LAS VEGAS, Nev. – Let's get to it …
Brendan from The Banana Patch
So, it's sort of like losing two players to IR? As a Jags fan, I'm suffering from a non-contact injury, too: Psychological torture by way of Jags. I don't think I'll return to form before end of season. Please send help.
The Jaguars on Friday placed rookie wide receiver/defensive back Travis Hunter on injured reserve, and by NFL rule he will miss at least four games. He indeed sustained a knee injury in a non-contact situation in practice Thursday and because Hunter plays extensively at two positions – defensive back and wide receiver – it's absolutely like losing two players when he is out. This is a tough situation because Hunter appeared likely to be more of a focal point of the offense moving forward. But a tough situation doesn't mean an impossible situation. The Jaguars will visit the Las Vegas Raiders at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nev., Sunday. Next man up.
Bradley from Death Valley, CA
A knee injury? How generic, no MRI, no specifics? A minor setback for a major comeback sounds like code for a year-ending and often career-killing-type injury. That would qualify as adversity, huh?
Teams announce injuries in general terms all the time. When Jaguars Head Coach Liam Coen discussed Hunter's injury Friday, he discussed it in such terms because it was very soon after the injury. There was no "code" and nothing to indicate the injury was either season-ending or career-killing. Breathe, Bradley. Breathe.
Johnny from Jax
I hate to be a voice of reason in the O-Zone. It's a rough environment. But we just played five really tough games in a row (including the Houston Texans) and came out 3-2. Now I know it doesn't feel as solid because of the last two, but the Jags are still in good shape and well in the playoff picture coming out of the bye. Isn't that what we all hoped for and most would have happily signed up for after a very difficult early schedule … that on paper gets more manageable?
On paper.
Bruce from St. Simons Island, GA
O, Hunter injury a huge blow! What is the effect on which wide receivers and defense backs will play?
Look for Brian Thomas Jr., Dyami Brown and Parker Washington to play extensively at wide receiver with Thomas out. Look for Greg Newsome II, Montaric Brown and Jourdan Lewis to play extensively at corner.
Chris from Mandarin
Do you still think Josh Hines-Allen is having a good season? Half a sack through eight games is ridiculously low. The team as a whole has only eight sacks on the season, which is a league low. There are individual players that have as many or more so far. If Josh Hines-Allen is a leader on this defense, maybe he shouldn't be.
Jaguars defensive end Josh Hines-Allen is having a good season. I can't call it a great season. If you judge Hines-Allen strictly on sacks – which many people do – he's not having a good season. If you judge him on areas he can control such as overall pressure and disruption, he was having a standout season until defensive end Travon Walker got hurt. He hasn't been as disruptive since, as tends to happen when offenses shift their attention from two front-line edge players to one.
Ken from Jacksonville
Are the skillsets or body builds of a defensive end and interior lineman that much different to such an extent a defensive end couldn't play inside? For instance, Hines-Allen is such a great athlete, could he play inside and be dominant?
This sometimes differs from player to player. A player such as Walker – or former defensive end Calais Campbell – can play inside or outside, though the thought here is Walker is better at end than tackle in a 4-3 defensive scheme. Hines-Allen from this view would have a tougher time playing as a full-time interior player.
Bradley from Death Valley, CA
I want to say Anton Harrison was a late first/early second-round pick that showed a lot of promise as a rookie and then regressed in Year 2. How is he doing this year?
I want to say the Jaguars selected Anton Harrison No. 27 overall in the 2023 NFL Draft because that's where they selected him. He played well as a rookie and – like many Jaguars players – did not play as well in 2024. He for the most part has played well this season.
Chris from Norfolk, VA
I need your help, O. Please tell me why we have a 230-pound, 6-feet-5 quarterback who ran all over college who does not have this in his arsenal? The only way we are winning going forward is the fear of Trevor Lawrence taking off at any moment and game-planning consistently for it. I mean, you can't even hit a quarterback anymore, so it can't be that. Give me something, Zone.
College football is not the NFL. What works and looks easy in college football often does not work – and can be dangerous – in the NFL. Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence was a good runner in college. He is not fast enough, elusive enough or durable enough to make him an effective enough runner for this to be a core part of a long-term NFL game plan. Remember: Lawrence finished the 2023 season dealing with multiple injuries. He didn't finish the 2024 season – in part because of a devastating hit he took late in the season. We've seen why this isn't part of the plan. It hardly could be clearer.
Judson from Jacksonville Beach, FL
O-man. Walker is a bust as a first overall pick. When can that finally be acknowledged? Good player. Probably a nice 27th pick in the first round. But the Jags could not have missed any worse than picking Walker over Detroit Lions defensive end Aidan Hutchinson. It isn't close. It gets old when the fan base is constantly told to wait and see when it is the same thing every draft for the last 20 plus years.
Walker is not remotely a bust and he's far, far better than a "good player." Conversations about who should have been selected where, while legitimate, are a bit out of date and not all that productive. Hutchinson's a front-line pass rusher. Walker is a front-line all-around player and never would have lasted past the second overall selection in the 2022 NFL Draft, much less No. 27.
Donald from Orange Park, FL
Do tight ends generally meet with the OLine or with the receivers?
Tight ends meet with tight ends.
Roy from Ridgewood. FL
John, perhaps I missed it. But why did the Jags not keep Mac Jones?
Jones, after playing last season for the Jaguars, was an unrestricted free agent following last season and signed with the San Francisco 49ers.
Thomas from Williamsburg, VA
Are we really at the point where we're blaming Lawrence's struggles on Brenton Strange not being in the offense? Brenton Strange is not the reason Trevor Lawrence is slow in his decision-making and throwing uncatchable balls.
Strange is a front-line tight end and his absence hurts the Jaguars' offense on multiple levels.
Nick from Virginia Beach, VA
The curse of Tyson Campbell is real. The straight two losses, the Travis Hunter injury, how will we overcome this curse?
There's no curse.
Chris from Mandarin
I admit I have to question your judgement and analysis if you don't think that the 20-12 loss to the Seattle Seahawks was a poor performance or "stinker" – as David from Broward County pointed out. The team played sluggishly in the first half with one scoring drive and missing the extra point. They were stuck in neutral practically the entire game due to their inability to rush the passer or pass protect, which led to seven sacks allowed. They were playing catchup the entire game and were not able to execute. When they scored their final touchdown, the coach made what in hindsight was the incorrect decision to go for two and missed the try. They failed to convert their final three drives while Seattle cruised to a victory that was nowhere near as close as the score indicated. The Jaguars never truly threatened in the game and Seattle was never in peril of giving up the lead once they had it.
We're a bit in the weeds here, but that's OK. What's the O-Zone without some weed whacking? The Jaguars didn't play well against the Seahawks. All NFL teams – bad and good – have games in which they don't play well. The Jaguars in that game despite playing poorly managed to stay within range and had multiple chances to tie late in the game. It was a loss. It was an ugly loss. But it wasn't anywhere near the level of foulness as a 35-7 loss to the Rams the following week in which the Jaguars were never closer than 14 points after the first quarter. Now, back out of the weeds…
