JACKSONVILLE – Game-day O-Zone.
Let's get to it …
JT from Fort Worth, TX
I've been critical of Taven Bryan since he has gotten into the league. With that being said, he has really shown up the last few games. Maybe patience is something most of us could use more. I'm rooting for him this weekend.
It's easy to forget that teams sometimes draft players with the idea they will need time to develop. The Jaguars drafted defensive tackle Taven Bryan at the end of the first round in 2018 absolutely believing he would need at least a season to start reaching his full potential. He struggled as a rookie – not unexpectedly – and now is starting to play better. Is he elite? No, but he was selected at the END of the first round rather than at the top – and selecting a defensive lineman late in Round 1 is a far different thing than selecting one in the Top 10. He's doing fine. He's contributing. He's showing signs of becoming a good long-term starter. His development is particularly important now that he will be in the lineup full time because of the absence of defensive tackle Marcell Dareus. Teammates this week expressed confidence that Bryan is ready for the challenge. We'll see where it goes.
Jeremy from Dodge City, KS
O, please tell me the Jags are wearing all white this Sunday. Need this to happen!
The Jaguars are wearing white pants and teal jerseys Sunday.
Paul from Redding, CA
As a season-ticket holder, albeit a long way from home, I saw the Jalen Ramsey issue and its effect on the organization in a different light than most. I saw the play in Houston wherein Ramsey begged for a challenge flag. If my best player asks for a challenge flag, I give it to him. Turned out he was right, and the resulting field goal was difference in the game. I say this as a former Division I assistant college b-ball coach at a major powerhouse who had game experience with the JV's. At the time it happened, before his sideline explosion, I told those with whom I was watching the game that this was a major coaching error.
Actually, Ramsey wasn't right. Gene Steratore, a former NFL official who now is a rules analyst for CBS Sports, stated immediately after Ramsey's outburst in Houston that there was no evidence that the play about which he was so upset would have been overturned – and if you watch the replay, Steratore was correct. There was no clear angle showing Texans wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins trapped the ball, and I doubt it would have been overturned. Either way, you told the people you were watching incorrect information because it was in no way a major coaching error – nor was it an error at all. Most NFL coaches know better than to listen to their players when they ask for challenges because players almost always want plays to be challenged. They are operating emotionally in the heat of the moment, and far too often they beg for challenges that replay has little problem upholding. Teams have coaches in booths examining potential reviews with the idea of taking emotions out of the equation. In the Jaguars' case, those coaches advise Marrone to challenge only if they see clear evidence the Jaguars will win the challenge. Marrone has been among the more successful coaches in the NFL on this front. But hey … maybe it's different in jayvee D-1 hoops. I suppose it's possible.
Jaginator from (formerly of) Section 124
As long as the Jags insist on using double-tight-end "jumbo" sets and running straight up the middle, running back Leonard Fournette (or anyone else that we line up at tailback) will continue struggling to score touchdowns.
OK.
Levi from Bloomington, IN
Is it selfish of me to want the Jags to keep rookie quarterback Gardner Minshew II in so he can win Rookie of the Year? If he stays on course, I think he has a great shot at it. In that same line of thinking, how do you bench a Rookie of the Year quarterback?
The Great Jaguars Quarterback Debate, currently a rumble, is about to grow louder. If you put your ear to the ground, you can hear it rumblin' from off yonder.
Dan from Ormond Beach, FL
It seems many Jags fans would like our front office to speak publicly and explain their position on the Ramsey situation. If this went down the way most of us assume it did (Ramsey being a childish punk who didn't want to get yelled at when he made a mistake) what is there to gain by saying anything? Is Jaguars Executive Vice President of Football Operations Tom Coughlin supposed to get in front of a podium and throw Ramsey under the bus? How on earth does that help? I think they are taking the high road and letting this thing die of natural causes; though standing up and telling what happened would likely justify the action, now you are just setting yourself up for having every word picked apart on the NFL Network and twisted or makes us right but petty. Neither is a good look.
Fair.
Eric from Duval
I am probably wrong, but why does our defense never appear to make any halftime adjustments based on the scheme the opposing offense shows during the first half of any game? From an uninformed outsider, it seems as if no matter the situation, if our defense is facing third and long, we show a Cover 4 prevent. Opposing teams seem to convert those third-and-long situations at an alarming rate. Am I wrong with this assessment?
Yes, if you're assessment is that the Jaguars never make adjustments at halftime. Now, it is true that the Jaguars typically stick to their base schemes and trusted approaches, but to say they never adjust is incorrect. They don't always adjust in a way fans want, but that's not the same as not adjusting.
Roy from South Dakota
Mr. O, coming into this season wide receiver Dede Westbrook was supposed to be the guy of the receiving corps. As we all know, it's been DJ Chark Jr. for the first 5 weeks, and now Dede has come on. Were teams game-planning for Dede early on and have now switched over to Chark?
Yes.
Aqeel from Toronto, Canada
I feel that the Brinks Truck stunt had a part in Ramsey deciding he wanted out of town. The whole thing came off very amateur hour and the guy with the megaphone was the worst choice. However, the biggest thing was that since nobody knew this was happening nobody showed up. There were barely any fans or media there and I think Ramsey and his sponsor expected more considering costs. I remember the NFL Network guys even laughing at how nobody was there due to lack of notice and rain. I think this was the last straw for Ramsey, and maybe his sponsors, in thinking he needed to get to a bigger market where his "arrival" would have more coverage and impact, etc. He might have even wanted more support/coverage from the Jags on this and that obviously was not going to happen. Him and his "advisers" may have concluded the market was too small for his brand ... and his ego.
Nah. When players do such things upon arrival at training camp, they do so knowing full well the team isn't going to promote or assist. If Ramsey or his people thought otherwise, they were fooling themselves. I doubt seriously that incident influenced his thoughts one way or the other.
Jason from Jacksonville
Win this next one. 4-4 and we will be fine.
That's the hope, yes.
Jon from Ocala, FL
Hi O, what do you think our record would be if Nick Foles didn't get hurt?
Let's go with 4-3. I think the Jaguars probably beat the Houston Texans with Foles. Maybe they would have beaten the New Orleans Saints, too, because Minshew seemed to struggle in that game, but I'll stick with 4-3.
Austin from Atlanta, GA
What's the streak up to these days? Agree or disagree, I enjoy coming to read each morning.
Many.
Rob from Orange Park, FL
Bought Ramsey's jersey early in his Jags career when he tipped a ball which his teammate intercepted and somehow managed to run 30 yards downfield and make two blocks for that teammate. Ordered his number the next day, which is the only jersey I have ever bought! After his worse-than-childish behavior and outright lying about not being able to play, well … can't say I won't wear his jersey again cuz I need to wear SOMEthing when cleaning out the garage.
As much as we've discussed a lot of aspects of this topic, we perhaps haven't discussed this angle enough. The way it turned out with Ramsey? After how it started? After what could have been? It's a shame. It's a damned shame.
Kevin from San Antonio, TX
Is there any rule against having two good quarterbacks on the active roster at the same time?
Only on Twitter.
