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Very different animals

Join Jaguars Inside Report Senior Editor Vic Ketchman as he tackles the fans' tough questions.

Mike from Atlanta, GA:
Vic, if you could step into any current NFL player's body and just for one play have their talent and skill, which player would it be? Against who? And what would the play be? For me, the player would be Fred Taylor, the opponent would be the Titans in the 2004 AFC championship game, with the Titans leading by four with 10 seconds on the clock. The Jags are deep in their own territory at the four-yard line. Everyone expects pass, but they give it to me, Fred Taylor, and I see just a tiny hole in the defensive line, open just long enough for me to pop through. The boys in teal have set up a wall so I could run all the way to St. Augustine if I wanted to. I go 96 yards, trotting the last five to make sure the Titans have no time left. The Jags win and go to the Super Bowl. The stadium goes nuts.

Vic: Mike, apparently the stadium isn't the only thing that has gone nuts.

Dustin from Jacksonville:
Do you think that maybe the Jaguars have more important needs, as far as depth and experience is concerned at offensive tackle, as opposed to the receiver position?

Vic: I've always believed wide receiver is a much easier position to fortify than offensive tackle, cornerback, defensive end, quarterback, etc. And I appreciate the point you're making and you may be right on the button, but after watching this team in spring practices, I honestly do believe its most critical need is at wide receiver. The Jaguars will undoubtedly address that need this summer, but a long-term fix at wide receiver will require another draft class or two.

Buddy from Richmond, VA:
How are the old players accepting the new coaching style of coach Del Rio; the teaching of new concepts and the more teaching-type approach?

Vic: I know of no complaints.

Courtney from Jacksonville:
The Jags and their new staff have done a magnificent job of improving this team. My question is: Are the Jags ready to compete for a title or are they still missing something?

Vic: The Jaguars have areas of distinct need. James Harris made that clear at draft time when he said you can't fix it all in one year. Patience, please.

Ryan from Fenton, MO:
What is the best way to improve abilities for a high school offensive lineman? I'm about 190 pounds, six-foot and pretty quick. I'm stuck at the offensive line mainly because I can't catch the ball or remember the passing tree. So my question to you is: How can I improve my abilities without resulting in gaining a lot of weight?

Vic: You have guard written all over you, and nothing beats quickness at the guard position. Forget about size, for now. Can you get stronger? Can your technique be better? Are you the first one off the ball? Maximize your strength, technique and quickness and the rest will come naturally. No coach will turn his back on a strong, smart, quick player. Of course, I'm assuming you're already tough.

David from Atlantic Beach, FL:
There was a story in Sunday's New York Times titled "How much for tickets? You need a scorecard." The story detailed how baseball is embracing the concept of "variable pricing." The concept is based on different prices based on the specifics of that game. For example, weekday games are cheaper than weekend games. Or games with major rivals are more expensive than regular games. Has the NFL experimented with variable pricing? What are your thoughts? As a season ticket holder, I don't like paying "full retail" for preseason games or games versus the Bengals.

Vic: Baseball plays 81 home games; most NFL teams only play 10 (including two preseason games). What you must understand is that everything about NFL ticket sales is based on selling out. TV blackouts, right? So NFL owners market their product as a whole pie, instead of 10 individual slices. The price of that pie is established and divided by 10. Is a Bengals ticket the same price as a ticket to see the Bucs or Dolphins, or is a ticket to see the Bucs or Dolphins the same price as a ticket to see the Bengals? The bottom line is the NFL doesn't want to sell individual-game tickets; it wants to sell season tickets. That's why it markets its product as it does. Baseball and football are very different animals.

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