JACKSONVILLE – Let's get to it …
Ray from Newport News, VA
Starting to see a few posts about how bad the AFC South is and yes, the division looks horrible. Lots of talk about how eight or nine wins will win the division – which is cool, I guess. But forgive me if I want and expect 12 or more wins. Let's not play down as the division does not look great and two teams are in sell mode. Go win the division and the best AFC record for the No. 1 spot.
This smells like a prime example of the everybody-has-a-forum-on-social-media world in which we now live. While it is cool that everyone has thoughts, there is a difference between an opinion and an intelligent opinion – and thinking the AFC South champion this season will have eight victories is an opinion somewhere far south of silly. The Jaguars went 13-4 last season and are 4-2 this season. They have victories this season over the defending AFC Champion New England Patriots and the 5-2 Cleveland Browns, also having beaten a 4-2 Cincinnati Bengals team that many believe will contend for and make the postseason. I have no idea the Jaguars' final record this season. Perhaps all will go wrong. It's the NFL so anything is possible, but there is nothing at this moment to remotely suggest this isn't a good team that will finish with double-digit victories. The Jaguars don't have a particular number of victories they expect, but they won't be "content" with any number and will seek the best record possible. Why in the world wouldn't they?
Will from Clay
Can NFL teams bring issues and concerns, and even the fans? The Jaguars have been hit so hard with penalties the past two games. The officiating overall is bad. I was watching one of the analysts on one of the so-called sports networks. That anal person made a comment on the Jaguars that made me throw my phone at the television, that the league is scared to death that the Jaguars and the Carolina Panthers are going to end up in the Super Bowl. They have more insight than you or/and the fans. But that makes a little sense, to keep games close and then start throwing the flag. It's either that or the online betting is getting involved in some kind away. The officiating, not just against Jaguars but other teams, is so suspicious. We pay a lot of hard-earned money to watch honest and fair games only to have them taken away by bad officiating. Thanks, from a concerned fan who is about to walk away from the game because the NFL fails to even look into the fans' concerns.
The league isn't scared of any Super Bowl matchup. It's the NFL. It's the Super Bowl. It's the American sports behemoth. People will watch. There is not a conspiracy among officials to call games in a particular way. That's not saying the Jaguars haven't been victimized by some very questionable calls this season. But questionable calls aren't a conspiracy.
Ray from Jax
John, I initially thought all this scoreboard watching was a wee bit early, but now I remember doing so to figure out draft position. However, I am really worried about the Tennessee Titans ruining the Jags' season. If they win the rest of their games (regular season and playoffs), they will win the Super Bowl.
True that.
Hill from Chandler, AZ
That end-of-2017 regular season game in Nashville, Tenn., was SO cold. That whole winter was the most brutal of the three years I lived in Music City. Loved every minute of living there, despite hating the Titans, and I'm super happy you went and saw a show in town at the Ryman recently. I hope that got you extra bonus points with Mrs. O. Signed, a lifelong Jags fan who is truly enjoying the good times we are currently experiencing. #DTWD
That 2017 regular-season finale for the Jaguars against the Tennessee Titans was a cold, cold day – so cold I remember it being cold despite being in the press box most of the afternoon. The Ryman was a fantastic experience. I would encourage anyone who loves music of any genre to go at least once. I don't know that I received any bonus points, though. I am not all that familiar with the concept, actually. Do they give those out in real life?
Armand from Atlantic Beach, FL
On a player called up to the active roster from practice squad who is inactive on game day … does he get a game check or his practice squad check?
A practice-squad player elevated for a regular-season game is paid one-seventeenth of the NFL veteran minimum salary for his years of experience for that week.
Jordan from Mandarin
The BTJ that made big plays in games and looked dominant has only done so with one quarterback and that was Mac Jones. For whatever reason, BTJ has never had big games with Trevor. It's bizarre that he isn't better with the great QB and great play caller.
Wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. had huge games in 2024 when he was essentially the Jaguars' lone offensive weapon. A lot of those games came late in the season after quarterback Trevor Lawrence was hurt and with Mac Jones as the quarterback. Thomas had numerous big plays last season when Lawrence was the quarterback and a lot of other players did, too. Maybe the reality is that Thomas is now one of a slew of talented players in this very good offense. He's not playing all that well right now, but a lot of other players are and that is why this is a very good team and offense.
Johnny from Jagsville
Zoney. Two weeks in a row with a very early Sunday alarm. Then, the bye week was insufferable. Now, we get rewarded with two games in five days, only to be followed up by a mini bye. It is not for the faint of heart! Zone, it is tough on the emotional daily routine. I guess we just have to buy in. (See what I did there?) This NFL fan thing is rough, I tell ya.
The better a team gets in the NFL, the more inconsistent the schedule in terms of specific days and times. It is generally cool for fans who enjoy prime-time and not all that cool for senior writers who like 1 p.m. home games.
Bradford from Orange Park, FL
How much do you think Executive Vice President of Football Operations Tony Boselli/General Manager James Gladstone/Head Coach Liam Coen give thought and may be in discussion to trying to obtain a defensive tackle who can push the pocket and pressure the quarterback? You could argue that if we had made a move for that by the trade deadline last year, we wouldn't have been near as vulnerable to giving up huge chunks against Buffalo in the playoffs. I get two in-season trades is a lot for one season. But we have been getting torched all year for those same huge chunks and it got us beat in both losses this year. Everyone is mad at defensive end Josh Hines-Allen, defensive end Travon Walker and cornerback Jarrian Jones/our secondary ... but the truth is until quarterbacks can't just ALWAYS step up and into daylight to avoid edge pressure and deliver strikes, we will continue to not get home for sacks and we will continue to get beat for huge chunks through the air no matter who our edges are and no matter who we have in our secondary. NFL quarterbacks and receivers are good enough to and will beat you when you give them that consistent opportunity to do so. A three-technique defensive tackle who can at least moderately disrupt the pocket makes a huge difference in our edges' and secondary's successes. Because we haven't been just below average at interior defensive line quarterback pressure in 2025 and 2026. We have been abysmal. Scoring 30-plus and losing should be treated as the five alarm fire it is. A proven defensive tackle who can shut that wide-open hatch opposing offenses have on us is worth the premium pick.
I think the Jaguars would be very interested in acquiring a defensive tackle who could cause disruption on the interior and complement their edge defenders. They tried to obtain one last season, and I expect they will continue to try do so. I agree it would make a huge difference. I think the interest there would be as much as – or more than – than acquiring an edge defender. I think that would help the pass rush significantly.
Alex from Jacksonville
How good do you think a player like Marcedes Lewis would have been in Liam Coen's offense?
Former Jaguars tight end Marcedes Lewis was a good player who was an exceptional run-blocker. I expect he would have thrived in this offense and I expect Coen would have loved having Lewis in his offense.
Isaac from Jacksonville
Are you excited about the game?
Sure.
