JACKSONVILLE – Let's get to it …
Jerry from Riverview
John, I get as frustrated as anyone. But this is a fine group of high-caliber, committed young men who never give up. I wouldn't count them out until they're officially out. It's OK to vent, but at the end of the day, we are 100 percent behind them!
I wouldn't count the Jaguars out of the playoff chase, either. They remain in first place and very much in control of their destiny in the AFC South entering Sunday's game against the NFC South-leading Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Fla. Remember: There's no blueprint for qualifying for the NFL postseason. Sometimes contending is coming from four games behind to win the division – as the Jaguars did last season. Sometimes – though rarely – contending is leading wire to wire. Sometimes it's about grinding through adversity and winning some games after a losing streak. What the Jaguars are doing now is contending. Another thought: The Jaguars have had nine winning seasons in franchise history and eight postseason appearances. They have a chance to win their fifth division title this season and have a chance to win back-to-back division title for the second time. Let's wait until those things don't happen before giving up on the season.
Jesse from CA
There is one thing our Jags do consistently and that's shoot themselves in the foot. I bet Head Coach Doug Pederson is getting sick of repeating his coaching about these same miscues. I love our team but unlike Don, I'm not all in. We're going to end up 9-8 missing playoffs. Can you talk me off the ledge?
I expect the Jaguars to finish 11-6 or 10-7 and make the postseason. I expect this because they have played poorly with self-inflicted mistakes in recent weeks and still had chances to win against three contending teams. That leads me to believe they're still playing well enough to win and just need to cut out avoidable mistakes. I also think the defense is capable of again stopping the run and consistently producing takeaways. I mostly expect they can win enough to make the postseason because not a lot has gone their way in recent weeks and at some point odds tell you it will go the other way. Don't the odds tell you that? They do tell you that, right?
Don from Marshall, NC
Trevor needs to get it in his head that you never think you can survive the body snatchers. You're going to have a very short career if you keep doing what you're doing. Doug Pederson has got to protect Trevor; that's his job. Trevor's job is to take the no-touch runs and that's it. Your knee and then your ankle and getting knocked out is all on you because of poor decisions. Your job is to live to see the break of day upright. That has been the most disappointing trend of this offense. It has desperation written all over it. You want to be great, then get the ball down the field. Going down to avoid a hit does not make you weak; it makes you a smart quarterback. We don't need Trevor for one season; we need him for twenty. Win or lose, that problem needs to be fixed before something really bad happens. Go Jaguars!
When it comes to Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence, Don still seems to be "all in." He's also not wrong.
AJ from L.I., NY
As I see it, the team and Trevor struggle mightily when they cannot run the ball. When even somewhat successful running the ball, this allows for play action, and Trevor shines very bright. Simple as that.
Fair.
Brad from Orange Park, FL
What was the advantage of rolling the dice on letting Press Taylor call the plays this season? It's not as if the offense had become some well-oiled machine after one season with Doug Pederson as head coach. Was it more about bolstering Taylor's resume? Because with how bad the defense is playing right now, it's hard to see what benefit is being reaped by Pederson being freed up to focus on other things than he was able to last year when calling the plays.
Pederson didn't see this as a dice roll as much as a logical step. Taylor called plays in the second half of games last season with Pederson calling them in the first half. The Jaguars are 12th (342.0 yards per game) in the NFL in yards this season after being 10th (357.4) last season and 11th in scoring (22.8) this season after being 10th at 23.8 per game last season. The Jaguars' offense overall has been pretty the same offense most of this season as last, with the biggest difference being they haven't been able to run as consistently as they did last season. That, more than anything, is defining the offense and affecting everything around it. When Pederson discusses being freed up from calling plays, he means being able to focus more on game-management situations. He doesn't mean coaching the defense.
Thomas from Jacksonville
Should the NFL consider requiring any team taking a player off another team's practice squad to give a seventh-round draft pick to the team losing the player? Or allow a team to put a player directly on their practice squad from the roster? I don't like losing Rourke, or any player in the last part of the season.
There's no reason the NFL should consider this. Nor will they consider this. Teams have 53 roster spots to protect players if they choose to do so. The practice squad is set up as a developmental roster for teams/players. The NFL Players Association also would fight against this. Players want to be free to sign to an active roster somewhere if they're on a practice squad. It's a promotion in title and pay. Also: The Jaguars didn't lose quarterback Nathan Rourke off the practice squad. They lost him when they waived him from the active roster, with the New England Patriots claiming him on Monday before the Jaguars had a chance to sign him back to the practice squad.
Andy from Alpharetta, GA
This feels like last year but in reverse. You think they can change course and salvage the season?
Yes.
JayPe from The Vortex
If you don't feel Trevor has been our biggest issue over the like three games. Then what do you think is?
Overall mistakes and missed opportunities. Lawrence had a really bad game in a loss to the Baltimore Ravens Sunday. He had a really good game until sustaining a high-ankle sprain in a loss to the Cincinnati Bengals three games ago. He played through the high-ankle sprain and gave the Jaguars a chance to win in the loss to the Cleveland Browns between those games. I wouldn't say overall Lawrence cost the Jaguars victories in all three games.
Joseph from Fleming Island, FL
In my opinion it was a big mistake how the Nathan Rourke situation was handled. He is better all-around than C.J. Beathard and would have proven it if given the chance! So sad.
I'm sorry you're sad.
JT from Palm Coast, FL
When Trevor's contract comes due, he will more than likely reset the market. I believe that is more because of circumstance instead of deserved talent. I believe he is a good, and at times very good quarterback. The problem lies in everything in-between. Those times, he plays like an average/below average QB. How do you see it?
I believe Lawrence is still growing. He's in his third season, his second season with legitimate NFL coaching teaching legitimate NFL quarterbacking concepts. I believe he will work on game awareness and football IQ, both of which can and should improve. If those don't improve, I don't know how much more Lawrence can develop. I believe improvement there is critical. I believe he can develop into one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL and be the foundation of the franchise, just as I believe he is not there yet.
Maritza from Orange Park, FL
Zone, would you consider a passer ranking of 17th — behind Jake Browning, Tommy DeVito and Jordan Love — worthy of the "franchise" moniker?
I wouldn't consider passer ranking when considering a franchise "moniker."
DenMiz from Jax
Trevor has a LOT of growing to do. How then do the Jags handle his contract? Does he deserve a MEGA deal or the franchise tag? I know he's great but waaaayyyyy too many boneheaded mistakes.
The Jaguars won't use the franchise tag on Lawrence. One year remains on his contract at the end of the season, with the team having the option to make that two years by exercising a fifth-year option. Either way, I expect the Jaguars extend Lawrence following the season. We'll see if that's right. Stay tuned.
Gary from St. Augustine, FL
Even in a three-game losing streak, you still suck.
It doesn't feel like Christmas.
