JACKSONVILLE – Let's get to it …
GP from Savannah, GA
You keep bringing up the red-zone stats of our offense but fail to mention that we are only 44 percent in touchdown scoring in the last three games, having started much better early in the season. Let's hope we turn it around with the rest of the season.
The Jaguars do not need to "turn it around" in the red zone. This is because through this week's 2026 Week 7 bye overall they have been very good in the red zone. They scored touchdowns on three of four red-zone possessions against the Houston Texans last Sunday. Scoring in the red zone is hard. The Jaguars are one of the best teams in the league in this area. They are not going to be perfect in this area. They likely will have a game or two or more this season in which they get to the red-zone multiple times without touchdowns because the NFL is hard and scoring in the red zone is really hard. This does not change the fact that the Jaguars are one of the best teams in the league in this area.
Jesse from Texas
Josh Hines-Allen had 17.5 sacks in 17 games in his contract year. After he signed that big contract, he has had only 17.5 sacks in the last 40 regular season games. I think one of the best words to describe that is disappointing. Would you agree?
Not really. Jaguars defensive end Josh Hines-Allen from this view hasn't played as well as consistently this season as he did last season, when he for the most part played at a very high level. But for the most part over the course of the span to which you refer, he has not from this view been disappointing. One reason I don't consider it disappointing is he usually has pressured quarterbacks very consistently. Another reason is that for the most part in recent seasons the Jaguars have gotten little interior pressure to complement Hines-Allen and they usually have had only two effective pass rushers – Hines-Allen and defensive end Travon Walker. It's difficult to consistently get pass-rushing "numbers" with just two effective pass rushers. When I discuss this topic, I keep these truths in mind. The fact that most people don't keep these things in mind is not my concern. This is my view. Your view can be whatever you like.
V from Night City
I think Josh Scobee is the best kicker we ever have had. I also believe Cam Little has entered the chat.
Fair.
Brendan from Yulee
At this point, I'm thinking trade BTJ for some pass-rush help. JHA is starting to look overpaid right now.
Hines-Allen needs to play better more consistently. I don't know that wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. has high enough trade value right now to bring significant pass-rush help.
Johnny from Jax
We saw replay assist call off a facemask penalty a couple weeks ago, saying it was not a facemask. Could they not do the same on the phantom holding penalty? Isn't that what replay assist is for? Or is it just a failed system?
Replay assist can overturn facemask penalties called on the field. Replay assist cannot overturn holding penalties called on the field. Facemask penalties are more objective than holding penalties and the NFL tries to lean toward objectivity over subjectivity in implementing replay. It is not a "failed" system, exactly, though it is certainly an imperfect one.
Bill from Avondale
Obviously, you are also being paid by the league to quash the rumors about the refs intentionally throwing flags against the Jags, thus preserving the secrecy of the conspiracy to keep the Jags down. It all makes sense now. You definitely won't post this.
Fair.
Chris from Roseville, CA
Thought I would break up the bye week with a couple of Jaguars-adjacent questions. Do you think Baltimore Ravens running back Derrick Henry has a real chance to pass all-time NFL rushing yards leader Emmitt Smith and become the all-time rushing leader? And how much do you think his 99-yard touchdown run ignited his career? He didn't do much before that run and has been unstoppable ever since.
Henry is in his 11th season and is a little under 5,000 yards from Smith's NFL record of 18,355 career yards rushing. I would give Henry an outside chance because he has a knack for breaking long runs, and getting yards in chunks as he does gives you a chance to amass yards quickly. But I say "outside chance" because 5,000 yards is still a lot of yards and 11 seasons is a lot of seasons. He remains very effective now, but when it "goes" for a running back, it "goes" quickly. I think Henry would have had a great career with or without the 99-yarder against the Jaguars in 2018. I think the main difference would be he would have 99 fewer yards.
Taylor from Ellicott City, MD
Hi John, you replied saying "Stay Tuned" in response to a question regarding the football impact of the London Series. Will we be hearing something about this? I think both myself and other fans are curious how this all turned out for us (the jaguars) or at least how people around the organization feel about what has occurred there. Thanks!
Stay tuned.
Paul from St Augustine, FL
In response to Dave from Jax Beach, I have a different take on Liam Coen: He is a phenomenal offensive mind six games into his second season as an NFL head coach and is already considered to be one of the best coaches in the league. The assumption seems to be that he does not learn from what calls have worked and what calls have not. I think that as he continues to coach this team, he is going to grow much like the team and organization as a whole have grown in the last year and a half. We have SO many of the pieces in place and two years ago, it felt like that might never come to be the case. As far as the "cute" or "clever" play calls go, I bet the ones that succeed will sit with fans just fine.
The Jaguars have won 17 of 23 regular-season games since Coen's arrival before last season. They have been among the NFL's best teams during that span. They have won an AFC South title and lead the AFC South this season. Coen certainly will grow in his position. I do have to give credit to those criticizing him, though, because you have to work hard to find significant flaws in the job he has done. Those criticizing have damned sure done the work.
Joe from Fleming Island, FL
O-Zone. Getting a defensive end who can get home for sacks before the trade deadline would seem to be very difficult. In your experience/opinion how much would an upgrade in the defensive back personnel help our current defensive line get the quarterback on the ground?
How good is the defensive back? In my experience, a defensive back better be really good to significantly help the pass rush.
Brian from Atlantic Beach, FL
Zone, just wanted to point out that of the five players you regarded as good selections over the last two offseasons in response to Rob from Orange Park on Thursday, tight end Nate Boerkircher is the only one pundits proclaimed the Jags reached for at the time that has played to his draft position as opposed to panned mid-round selections safety Caleb Ransaw, guard Wyatt Milum, linebacker Jack Kiser, nose tackle Albert Regis, safety Jalen Huskey, and wide receiver C.J. Williams. Thus, you're effectively saying we should support a track record of 1 for 7 in Rounds 3 and 4 where teams need to build the heart of their rosters with four-year contributors. I get that teams aren't gonna hit on every one of those picks, but less than 15 percent success rate as the result of reaching for "Duval DNA" in those rounds is not a good track record.
What fans support regarding who the Jaguars draft concerns me to the exact degree as who draftniks pan and praise. It's fine for fans to have thoughts on this matter. But those thoughts just shouldn't – and do not – have any connection to how the Jaguars draft.
JayPee from The Vortex
"We often see spikes in officiating in certain areas early as the NFL emphasizes an area only to have the calls reduce as the playoffs approach because the league doesn't want "overofficiousness" later in the season and in the postseason" – just, wow. I'm not sure I know a sport that changes the rules in the middle of a season. This is dumb. Holding should be holding. Pass interference should be pass interference. Doesn't matter what time in the season. Today I have lost some respect for the NFL.
If that shook you up, I better not tell you who really eats those cookies on Christmas Eve.
