JACKSONVILLE – Let's get to it …
Bradley from Sparks, NV
Have you noticed any difference in demeanor and intensity among the Jags and coaches this week as compared to last?
Not particularly. There without question is urgency around the building as the Jaguars prepare to play the Denver Broncos in the 2021 regular-season home opener at TIAA Bank Field. Players and coaches are intense, and I expect them to be "fired up" Sunday. But players and coaches were intense last week and "fired up" entering a 37-21 loss to the Houston Texans in the regular-season opener. Players were "geeked" last Sunday and I suspect they will be "geeked" Sunday. The solution is not upping the intensity. The solution is not more "geekedness." The solution is playing better fundamentally, making fewer pre-snap errors and penalties, and executing better. And making more plays when the opportunities are there. That's it. That's the way out. Or up. Or whatever.
Jerry from Hero, FL
John, last year we won right out of the box and never again. Maybe getting the loss will at least give fans more realistic expectations and the team more motivation. What do you think?
I think the Jaguars lost in ugly fashion in Week 1 and I think they will want to play better and win moving forward. I don't expect them to be more motivated because I think they were motivated Week 1. I don't know how to judge fan expectations. I think Jaguars fans expect their team to win, and I think that expectation is reasonable.
Al from Orange Park, FL
My wife figured out the loss to the Texans. I was wearing the wrong gameday tee shirt. In my defense, it was the first game of the season, and I was confused. I'm expecting torches and pitchforks outside my house tonight. Do you have any advice for me to gain forgiveness from the other fans?
Fight to the death. Never quit. You can win this.
Daniel from Johnston, IA
How do you learn/practice to avoid penalties? Do the Jags have someone playing referee during practices and calling penalties? Over the past several years, I think the most frustrating thing as a fan to watch these Jags games has been the penalties. I know we're not a 13-3 team, but we don't have to act like we're auditioning for the Misfits ...
You avoid penalties by practicing cleanly and by repping rules. The Jaguars have officials at most – if not all – practices. Yes, the penalties are frustrating. To have so many as they had Sunday is inexcusable. I expect it to improve Sunday. I can't guarantee it.
Dana from Jacksonville
Do you expect this team to improve as the season goes along?
Yes.
Louis from Ocala, FL
Not a question, John, but a glimmer of hope. In his NFL debut, Lawrence completed 28 of 51 passes for 332 yards and three touchdowns with the three interceptions. In his NFL debut, Peyton Manning was 21-of-37 passing for 302 yards, one touchdown and three interceptions. In his NFL debut, Andrew Luck completed 23 of 45 passes for 309 yards, a touchdown and three interceptions. Each lost their first NFL game.
There's more than glimmer of hope when it comes to Lawrence; it's a bright, sunshiny flood of hope. Jaguars rookie quarterback Trevor Lawrence played fine in his first NFL game Sunday. He threw the sorts of interceptions you expect from a rookie quarterback, and he made some phenomenal throws that showed his remarkable talent. Mostly, he handled himself well in the pocket and kept his eyes downfield when under pressure. Nothing is more important than that last part. Most young quarterbacks look to run when under pressure. Lawrence looked downfield to pass and eschewed running except as a last resort. Some quarterbacks never are able to do that. Ones that do typically become very good quarterbacks. Lawrence will be fine. Your statistics don't prove or disprove it, but he will be fine. In fact, he will be a whole lot better than fine.
JT from Palm Coast, FL
I know that we live in a "need-it-now" society. I also know that telling a Jaguars fanbase to wait a couple more years while this is built is rough, but I'm afraid that is definitely what we are looking at. I believe that we have our quarterback and a few other solid, solid pieces, but there are still some glaring holes. I was encouraged with the line only giving up one sack. It's painfully obvious we need help in a lot of areas though.
I would say you're mostly correct – and I agree it could take multiple seasons to get the roster where it needs to be to compete for a deep playoff run. It's difficult to build in one offseason or two because it's difficult to acquire truly elite talent through free agency – and the Jaguars need some legitimately elite talent at multiple positions. But it's not unreasonable for fans to expect improvement this season, and the thought here is that can be achieved. One way to achieve it: Execute the fundamentals and eliminate avoidable penalties. The Jaguars didn't do either in the regular-season opener Sunday. Until they do, we won't know if this team is good or not. The Jaguars at least must give themselves a chance to compete. That didn't happen Sunday.
John from Cape May Court House, NJ
Holding penalties are one thing, but not lining up correctly three times is inexcusable.
True.
Mark from High Springs
I left Sunday's game thinking we looked unprepared, got outcoached and were overall sloppy. All those things are fixable, and I felt it was understandable with so many coaches in first-time situations, especially Jaguars Head Coach Urban Meyer. Then I read the press, and there seems to be no confidence that Urban can make those adjustments. A combination of his ego and lack of struggle in his career make "fixing" a losing team beyond his reach. I thought the reason we hired him is because that's what he does best. Which Urban do you see walking the halls?
I see a coach driven to win who will work tirelessly and use all his experience to do whatever he can do so. I have no idea if he will be able to do so or not. It's not guaranteed this will work. But he will work at it and try. We'll see.
Eddie from Jacksonville
Hey John, I pay good money to access this site. So from now on what I am going to do is pretend you wrote something completely different than the answers you gave and then email you to complain about said fake answers.
Welcome. You should fit right in.
Steve from Nocatee, FL
JO, how many picks do we currently have in next year's draft? Do we have any compensatory picks?
The Jaguars currently have 12 selections in the 2022 NFL Draft – their seven original selections, two additional sixth-round selections (from Pittsburgh for linebacker Joe Schobert and from Seattle for cornerback Sidney Jones IV), a seventh-round selection for tight end Josh Oliver (from Baltimore) and two conditional selections (from Minnesota for defensive end Yannick Ngakoue and from Philadelphia for quarterback Gardner Minshew II). That's my count.
Keith from Soon to be St. Augustine, FL
As the media blandly, yet cerebrally analyzes the Jaguars with little feeling or emotion, John, I'm gonna fan (even though I find that notion dismissive and derogatory). "I'm as mad as hell, and I'm not going to take this anymore!" We are the worst team in the NFL again, and it's not even close. If it was up to me the owner, media, coaches, players and anyone even remotely associated with this team would be forced to sit in the seats in the stadium in the searing heat with dunce hats on and listen to the derision usually foisted on the proletariat by the visiting fans who are rude, crude and socially unacceptable. (How's that for irrational?) I don't give a rat's ass how good of a college Coach Urban M-E-Y-E-R (You misspell words all the time and still think it's funny to correct me; 10,000 comedians out of work in American and you're still trying to be funny-oh well.) was. This is the NFL. What promenaded out on the field in Houston last Sunday only masqueraded as a professional team. It is almost unbelievable to say, but of all the badly coached Jaguars teams, this is the worst. I know most NFL players didn't major in astrophysics, but are we to believe they can't even count to 11 (10 on a punt team and 12 in the huddle)? I've coached little league teams who knew where to line up and what to do better than these "professionals." Our team and coaches looked as lost as a goose in high weeds. Put the damn megaphone away, stop announcing wins and losses, and for goodness sake show the players where to line up and what to do.
Wait … you don't think I'm funny?
