JACKSONVILLE – Let's get to it …
Ryan from Reality
And that concludes the "easy" half of the schedule. On to Kansas City!
The Jaguars' 2022 schedule on paper does now get significantly more difficult with games remaining against the Kansas City Chiefs (6-2), Dallas Cowboys (6-2), Baltimore Ravens (6-3) and New York Jets (6-3) – and two games remaining against the Tennessee Titans (5-3). They have fared relatively well so far this season against teams that currently have winning records, beating the 5-3 Los Angeles Chargers easily and playing the 8-0 Philadelphia Eagles and 6-2 New York Giants tough before losing late. The reality is the record – and even the quality – of the Jaguars' opponents this season has mattered far less than the avoidable errors the Jaguars have made to cost themselves games in most of their losses. The last two months do look tough and they will have to play well in most games to win. That's OK. It's professional football. It's not supposed to be easy.
Unhipcat from Carlsbad, CA
"Hey, 52. I play better when you hit me, 52. I like it." That's a side of Trevor I hadn't seen before. He has a bit of moxie to him. I see why his teammates talk about like they do.
Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence's recent "Mic'd Up" segment on jaguars.com was cool. People liked it. Here's why.
Don from Marshall, NC
Travis Etienne is a bad man and I mean bad to mean good, really good. He has his own style and that means he is like no other. Running back is the hardest position in football and you have got to stay healthy to be great. We might be watching something great starting. I guarantee he scares the opposing defenses. You can run a lot of plays off that threat because everyone on the field knows he can take it to the house. Last two years of draft picks really are coming on. I really believe this team thinks they can beat anybody. Go Jaguars!
Running back might be the most physically demanding position in the NFL, but quarterback is far and away the most difficult position. But you're right that we might be seeing the start of something great with Jaguars running back Travis Etienne Jr. The kid has vision, speed, elusiveness and toughness. He's soooo much better than I anticipated. I expected him to be a big-play threat and a complementary back. I didn't expect him to carry an offense. He can.
Zac from Austin, Tejas
I am not trying to infer anything drastic - but after seeing ETN's workload the last two weeks the storyline about not having enough carries available for James Robinson seems inconsistent. He gets traded and now the running game is playing a bigger part.
The Jaguars traded former running back James Robinson because they weren't going to re-sign him after the season and they wanted to get draft equity for him rather than lose him as a free agent. They are running more now than before because Etienne is special and the Jaguars want him to have as many opportunities as is reasonable.
John from Cape May Court House
I'd like to see Etienne get more involved in the passing game moving forward. That is all. As you were
Perchance you shall.
WJBIII from Yulee, FL
Do we hold the tiebreaker over Indy?
The Colts have a tie and the Jaguars do not. Unless the Jaguars tie a game, the tiebreaker won't be a factor.
Holger from Zurich, Switzerland
Can you get your head around the performance of Josh Allen? He can be dominant at times but then he also be a non-factor way too often. This makes a decision on his future difficult. I think they should re-sign him, but the right contract size and contract could will be a talking point. I certainly would not think they would go all-in on him with the way he has been playing this season.
Jaguars outside linebacker Josh Allen indeed will present a tricky contract scenario. He has a season remaining on his rookie contract after this season, and the time for extending typically would be sometime around next offseason. He has been really good at times and his presence in the lineup makes you better. The Jaguars would not be better defensively were he to get injured. At the same time, he's a pass rusher who hasn't had big sacks numbers and hasn't been nearly as impactful as he or the team hoped this season. Signing him won't be cheap. Were he a free agent, he would sign a mammoth contract somewhere. I expect this dynamic will change in the final half of the season, but it's absolutely currently a difficult decision for both sides.
Greg from Atlanta, GA
What do you think will happen with Josh Allen next year? Given the cap situation it seems we won't be able to re-sign him given his production and what he may get in free agency. Not disagreeing if he we let him know walk but it's a bitter pill if we are unable to keep.
Allen is under contract with the Jaguars through 2023. While they have the option of extending his contract next offseason, they also have the option of having him play 2023 on this contract. They also would have the option of placing the franchise tag on him after that. I don't know that either side has a great idea of what will happen and when, but those are some options.
Andrew from Summerville, SC
The lack of pressure from the Jags' defensive line isn't as concerning to me as the lack of containment. Against a quarterback like Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, who likes to break out of the pocket to buy more time, this could be a fatal weakness on defense.
Yes.
Elon Musk from Everywhere
I thought when Doug Pederson took over as head coach this team, he would utilize the tight end position more. We have some decent tight ends and even Luke Farrell has developed nicely, but still it seems the plan is not to involve them in the passing game. What gives? Wouldn't using the tight end help take some of the pressure off Trevor and allow some quick and easy completions?
Jaguars tight ends as a group are on pace to catch about 86 passes for 925 yards and two touchdowns, with Evan Engram accounting for the vast majority of that production. That's a bit less production than I expected from the position, but not enough to indicate a plan to not involve tight ends in the passing game. The Jaguars have had a few games when it seemed like Engram has been a big part of the plan and others where they have targeted receivers more, particularly Christian Kirk. Remember: This is the first year for all involved in this offense. My sense is that Pederson and offensive coordinator Press Taylor are just now figuring how to best utilize some of their personnel. I would imagine some games in the second half of the season with the tight ends more involved.
Charles from Riverside
Hello, John. When you see Etienne in person during a game at the stadium, he seems bigger than he appears on television. To compare, Walter Payton – in the Hall of Fame – was 5-feet-10, 200 pounds. Etienne is 5-10, 215. While their style is different, both ran regularly up the middle when needed. After last Sunday, I feel better about Etienne's ability to hold up for the rest of the season. But again, fewer games back when Payton played.
It can be a little tricky to compare players heights and weights across era because the style of the game can change dramatically in a couple of decades. But your point about Etienne is well-taken. Much has been written and said about his size and ability to withstand NFL punishment. This is more perception than reality. He is not by modern NFL standards a small back. Not even close. He has said repeatedly he can handle a heavy workload. The way he has been playing in recent weeks, it appears he's right.
Brandon from Omaha, NE
Hey, O. The Jags played only the teams with a winning record in their first nine games and went 3-6. Now they will play six teams with winning records in their final eight games. That's a brutal stretch. What do you think is a realistic finish to the year? I fear a couple of blowouts if there isn't improvement in the red zone.
I think it's realistic for the Jaguars to win three or four more games and finish 6-11 or 7-10. I thought before the season this was about a six-to-seven-victory team. That still feels about right.
Mike from Omaha, NE
_Living in Omaha and being Jags fans, my wife and I don't get to see them in person very often. We are very excited to see them play (and hopefully beat the Chiefs). _
Enjoy the game.
