JACKSONVILLE – Let's get to it …

Rocco from Conshehoken

Yo, Zone. Does Jarrian Jones have the competitive fortitude to overcome being the prop in the most iconic leap in league history? I believe he does and has an opportunity to change the narrative. Let's go, Jags!

I don't know if Jaguars cornerback Jarrian Jones is destined to be a Pro Bowl player, though I wouldn't rule it out. I do know that I don't worry in the least about Jones' competitive fortitude. Jones handled it fine when Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley turned in his remarkable, memorable backward leap over Jones last season – and I get no impression that Jones thinks much about the play anymore, or that he lets it define him. Jones is a fiery, motivated player who impressed coaches with his professionalism and focus this offseason and he continues to impress. That's how I think of Jones and what happened in Philadelphia last season doesn't come to mind often when I think of him.

Steven from Orlando, FL

With both the Philadelphia Eagles and Dallas Cowboys kicking long 50-plus-yard field goals in Thursday's season opener, do you feel that we will see an uptick in long field-goal attempts this season? To the point where even 60-yard attempts won't be that shocking?

There's little-to-no question we will see more "long" field-goal attempts this season. I put "long" in quotes, because the league clearly is in a period where what is considered a "long" field-goal attempt is changing. When Jaguars kicker Cam Little converted a 70-yard field goal in the preseason opener against the Pittsburgh Steelers, he was relatively low-key about it even though the kick would have broken the NFL record for longest field goal by four yards had it been in the regular season. The second-year veteran correctly made the point that multiple kickers had strong enough legs to convert from the distance. It absolutely seems that field goals in the high 50s and low 60s will become more common very soon. The biggest determining factor in how many of these are attempted likely will be coaches getting used to the idea that those are makeable distances. Once that mindset becomes the norm, I expect former Baltimore Ravens kicker Justin Tucker's record of 66 yards could fall fairly quickly.

Bradley from Kansas City, MO

I think Jaguars General Manager James Gladstone was a great hire. He has a way with words and has elite communication skills, but Coen's "living in the gray" is most astute term I've heard in years. One for the head coach?

I agree on both points. Gladstone's high-end communication is a major reason I'm confident in the direction of the franchise, and I'm increasingly impressed with Head Coach Liam Coen in this area. A major element of coaching is teaching, and a major element of teaching is communicating ideas in understandable fashion. When Coen says "living in the gray" regarding quarterbacking, it indeed clearly describes the need for quarterbacks to excel in unplanned, instinctive, high-pressure situations. This ability to communicate doesn't guarantee success. It sure makes it more likely. But one fer Coen in this area? Sure, why not?

Jerell from Columbia SC

Trevor has gotten two staffs fired. Do you think this is the year he finally becomes above average? Let's Go Jags! 1-0, hopefully!

Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence was well above average for an extended period in his second and third seasons, 2022 and 2023. He was injured late in the 2023 season and was not good enough last season. And … Jerell's back. Game on.

Greg from Section 122, SOTF, Jacksonville, FL

First thing is I know this is not nice. Go ahead and remind me to be nice, but dude this is funny. So, the vaunted and great Gabe Davis, who was supposed to fix our wide receiver corps, was picked up by his old team -- the Buffalo Bills. Here is the hilarious thing, even they didn't think he was good enough, so they placed him on the practice squad. Another example of what the heck was former General Manager Trent Baalke thinking? Saw that last night. Just had a good laugh, sorry for your misfortune, Mr. Davis? I think that's what I am supposed to say ...

I admit I don't spend much time these days ruminating on either Baalke or former Jaguars wide receiver Gabe Davis. I do know NFL free agency is littered with examples of overpaying for players that look silly in retrospect. Baalke last offseason was thinking Davis' speed and size would be a nice complement to the receiving corps. It didn't work. Add it to the list.

Bruce from St. Simons Island, GA

O, so our first game is a CARJAX? Hope it is for Carolina!

Sometimes you reach and it doesn't reach back.

DJ from Jacksonville

Big O, my daughter and I were watching the Thursday Night Football game and saw Philadelphia Eagles defensive lineman Jalen Carter get ejected for spitting on Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott with only six seconds into the game. She asked me if Carter would get a game check or not. I told her that I didn't know, but that I would ask you. So, can you help us out here?

Carter will still receive his "game check." There has been speculation that he could be fined something around the amount of that check. That seems plausible and appropriate.

JT from Palm Coast, FL

All that I ask for our first game is nobody spit someone within the first five seconds of the game. Have fire, but some discipline (and class.)

Fair.

Brad from The Avenues

Marty From Ponte Vedra got me wondering. Have we taken any precautions against a potential David Temper "Tepper Tantrum?" I'm thinking maybe a sippy cup?

We covered this already in the O-Zone this week and it's admittedly old ground, but it's important to be nice. This email leans very close to "not nice."

Charlie from Fort Mill, SC

Krimma?!?

Soon, but not soon enough.

Tim from Fernandina Beach

John: A recent question about Trevor's phantom scramble got me thinking. It seems when escaping the pocket, he does a spin to the right and rolls left. It seems to me that, in doing so, you lose sight of the field and now are throwing against your body. Is that what you see and do team scheme for how quarterbacks escape the pocket?

Lawrence indeed does sometimes escape the pocket that way. It works sometimes, though not as often as would be ideal. I don't love it, but I'm not the one escaping pressure of big athletic people trying to tackle me. And yes … teams do scheme for how quarterbacks escape the pocket. Such scheming doesn't always work because sometimes just getting to the damned quarterback takes priority over a "pass rush plan."

Nicholas from Fort Hood, Texas

KOAF: What is your prediction for the first play of the game for the Jaguars this Sunday? 2024: 15-run by running back Travis Etienne Kr.; 2023: Seven-yard Incomplete pass to Zay Jones in traffic across the middle; 2022: Lawrence 10-yard incomplete pass (illegal contact), then running back James Robinson three-yard run (illegal shift) then 20-yard completion to Christian Kirk; 2021: Lawrence tipped pass at the line of scrimmage with an illegal formation, timeout due to play clock running out, then a failed screen (threw ball at the feet to avoid sack; 2020: five-yard run by Robinson.

I get questions like this leading into most regular-season openers. I don't have a prediction for this.

Flounder from Near the Beach

Oh Boy … is this great?

Sure. Sure.

Joe from Fleming Island, FL

O Zone: I am interested in your thoughts, not on Travis Hunter's physical workload, but on his mental workload – particularly with a newborn in the house. I think if he pulls off all his on-the-field assignments on both sides of the ball without significant mistakes, it will be more impressive than the physical requirements.

I expect Hunter will make mistakes because he is a rookie and because he is human. I expect sometimes they will be major because most players make big mistakes from time to time. I don't expect that having a newborn in the house will be a major factor in his preparation or focus.

Bill from Ponte Vedra, FL

Watching the Eagles-Cowboys game, I was struck by the effect that the new touchback rule will have on special teams. It is now critical to be able to cover kickoffs and to be able to return them. Are the Jags good enough in coverage to let Little kick short often?

The Jaguars are good in kick coverage. Heath Farwell is one of the NFL's top special teams coordinators and the Jaguars have multiple four-core special teams players who they trust. I don't yet have a feel for how often they will kick short and cover, but there's no reason they won't be confident when doing it.