's get to it …
Steve at work at his desk from Jax
Under the category of first-place problems, should fans be at all concerned that the Jaguars are not being tested enough? I am getting New England vibes from last year. Our first-place schedule is getting pretty soft. Yeah, it is the NFL … yada yada … but it looks like the Chicago Bears game will be a big and very important measuring stick game after a bit of a lull. Thoughts?
This has been a bit of an O-Zone topic in the wake of the Jaguars' 33-10 victory over the Baltimore Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore, Md., Thursday – and you are right that it is very much a "first-place" problem. You play who you play in the NFL and the Jaguars for the most part this season have handled who they have played in impressive fashion. They also played what many considered a difficult schedule in the early weeks of the season and already have beaten the Cleveland Browns, Patriots and Cincinnati Bengals this season. Those are three of the AFC's contending teams and their already good records would be better without losses to the Jaguars. The Jaguars also play the Pittsburgh Steelers, New York Giants and Chicago Bears in the coming weeks – all teams currently leading their divisions or very much contending. Fear not. The Jaguars will be "tested." Remember, too: While it was vogue late last season to say the Patriots had a "soft" schedule, they played in the Super Bowl following last season and lost to a Seattle Seahawks team that was pretty clearly the best team in the NFL last season. Playing in the Super Bowl is hard. The Patriots accomplished that hard thing to do. "Vibes" aside, I doubt the Patriots spent much time after the season regretting or feeling guilty about their schedule.
Joe from Living in St. Johns, down by the river
John, I have watched the replay a dozen times and still cannot determine how Parker caught that touchdown pass across the middle. The ball barely touched his fingertips, and he managed to pull it back and boom, we get six. Do you have any inside scoop on why he walked the goal line before stepping into the end zone?
You are referencing Jaguars wide receiver Parker Washington's 50-yard touchdown reception with :58 remaining in the first half Thursday. Washington caught the pass because he works tirelessly at all aspects of his profession, including hand strength and hand-eye coordination. He "walked the goal line" at the end of the play rather than scoring immediately because it was late in the first half and he was trying to reduce the time the Ravens had to score before halftime.
Steve from Wallingford, CT
It was so easy to look at this matchup and say, "No Lamar, this should be an easy game." I just want to give credit to the offense, because last I checked, Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson only plays offense and the Jags still had to play against the Ravens' full starting defense, in subpar weather too, and they made it look fairly easy.
No NFL game is easy. Teams must play well to win in one-sided fashion no matter the circumstances facing their opponent and the Jaguars played well Thursday. That may not be what the former players playing dress up behind desks say, but that's what's real.
Don from Marshall, NC
Thank goodness Derrick Henry is getting near the end of his Hall of Fame career! What a nightmare he is and has been! Watch the Ravens trade him back to the Tennessee Titans and we end up having to tackle him for two more games. That would be messed up! Congratulations to the Jaguars on another great game! Go Jaguars!
When it comes to worrying about things that probably aren't worth worrying about – and therefore being reflective of at least one or two O-Zone readers in the wake of a solid victory – Don remains "all in."
Warren from PVB
KOAF. Great game Thursday night for the most part, but one question: Why didn't the AFC Defensive Player of the Week get to play more? Thanks
Jaguars safety Rayuan Lane III had a very good game in a 42-7 victory over the Indianapolis Colts in Week 8 and was named AFC Defensive Player of the Week. He played extensively in that game because safeties Antonio Johnson and Eric Murray were both out, with Murray sustaining a season-ending elbow injury on the first play of that game. When Johnson returned on Thursday, Lane played less.
Steven D from Ponte Vedra Beach, FL
Good game. I did not see any concerning injuries, but I noticed running back Bhayshul Tuten was not in the game late. Was that purely out of precaution or was there an aggravation of his injury? Also, safety Kaevon Merriweather seemed to come out of the game late due to an injury. Any injuries to note? I don't normally track injuries so closely, but we have had some significant ones recently.
Tuten played extensively Thursday, rushing 12 times for 29 yards and a touchdown, and left the game with the outcome long since decided. This is a reasonable approach in a one-sided Thursday game for a player who didn't practice all week because of a foot/ankle injury and was a game-time decision. The Jaguars announced no significant injuries Thursday.
Mark from Sobieski, WI
I almost felt sorry for the Ravens, then I thought of all the past seasons where we were on the receiving end of teams rolling over us. So, I smiled and the thought went away.
This is professional football. Leave pity at the door.
Pete from Pratt, KS
Hey, O. Can we get one for punter/holder Logan Cooke? He received more than one bad snap during field-goal attempts but was able to handle them perfectly.
One fer Cooke, who also had a couple of punts early Thursday that kept the Jaguars in positive field-position situations. We often don't notice these things because Cooke is good at these things.
John from Section 206 again in a distant future
Zone, during the broadcast wrap up Clarissa Thompson was good, actually asking the panel, "Why are we not talking about the Jags?" Andre Whitworth was very complimentary, but Ryan Fitzpatrick, Richard Sherman and especially Tony Gonzales couldn't even choke up an acknowledgment. Real national media respect is never coming and that's precisely why "We're Jacksonville and we don't like you either!"
People who know football and bother to pay attention know the Jaguars are good. To think otherwise is to categorically not understand the sport. The Jaguars are 6-2 this season and have won 19 of their past 25 games. They have beaten a lot of good teams during that span and have beaten a lot of struggling teams by routinely wide margins. They are clearly one of the best teams in the AFC and in the NFL. What these people who speak on television say often has little to do with anything real. Watch them, be entertained. Then watch the Jaguars. They're entertaining and real.
Brittany from Duuuval for the win
Now, this how we do it, Jags. Wow, wow, wow. Turn down for what? Jags are 6-2, baby. Let's go win more games. Turn down for what? Jacksonville, Florida … I smell victory at its best. Trevor Lawrence is the best. How would you rate his quarterback status?
Up there. Way up there, actually.
George from St. Augustine, FL
Hello O. I predict the Jags show us they are "all in" these next few days and expect a blockbuster trade before the deadline. Someone maybe the likes of Philadelphia Eagles defensive tackle Jalen Carter. Are you hearing any rumblings?
Stay tuned.
Roger Joe from East Palatka, FL
Was that the cleanest Jaguar game you have ever seen? Even getting them to jump offsides on the fourth-down conversion in their own house. I am not sure I ever have seen a Jags team this dialed in, especially on primetime.
The Jaguars played remarkably clean Thursday, scoring on seven of 12 possessions – with one of the possessions an end-of-half kneel down – and committing just four penalties for 24 yards. They impressively ensured that the outcome of a game they "should have won" never was in doubt. The Jaguars have won a lot of games in one-sided fashion since midway through last season, so it's hard to say Thursday was all that much "cleaner" than a lot of recent Jaguars victories. But it was clean. Absolutely.
Pedal Bin, IFOTY from Farnborough, Hampshire, UK
Oh Mighty 'O' / King of all Funk, I am sorry that you and Micheal from the Mean streets of Arlington had to stay up past 9 p.m. Thursday. For us in the United Kingdom, the game finished at 4 a.m. and sadly my "silent" victory dance wasn't so silent as Mrs. Bin informed me as I went to bed.
Dance on, young man. Dance on.
