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Jaguars News | Jacksonville Jaguars - jaguars.com

O-Zone: Watch your back

JACKSONVILLE – Let's get to it …

Daniel from Jersey City, NJ

O-man, how can it make any sense to switch back to Glennon?

I received many versions of this question Saturday after the Jaguars announced that Mike Glennon will start over Gardner Minshew II at quarterback against the Chicago Bears Sunday. And trust me: I do understand the angst that led to the question. Many Jaguars fans are worried about the team beating the Bears because doing so could hurt the Jaguars' positioning in the 2021 NFL Draft – and therefore hurt their chances of perhaps selecting Clemson University quarterback Trevor Lawrence No. 1 overall next offseason. And yeah … If you're a fan wanting the Jaguars to lose Sunday, starting Glennon indeed could be worrisome.

Reuben from Pikesville

You can't spell Marrone without m o r o n. He's tanking no matter what he says. Putting in Glennon proves it. I look for a total blowout with a bad defense now knowing they have no hope.

Your conviction and passion about the subject notwithstanding, Marrone's trying to win. Nothing he has done at the quarterback position this season goes against that.

Robert from St. Augustine Fl.

Don't break out the champagne yet. Sadly, all this Trevor Lawrence noise is only going to fuel this Jags team. My gut feeling is the Jags are going to secure a victory over the Bears this Sunday (20-17).

Perhaps.

Jay from Jacksonville

Let's talk about the whole truth: Jaguars Owner Shad Khan wants to win; it is fun and gains him points at the big-boy table with the other owners when his team wins. However: Khan gets that sweet, sweet, sweet NFL money no matter if the team wins or loses. He fails to make critical personnel decisions until it is way too late to matter. He really, really, really loves England. If the team sucks bad enough, he knows people will stop being fans and paying for trash. He then can pretend like he cares because, a tiny part of him does want to win. But he really doesn't want wins at this point. He wants two more very bad seasons where he "loses money" (false claim) and then he will act like some abused child. The toy he neglected broke and it was someone else's fault. Then he will steal the Jaguars away to England, Canada, San Antonio or wherever will pay insane money for his new toy. Watch, our new general manager will also be a worthless idiot and next year we will be 0-16. Then the next year 0-16. Khan is a con artist. That is the full truth.

You wrote many words. And you wrote them with conviction. But your conviction doesn't make your words truth. Khan isn't trying to lose and he's not trying to move the team. If he were trying to move the Jaguars from Jacksonville, why would be trying to develop the area around TIAA Bank Field? Why would he want to develop downtown Jacksonville? Why would he care about the issue so much? The Jaguars haven't won enough. No one disputes that. But the conspiracy theories about Khan losing on purpose or not caring are just that – conspiracy theories that appeal to many observers but that simply aren't reasonable.

Dan from Charlotte, NC

I know everyone is excited about the potential of such a high draft pick this year, but I think overall an underdiscussed topic is that the organization really needs to address the culture of the team. I'm not well-enough informed to know if that is set solely by the GM, but the truth of the matter is that we have had trouble retaining the talent we DO draft. When our home runs from the draft are willing to take financial hits just to get away from this organization, it speaks to bigger internal issues that we as fans probably don't understand fully, but it IS a problem. How can we fix this, John?

Major change – at the general manager level and other levels across the top of the football side of the organization – typically means a change in culture. How do you change it? You win – and you draft high-character, team-oriented players who want to buy into a city and organization committed to doing things right. So, to sum up: You win. And you make sure you draft the right kinds of people and players.

Kathy from Jacksonville

I have also been one who was concerned about the number of penalties the Jaguars have had. But I have noticed, also, that they try to play with zeal and courage (even when skills may not be developed.) I expect that when the skills improve the penalties will decrease. Could this be part of the penalty woes?

Young players and players who aren't as good as their opponents often commit penalties, so yes … youth and zeal – and not yet being good enough – absolutely contributes to penalty woes.

Diego from South of tierra del fuego.

What happens if Trevor Lawrence decides not to come out and return for his senior season? Who do you think the Jags should select as the next best choice at quarterback?

I don't expect Lawrence to not come out and neither do most NFL observers. He has said he's ready to come out, so the only incentive would be not wanting to play for the Jaguars. From his perspective, what would be the point of that? There's no guarantee the Jaguars won't select No. 1 overall the following offseason if Lawrence doesn't enter this draft. And there's no guarantee he would be in a better situation if a team other than the Jaguars is selecting No. 1 overall no matter what year he enters the draft. As far as who the Jaguars might select No. 1 overall if Lawrence doesn't enter the draft, I have no idea. I'll start studying quarterbacks more in January once the season ends.

William from Savannah, GA

John, I am trying to put all the pieces together. Perhaps, Khan really likes what he has with Marrone and is going to have him highly involved in the general manager selection. There's been a lot of that going around the past few years in the NFL. Possibility?

Slim.

Chris from Roseville, CA

I wish more people in Jacksonville would go visit other cities and see what a real and vibrant downtown looks like instead of the depressing downtown in Jacksonville. I admire Khan's vision, but I'm afraid he's stuck in the wrong market for his bold ideas.

He's not. Most markets resist the idea of helping fund large projects such as this and they are often not popular with everyone in a community. Resistance doesn't mean they don't – or shouldn't – happen.

John from Jacksonville

Hi KOAGF - I'm sending a public service announcement to Jags fans. The Chicago Bears are very inconsistent and beatable this Sunday.  This should concern many. We may be licking our wounds Sunday night.

Fair.

Jonathan from Jacksonville

"The Colts won't have clinched their playoff seeding when they play the Jaguars in the 2020 regular-season finale. They'll play hard." You still ducking the question. Every year, "TEAMS" sit their starters out once they clinched playoffs and seeding to avoid injuries and really not worry about that game's outcome. Tell us again how's that different?

I'm not ducking questions. I recently was asked about the 2020 regular season finale between the Colts and the Jaguars. I noted that the Colts still won't have clinched their playoff seeding when the teams play – and wrote that for that reason, they will play hard. What I meant is that they will play their starters and do whatever it takes to win.

Taylor from Columbia, MD

There's no guarantee this must happen going forward, but if your tackles make big errors at crucial moments you have a problem on the offensive line. Would you personally re-sign Cam this offseason? Despite the tone of my email, I actually would.

I would consider franchising Jaguars left tackle Cam Robinson in the offseason. I don't know that he has played at a high enough level consistently enough for a long-term contract.

Bob from Sumter, SC

So, do you and Shadrick "have each other's backs" or is it cutthroat behind the scenes?

J.P. Shadrick and I most definitely do not "have each other's backs." We speak when we see one another, and we are cordial on the air. Behind the scenes, though, it's bad. Really bad.

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