JACKSONVILLE – Let's get to it …
Yeti Daddy from Somewhere and Yet Nowhere
I see that some fans are still concerned about Coach Coen being too aggressive, trusting the analytics too much. I remember some past fans complaining about too many screen passes. What about Coach Coen makes someone think he and the staff will not learn and adjust? It was his first year, he did a great job!
I sense Jaguars Head Coach Liam Coen's "aggressive" approach to game-day situations may be an offseason-long topic – and not just because a decision to go for a first down on fourth-and-short was a key moment in their AFC Wild Card loss to the Buffalo Bills. But while we seemingly will debate, discuss and dissect that – and many other Coen decisions – for as long as Coen coaches this team, I sense the discussion will be at least in something of a vacuum. It also will be somewhat disconnected from reality. This is because while some old-school-oriented fans will continue seeing Coen as unnecessarily aggressive, the reality is Coen's approach is far more the NFL norm than the exception these days. Coen often refers to "analytics" and "metrics" when discussing in-game decisions. These words sometime trigger readers – perhaps because of their "newfangled" nature and the inclusion of "-ics" at the end. Some might even see these concepts s akin to witchcraft. But you may as well replace "analytics" and "metrics" with "new conventional wisdom," because the reality is this is the direction the league is going. Remember, too: The difference between a good decision and bad decision in this discussion in simply the difference between the play working and not working. Example: New England Patriots Head Coach Mike Vrabel, as "old-school" a coach as there is in the NFL these days, in an AFC Divisional Playoff last Sunday opted to "go for it" on fourth-and-1 from the Houston Texans 28. Old-school wisdom screamed to kick the field goal. The play resulted in a key, tone-setting touchdown. Vrabel in this case was a genius. Had it not worked, he would have been an idiot. Had the Jaguars converted the play in question against Buffalo, Coen would have been a genius. That they didn't convert means he will be criticized all offseason. But it doesn't mean he was wrong. And while the Jaguars never will stop studying how they approach game-day situations, I doubt they will change their approach in fourth-and-short situations much moving forward.
Brad from The Avenues
I've been thinking of writing in about this for several days now. Since two Browns head coach candidates have said no thank you now, and as much as we all would like to see Grant Udinski stay, my hope is that for his own sake he follows suit. Seriously, the Browns front office and ownership, for some time now, has been far more dysfunctional and yes, I'm counting the Urban year, than anything we have ever seen here. Mike McDaniel is apparently even accepting a step down to OC for the Chargers rather than pursue the head coaching job from hell. Please, Grant, just say no!
I hope offensive coordinator Grant Udinski remains in Jacksonville. I like the guy a lot. He is a high-end football mind and coach, and he deserves a lot of credit for helping quarterback Trevor Lawrence develop significantly and quickly this past season. I don't know enough about the specifics of the Cleveland Browns' situation to comment intelligently on whether Udinski "should" or "shouldn't" take their head-coaching position. I do know it can be very difficult to turn down an NFL head-coaching position.
Raymond Sis from Windermere, Fl
So, now that the season is over, can we get back to the issue at hand? It was Trevor's fault that the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor.
I never, ever have said it was Lawrence's fault that the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor – though I'm not disputing that some Jaguars fans believe this. By the way, nothing is over until we decide it is. Period.
JK from NY & Fernandina Beach, FL
John. Before we look too far ahead, I would like to give a shoutout and thanks to the Jags' gameday radio team of Frank Frangie and Jeff Lageman for an outstanding season. They make each game more fun with their Jags-centric great calls, wit, honest takes and on-point analysis. I highly recommend turning down the TV network announcers and letting these two Jax treasures be your gameday companions. Well done!
One fer Frank and Jeff.
Sad Sam from Happy Valley
Why do you keep bashing the SEC in your smartass answers about NFL difficulty? Why not pick on those pointy-head intellectuals in the Ivy League conference?
I often point out that the NFL is not the Southeastern Conference because many observers believe the SEC to be the best college football conference – and in some case, the greatest football thing imaginable – and many of these same observers believe college football to be similar in some way to the NFL. I don't hear these sentiments often about the Ivy League.
B-Law from Duuuval
O, will there be an offseason edition of The Hunt dedicated to your meteoric rise from a young Prince of all Funk to intangibly rich senior writer? If so, can we count on a two-part episode?
What's, "The Hunt?" And if it's so important, why don't we promote and emphasize it more?
Don from Marshall, NC
It would be a big mistake to let Travis Etienne go in free agency! Star running backs have a very reasonable salary as far as the cap goes! He definitely is a star player in my book!
When it comes to running back Travis Etienne Jr. being a key player – and a star player – and needing to be around the Jaguars moving forward, Don remains "all in."
Shawn from Moore County, NC
How did we get into such a cap bind in Year One? We will need to draft better than we did last year to fix this. None of our picks made a big enough impact, in my opinion. See Bears draft picks' impact. No first-round pick. First-place schedule. Do I have previous years Jags worries or are these legit concerns?
The Jaguars will be active in free agency this offseason and I don't know that "such a bind" accurately describes their 2026 salary-cap situations. Time will tell how well the Jaguars drafted last offseason because one season isn't remotely long enough to know. Players develop at their own pace. I know it's difficult to remember this, but it's a truism as old as the NFL itself.
Michael from Crestview, FL
It hurts bad. Is it OK to check out until April? I could care less about the playoffs from here through the Super Bowl.
I don't know how to tell readers what's OK in terms of this column or the Jaguars. I get that it's tough watching the rest of the postseason when your team loses. No doubt.
Jim from Reno, NV
Do you agree Travis Hunter has an infectious personality that is very refreshing? Maybe the likes that hasn't been seen in a very long time?
Jaguars rookie cornerback/wide receiver Travis Hunter seems like a nice kid. He seems to enjoy football and smiles a lot when he is playing. I can't say that his personality is so refreshing or infectious that I would say I haven't seen its likes in a very long time. This isn't a knock on Hunter. It's just I've seen a lot of players enjoy football and smile a lot when playing.
Nick from Virginia Beach, VA
No one has truly acknowledged why we lost the Wild Card playoff game. We didn't wear the Prowlers in the last home playoff game in its current iteration. What would the NFL have fined the Jaguars if they wore the prowlers in that game?
A lot.
Sam from Orlando, FL
Any truth to rumors that Eugene "The Body" Frenette kicked a 97-yard field goal while devouring an Arby's Beef and Cheddar?
Former longtime Florida Times-Union sports columnist and Northeast Florida cultural icon/thought leader Eugene P. "Gene" Frenette – now happily retired had a stellar athletic career, and indeed was "money" kicking from beyond 90. But you're thinking of Gus. The giveaway was the Beef and Cheddar.
Brian from Round Rock, TX
Even the Jags aren't dumb enough to dismantle and rebuild a team that is this good, just because. You know that, right?
The Jaguars are not a dumb franchise. Every NFL franchise, no matter how successful, must make decisions every offseason.
Bradley from Death Valley, CA
I do think some of these analytic decisions are so close to a 50/50 proposition that coaches should go with their gut, and let's not forget that many still do. Some of the most successful coaches in NFL history regularly ignore analytics. Of course, 25 years ago I and probably many other analytics bemoaners would wonder aloud why teams didn't go for it on fourth down more.
Good calls work. Bad calls don't.
