JACKSONVILLE – Let's get to it …

Charsman from Jacksonville

Dear O: It is looking like we will be facing backup quarterbacks this weekend and for the Arizona game November 23. In the past, we have not done well against backup quarterbacks who have come in mid-game. Is there something different that can be done to prepare in these situations?

This has been a popular topic in the O-Zone in recent days, with backup Davis Mills starting at quarterback for the Houston Texans against the Jaguars at NRG Stadium in Houston Sunday because Texans starter C.J. Stroud has been ruled out with a concussion. That has led to concern among some Jaguars observers and fans, because the Jaguars in recent seasons indeed sometimes struggled against backup quarterbacks. Remember, though: The Jaguars in the last decade and a half often have been had and therefore often have struggled in many situations: On the road, on the West Coast, against teams with mobile quarterbacks, against teams with immobile quarterbacks, in the division, out of the division, etc. This answer is not meant to be cute. Rather, it is meant to point out that there's no reason to worry about the Jaguars not being good against backup quarterbacks. They will prepare for Sunday the same way they prepare for any game – developing the best plan possible for the given situation and circumstance. If that doesn't bring a victory Sunday, it won't be because the Jaguars aren't good against backup quarterbacks. It will be because they weren't good enough on that day to play a desperate team with a good defense battling to perhaps save a season.

Bob from Coosawatchie, SC

Fine article in The Athletic about Liam Coen's journey to the NFL. The Jags got a good one.

You're referencing a story in The Athletic Thursday by national insider Jeff Howe detailing Coen's career, his family and the death of his mother, Beth. Coen in the story discussed Beth publicly for the first time since her 2006 passing. Howe, who covered Coen at the University of Massachusetts and who has known Coen for two decades, indeed did a fine job with the article. I spoke with Howe Thursday for this week's O-Zone Podcast. Here's the link.

Tony from Johns Creek, GA

O, if I could only bring back one Jaguar, it would be former left tackle and current Executive Vice President of Football Operations Tony Boselli. He had size, quick feet and smarts. If it wasn't for his injuries, he would be in the conversation for greatest left tackle of all time.

Yep.

Bradley from Death Valley, CA

Is this exactly the type of game where the franchise quarterback puts team on his shoulders and carries them across the finish line essentially eliminating the Texans from winning third consecutive AFC South Crown?

Maybe. That's what quarterback Trevor Lawrence kinda sorta did in victories over the Kansas City Chiefs and Las Vegas Raiders. Or maybe it's a game in which the offense runs effectively and the defense gets a big turnover late. Or maybe a beat-up receiving corps plays well. Or maybe …

Pete from Daytona Beach, FL

Dear, Zone. Can you explain the reason why the NFL makes teams go back to throwback uniforms? I watched the Green Bay Packers play in their 1920s uniforms and I don't get it. It wasn't a throwback, but the Packers were in all white and the Pittsburgh Steelers in yellow. Confusing and silly. I'm sure money's involved.

The NFL doesn't "make" teams wear throwback uniforms. They allow teams to wear throwback and alternative uniforms because many fans think they're cool and like them. And yes … when fans buy throwback merchandise, the league likes that. Money is cool. The league wants it.

Al from Orange Park, FL

Best guess timeline for when these Jaguars can play in a game? Linebacker Devin Lloyd? Defensive Travon Walker's other hand? Safety Eric Murray? Wide receiver Dyami Brown? Tight end Brenton Strange?

Lloyd: Sunday. Walker: To be determined. Murray: At least three more weeks. Brown: Sunday. Strange: Next week against the Los Angeles Chargers. These are guesses. They're only guesses.

Gary from St. Augustine, FL

Even with the Jaguars on the edge of the playoff picture, you still suck.

Let's go, Jaguars.

Larry from Wattsburg(h), PA

Is it possible that Walker playing with a club is slowing his full recovery? How much of the responsibility of shutting down a player is on coaching and not on a player? I cannot imagine any doctor stating, "Yeah, it's in a cast, go for it!" I would think just clenching and unclenching inside a club would be detrimental to healing, but what do I know?

Walker playing with a cast protecting his left wrist is not slowing his recovery. The responsibility of shutting a player down is ultimately on the team and the team physician. A team doctor would not say, "Yeah, it's in a cast, go for it!" A team doctor would say, "It has been determined that the player is not risking further injury – so if the player can play through the discomfort pain, he is cleared to play."

Brian from Round Rock, TX

Devin Lloyd is the heart and soul of this defense. When is he back? We need his mojo asap

Lloyd, the Jaguars' fourth-year linebacker, has been very productive when healthy this season – productive enough that he was named the AFC Defensive Player of the Month for September. He has practiced full this week and is expected to play Sunday.

J.Hooks from Mandarin

Clayton is correct. I, too was at that Redskins game after Christmas in 2010, and it was FREEZING! There were indeed flurries. I don't even remember who won. The whiskey couldn't warm me fast enough.

One fer whiskey, apparently.

Craig from Virginia

Is it just me, but it seems like more times than not, when the decision is made to blitz with five or more on the front defensive line, it comes bad to bite us. The Raiders capitalized on the rush and executed big plays throughout the game. Why keep inflicting that unnecessary damage over and over?

When blitzing works, fans like it. When blitzing doesn't work, fans don't like it. This is a pattern that often repeats when analyzing what fans like and don't like.

Joe from Jacksonville

Chris Long – former Rams/Eagles defensive end and host of Green Light Podcast – told a good story of his first initial meeting with Travon Walker. Long story short, he's in a gas station Super Bowl week and notices a man beside him in line and he's thinking to himself, "This guy's huge, he must play ball." It was Travon.

That tracks.

Robert from Elkton

Let's say Jaguars cornerback Craig Newsome II starts the rest of the year and gets one interception, and wide receiver Jakobi Meyers finishes the year with 70 receptions for 800 yards. If the Jags lose them in free agency next year, would the Jags be in line for any compensatory picks and what would be your guess at the rounds?

Compensatory draft selections are determined based on a mysterious NFL formula, with the selections awarded in one offseason by calculating a team's free agency signings and losses the previous offseason. While performance factors into the formula, the size of the free agency contracts is also a factor. Because Newsome and Meyers both would be unrestricted free agents, they would figure into the compensatory formula and the Jaguars likely would receive selections – providing they don't sign any unrestricted free agents in the same offseason. I would guess a player such as Newsome could draw a third- or fourth-round selection with Meyers drawing a fourth- or fifth-round selection. That could be wrong. I've been wrong before. It ain't no thing.

Stuart from Cottonwood, AZ

Jakobi … sure hands, great routes and we'll never see another Etienne flea flicker. Great trade!

One fer Meyers.

Mike from Azores

Hey, John. When a player changes teams midseason like Jakobi Meyers especially after just playing against his new team the Jaga, does he share his former teams assessment of Jaguar strengths and weaknesses from his former coaching staff? Also, does he offer some of his favorite routes and play designs from his time with the Raiders to be possibly added to the Jags offensive plays?

A player joining a new certainly would typically share any requested insights – if asked. Adding routes and play designs would be less common and not all that necessary. Most NFL teams run essentially the same plays and same routes. This usually isn't a league of great mystery.

Steve from Princeton, WV

We saw the Wildcat last week. Do you think Coen will flex Jacobi Meyers' quarterback skills with some double-pass trickery? Meyers as a passer in the NFL is 6 of 7 for 100 yards and 3 touchdowns. And with Trevor's height, length and athleticism he could be a double threat as receiver out of the backfield.

Let's let Meyers learn the basics of the offense first.