JACKSONVILLE – Let's get to it …
Josh from Lakewood
Do you think the vibe around here would be any different if we won the last two, but lost to Kansas City and San Francisco?
There's little question that would be the case. The Jaguars, after a bye week this past week, enter Sunday's Week 9 road game against the Las Vegas Raiders 4-3 with 10 games remaining – and very much in the race for an AFC playoff spot. They have three "quality victories" over teams at or above .500 – the Kansas City Chiefs, the San Francisco 49ers and the Carolina Panthers. They also have a victory over the Houston Texans, who at 3-4 – and as the two-time defending AFC South champions – remain a good team. Those are all positive signs that the Jaguars are good and reasons for a "good vibe" in these parts. But the fact that they lost the last two games entering the bye against two very good teams in the Seattle Seahawks and the Los Angeles Rams means that those two games are burned most recently in our collective memory. This among some observers has created an odd perception that the Jaguars are bad, which unsurprisingly has led to "bad vibes" around a 4-3 team – at least to those observers. Would we as a collective feel differently had they won those two games? No doubt. Here's what matters: The vibes within the team are good. If the Jaguars win Sunday, I expect the vibes among observers will follow soon enough.
Vince from St Augustine, FL
Steve from Charlotte, NC, hear, hear! A comment worth repeating. Your response? Not so much.
If memory serves, Steve from Charlotte sent an email recently detailing how this Jaguars team is the same as past Jaguars teams – meaning the fact that they have lost two consecutive games automatically means they will lose many more games and that this Jaguars team therefore are the "same old Jaguars." In retrospect, I suppose Steve wanted me to agree with this thought. Instead, I wrote something to effect that I have believed since the start of the season that this Jaguars team was a 8-to-10-victory team and that I still believe that. I also wrote that I believed this team can still contend for the postseason. If that's "same old Jags," then this team is "same old Jags." If that's not "same old Jags," then this team isn't "same old Jags." My team is on the floor.
Will
BTJ to browns in exchange for Shedeur and a late pick. Heard it here first.
Indeed we did.
Steve from San Marco
Hi, J. If a running back is tackled for a 5-yard loss but the defender grabbed his face mask resulting in a 15-yard personal foul, does the running back get credit for 15 yards or minus-5 yards?
The running back in this case is "credited" with minus-5 yards.
Tom from Moncks Corner
Much has been written about BTJ's troubles this year. All of the criticism seems to fall on his shoulders. Taking into account that the majority of his catches last year were from Mac Jones, isn't it possible that the problem lies with the way that Trevor throws the ball? It can easily confuse a receiver when he never knows when, where or even how the ball is going to come. I grant that some and maybe most of the issue rest with the receiver, but the quality of the quarterback QB and how he delivers the ball can have a lot to do with the outcome.
If we want to find reasons to blame Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence for things, I have no doubt we can.
Hooks from Mandarin Jax
Let's say Maxx Crosby became available. Would you entertain making a move for him? Kick Travon inside and keep JHA and Maxx on the edges. That sounds pretty ferocious to me. It would be reminiscent of when we picked up Marcell Dareus and the impact it made was immediate.
I would entertain it, though I don't know that simply "kicking" Travon Walker inside makes sense for Walker. He's a front-line NFL defensive end and should be on the field as much as possible when healthy in situations where he is best.
Brad from The Avenues
I know, John, that you're a tennis fan, but I don't recall hearing whether or not you've played much golf. If you have. then you know that at some point we all have gotten at least a minor case of the yips. "I'm not gonna slice, I'm not gonna slice". And then it banks right like an F22 Raptor. Sometimes it persists and sometimes it goes away on its own. In football, kickers seem to be the most susceptible to this. Good kickers tend to shake it off pretty quickly but sometimes it takes just a little something familiar to help snap us out of it. Which is why I still think he should have kept that shoe.
I haven't played much golf.
Limo Bob from Neptune Beach/ Piscataway NJ
Anything positive Jags do this year is gravy. The plan is to win in year two and three and beyond. This year is finding players.
The people running the Jaguars and the players playing for the Jaguars aren't quite as patient as this, but there is an element of truth here.
Art from just shy of the ditch
Wondering when pro athletes underperform and not physical or technical, do NFL team rosters have ability to suggest that deficiencies might be within the helmet? Psychologists/Psychiatrists to instill, support, and hopefully reenforce the ability for rectifying drops, shanks, ability to produce catchable throws which lead receivers?
NFL teams, including the Jaguars, have sports psychologists.
Henry from Florahome
Does this team have a sports psychologist? It's not a gimmick. I think Thomas and the little kicker could benefit from one. Heck, get a whole team of them.
NFL teams, including the Jaguars, have sports psychologists.
Sal from Austin, TX
Is Brian Thomas intangibly rich? If not, can it be coached, or doesn't that align with the eco system?
I suppose you're trying to make a point here. Thomas needs to catch better than he has to date this season.
Bradley from Death Valley, CA
It seems obvious that Lawrence likes tight ends as primaries and safety blankets. I don't know if it's true, but I have read Mark Andrews is available. The three-time All-Pro is almost underrated at this point after dropping game tying two-point conversion in playoffs, Had 11 touchdowns last year and is rumored to be upper middle class in the intangibles. What you think about Mark Andrews?
Trade Machine!!!!!
Mike from Daytona Beach, FL
The Jags' offensive line play has been a topic of great interest lately. Pro Football Focus scores are a fairly objective measure for ranking players who have enough qualifying snaps at their position. Where do our starters rank? Robert Hainsey ranks 15th out of 33 qualifying centers. Among 77 tackles, Anton Harrison ranks 26th and Walker Little ranks 40th. Among 81 guards, Ezra Cleveland ranks 31st and Patrick Mekari ranks 68. So objectively, Mekari is the weakest link. Unfortunately, Chuma Edoga's PFF score is much lower than Mekari's score. Two questions: Has Jonah Monheim been cross-trained at guard? Are Wyatt Millum and Cole Van Lanen healthy/ready to step in if necessary?
Well, now we know where the Jaguars' offensive linemen rank on PFF. So there's that, I guess. Monheim can play guard if necessary but he's mostly a center. Milum and Van Lanen are healthy and no longer on the injury report after spending much of the first seven games of the season returning from training-camp injuries.
Robert from Orange Park, FL
Zone, you've stressed to readers in the past to not expect much in the way of rookie contribution, but with all the picks the Jags had going in to the '25 draft their rookie class through seven games has combined for 298 yards receiving with 1 touchdown, 15 tackles with no interceptions, 152 yards rushing with 1 touchdown, a few special teams plays and some snaps at center that were more often bad than good. I just can't imagine any other team selecting in the top -10 could possibly have less production than that...?
This is one way to see it. Another way is that rookie cornerback/wide receiver Travis Hunter made multiple plays in the first seven games without which the Jaguars probably wouldn't have won. He also is showing that he's a special cover corner with ability to be a playmaker at receiver. Safety Rayuan Lane II has been the team's best player in punt coverage and guard Wyatt Milum has yet to play after a preseason knee injury. I don't cover other NFL teams, so I don't know how much or how little other rookie classes are faring. I don't have a sense that the production of the Jaguars 2025 rookie class is particularly worrisome.
