JACKSONVILLE – Let's get to it …
Jeremy from Gilbert, AZ
I could care less about "respect" from national media, social media or anyone else for that matter. Just keep winning and playing a brand of football that makes us proud to be fans!
I expect "respect" to remain a Jaguars topic until it's not and it's certainly a topic as the AFC South-leading Jaguars (10-4) prepare to play the AFC West-leading Denver Broncos (12-2) at Empower Field at Mile High Sunday. It's a topic because Jaguars Head Coach Liam Coen and players have made it a topic, and it's a topic because fans have embraced it. Whoever is doing the embracing, the reality remains that respect is as meaningless in the NFL as it is elusive. The only way it matters is if it motivates a team. Beyond that, who cares if you get it? The idea is to win division titles and hold big trophies on podiums in December and January. If you do that, it won't matter if anyone respects you.
Charles from Riverside
Hello, John. During the preseason we thought eight wins would be almost overachieving for the team. We had a 50% churn on players, new front office, new head coach and coaches and a new executive vice president in the house. Back in the day, this was called a "rebuild" and it might take three years to reach 8 wins, and fans waited. Today the Jags are the No. 3 seed in the AFC going into the Denver game. My question is this truly unique what's happening here now? Are players, coaches and front office all just that good and making it happen now? Or has the NFL changed somehow and makes it easier to turn a rebuild into a contender in one season?
NFL teams have had dramatic turnaround seasons for decades. It has been perhaps a little "easier" in the last 30 years or so since the implementation of free agency and the salary cap, but the truth is turning a franchise around isn't easy. Even in this era. It is doable if you know what you're doing, emphasize the right things and stop silliness. The Jaguars are now a good organization with good leadership, good coaching and good players. They spent the offseason implementing a good culture and have spent the last 10 or 11 months working to improve the roster with the right sorts of players. This season to date is the result of that.
Chris from Mandarin
Respect for the Jaguars is never coming. Even if they are to win the Super Bowl, the national media will likely go with the narrative that it was a down year for the NFL.
They'll still give out rings, T-Shirts, hats and trophies. All else is periphery.
Bill from Orange Park, FL
Good Day, "O", from Clay not Duval – as the one of many counties that has supported the great Jacksonville Jaguars team. Not a fan of this chant of Duval. I remember the last time the Jaguars played Denver in the playoffs and the city and the press really ripped that team apart. I will never forget what the Denver press called our team. (JAGWADS) and that team went in there and sent John Elway and Broncos home. With the team's attitude towards being ignored and ridiculed, is there some way or someone who can remind them how this team and fan base was treated then and how this attitude has never changed towards the city and team. This team is good and they deserve the respect it has earned. Goooo JAGUARS!! Send Denver the correct spelling and a loss. Stop their quarterback and they Win.
Insider tip: Think of the Duuuuuval chant not as much as a county, but as a rallying cry and state of mind. That chant is very much based in the "us-against-the-world" attitude your email indicates you embrace. The spirit of the chant is very much "inclusion" and absolutely not "exclusion." I expect this team to continue embracing "us-against-the-world" with little-to-no-need of remining players of 1996. As for the Jaguars …. yes, they are good. Stopping Broncos quarterback Bo Nix will be big Sunday. Getting a high-end pass rush blocked is big, too. Running well is important. Kickoff is Sunday at 4:05 p.m. Stay tuned.
Joel from Mandarin
O, I guess the rest of the league and football analysts – including Richard Sherman – should write off the Los Angeles Rams and say the Rams are a bad team because they lost to the Seattle Seahawks in a close game just like the league did when the Jaguars lost a close game with the Seahawks earlier this year. If the league and analysts don't take the Rams out of first place on their power rankings immediately, maybe the Jaguars can use that as a double standard kind of disrespect? I mean this all as tongue in cheek of course but still it's true. Have a great day Mr. O.
The "league" doesn't do power rankings, though I'm sure NFL Media does. Either way, fear not: Whatever happens, wherever, someone will do something that someone associated with the Jaguars can take as disrespect. And as long as that happens, all will remain right in the world. And stop worrying about Richard Sherman. You care more about him than he does you. It's not worth the effort.
Bradley from Death Valley, CA
I think this respect thing has done got out of hand. This is basically the national media we are talking about. Who cares? I don't see opposing players, coaches, and front office personnel disrespecting the Jags.
RESPECT ME!!!!!!!!!!
Aiden from Jax, FL
Jaguars wide receiver Jakobi Meyers got his contract at $20 million per year after 6 games. Obviously, the Jags saw this a huge need especially since Meyers has been playing well and contributing a lot with what seemed to be an injury decimated offense. Do you think this makes it less likely the Jags re-sign running back Travis Etienne Jr. to a new contract? Do they see the wide receiver position as that much more valuable than the starting running back?
Any big contract by definition makes a future big contract at least slightly more difficult. That's the nature of the NFL's salary cap. And there's no guarantee that the Jaguars will be able to work a deal for running back Travis Etienne Jr. And yes … in this era of the NFL, getting wide receiver right usually trumps getting running back right. This is not a Jaguars thing. It's a league-wide thing.
James from Destin
John, seeing the air is thinner in Denver, you think we could see a new field-goal record? Maybe a 75 yarder?
This is a pertinent topic with Jaguars kicker Cam Little – who earlier this season set the NFL record with a 70-yard field goal – kicking for the first time in the thin air of Empower Field at Mile High in Denver, Colo., Sunday. The record for longest kick has been tied once (Jason Elam, 1998, 63 yards) and set once (Matt Prater, 2014, 64 yards) in Denver, so it stands to reason that can happen there again at some point. Still, 75 yards is a loooooooong way – even in high altitude.
Jon from American Fork
John, it seems to me the game on Sunday hinges on the Jags offensive line being able to keep Lawrence upright. It looks like Walker Little will be back, which should help the cause. What do you see unfolding on Sunday?
I expect Cole Van Lanen to start at left tackle with Ezra Cleveland starting at guard, Robert Hainsey starting at center, Patrick Mekari starting at right guard and Anton Harrison starting at right tackle. I expect how that group plays to be critical against a Denver Broncos pass rush that leads the NFL with 58 sacks.
Jay from Portland via Fletcher SHS
This is starting to feel little like back in the day. 1997. The Broncos and Bills were the bullies of the AFC. There's a very real pressure bability we will face one or both this postseason.
It's important to explore all pressure babilities in every situation. Whatever your political affiliation, I think we can all agree on that.
Dakota from Dupree, SD
Zone, I'm about 30 miles south of Rapid City, SD headed to my first Jaguars game. My oldest son (11) is with me and even though he is a Broncos fan we won't hold that against him. The Jags contending in December makes the trip a lot cooler. There hasn't been very many of those seasons lately. It's a big game and a special trip for both of us. Jags take care of the football tomorrow and the Jags win. What do I need to know to get a full game-day experience?
Leave the 11-year old home. Find a Jaguars fan to take the game. Or at least buy the kid a Jags cap. This is on you.
