ASK VIC
Matt from Georgetown, TX
Vic, I saw an article detailing how Rodgers’ passer rating when throwing to Adams, Cobb and Allison is 115. When throwing to Graham, St. Brown and Valdez-Scantling, it is 83. Assuming that’s accurate, what does it tell you about the offseason and next year?
I’m not surprised Aaron Rodgers has been more successful throwing to veteran receivers with whom he has a rapport, than he is throwing to raw, low-round draft picks. His lack of success with Jimmy Graham is the surprise. Graham is a high-dollar free agent. He was supposed to be a game-changer. The rookies are learning their craft; Graham is supposed to be a skilled craftsman. What does Graham’s lackluster season tell me? It tells me the Packers have a big decision to make on whether or not to pay Graham a big roster bonus in March.
Adam from Wausau, WI
What skill do you wish you would have spent more time mastering throughout your life?
I’m OK with being a sportswriter. I think I got the most out of my limited intelligence.
Mike from Berlin, WI
Does GM Vic try to sign Bashaud Breeland to a new contract?
Yeah, as long as he can be signed at a No. 2 corner pay grade. Alexander is a No. 1 and he’s going to cost a lot of money to re-sign in a few years. The problem with signing No. 2 corners opposite stars such as Alexander is the No. 2 guy tends to get a lot of interceptions and passes-defensed because teams avoid the star corner, and the stats inflate the No. 2 corner’s value. This might be a good time to lock up Breeland.
Cliff from Washington, DC
I’m tired of this either/or crap about the Packers’ next head coach. Will they pick an offensive mind? Will they pick a defensive mind? I say bologna. I refuse to think great coaches privilege one over the other.
This bologna stuff needs to end. It’s not bologna, it’s baloney. Look it up, if you don’t believe me. You wouldn’t say someone is full of meat, you’d say they were full of something else, right?
Kevin from Greenacres, WA
I’m of the opinion if your franchise QB is healthy, he plays. Can you imagine the offseason baloney if Rodgers did sit and the Packers won their last two games?
Well done.
Isaac from Nashville, TN
Vic, is Derrick Henry as good as he’s looked the last few weeks, and can you still build an offense around an outstanding power back?
Henry is an upright power runner. So was Eric Dickerson. Once upon a time, there was an extreme prejudice against power runners that didn’t play behind their pads. Today’s game fits them, because of head-injury awareness and the emphasis on not lowering the helmet. I see more of them coming into the league every year. James Conner is an upright power runner. Can you still build an offense around a power runner? The Titans are No. 5 in rushing but No. 27 in total offense. I guess the answer is no.
Blake from Normal, IL
Vic, what will it take for you to believe in the Bears? Week after week, the offense improves and the defense continues to do its thing. Do you need a Super Bowl to finally believe?
I need to know they can put the game in Trubisky’s hands at crunch time and feel confident he’ll deliver. For example, the Steelers had the ball deep in their territory midway through the fourth quarter with a four-point lead over the Patriots. The Steelers needed to kill time and score points to win; everyone knew it and the pressure was on Roethlisberger to get it done. He did. I don’t get the sense the Bears can do that with Trubisky. I still think they try to play around him, protect him from those situations. Elite teams don’t do that.
Margo from Chicago, IL
And why do we have a losing record, Vic?
I don’t know, Margo. Actually, that’s not true. I do know, Margo. The Packers have a losing record because they don’t have enough good players and Aaron Rodgers didn’t play well enough this season to overcome the Packers’ deficiencies.
Tim from Lancaster, PA
Did the Rams and Chiefs peak too soon?
I don’t know the answer to that question. What I can tell you is some coaches put a priority on developing plays, and some make it a priority to develop players. The ones who develop players are usually the ones whose team plays its best football late in the season.
Jerry from Savannah, GA
Vic, who you got Sunday night? Chiefs or Seahawks?
Seahawks. Pete Carroll develops players.
Jillaine from Star Valley Ranch, WY
What is your opinion? Should Aaron Rodgers sit out the last games to insure he does not get hurt again before the next season, thereby protecting the expensive contract? Or should he play, since the young team members need all the practice with the real QB to help them improve, especially since he just got an expensive contract that should keep him here for the foreseeable future?
A few weeks ago, I was against the idea, but since then the remaining games have become meaningless to the Packers and to their opponents, so I’ve changed my mind: Shut him down. A big part of my reason for not wanting him to play is we need a break from the Rodgers analysis angst. I think we need to let this season go gentle into that good night.
Roger from Auburn, CA
Aaron Jones has shown flashes but I don’t think he can stay healthy. If you were the Packers’ GM, would you use one of those top 50 picks on a stud running back?
If one is at the top of their board, pick him.
Aaron from Wausau, WI
You talk about not cutting a player who has a large cap hit or a lot of dead money. I’d say it’s better to err on the side of releasing players whose performance doesn’t match their price. Are you falling to the sunk cost fallacy?
If a team is convinced a player lacks useful talent, then cut him. If they think he has useful talent but it’s not the equal of his contract, then try to re-do his contract. Maybe the Packers should try to do that with Jimmy Graham, but I doubt he would agree to a lesser deal. He’d probably welcome another tour of free agency and a chance to sting another team. Are you willing to let that happen? Are we sure Graham can’t play to the equal of his contract? That’s a big question to answer. It’s what the Packers have to decide.
Neil from Cheddar, UK
How do you feel about the fact NFL.com had to close their comments section but yours is getting bigger and with sensible conversations in it. Makes you think there is still some humanity out on the worldwide web and it likes to read Vic!
I’m intensely proud of the “Ask Vic” comments section, and I hope it is, too.
Steven from Jacksonville, FL
After following football for so many years, do you ever get tired or bored of it? What keeps your interest after all of these years?
It’s the confrontation. That’s why I like football. I think football features confrontation more than any other sport I’ve known. Everything is a competition, from the scouting combine to the Super Bowl.
OZone
JACKSONVILLE – Let’s get to it …
Zain from Orlando, FL
I think fans had extremely high expectations of this defense; part of it was fanning and part of it was all the talk coming from the team, its players and media. Almost a full season later, this defense has underperformed – and you’ve given us a few good reasons why. But unexplained is how “un-clutch” this defense has been this year. How many fourth-quarter drives has the defense given up with the game in the balance – either to lose the game or get the ball back for a chance to win? This was one of the calling cards of last year’s defense (until the Pittsburgh and New England games last year, of course) – not just consistency, or turnover production, but clutch-ness. That piece has nothing to do with the offense – at least in comparison to last year’s. Any thoughts on this Zone?
It’s fair to think the Jaguars have been “un-clutch” defensively; the unit could have played better in big moments at times this season. It’s also fair to remember that the defense has allowed 16, 20, 20 and nine points in losses this season. In all those games – losses to Washington, Houston, Pittsburgh and Tennessee – the defense played well enough to win, but the offense didn’t score enough to give the defense leads. Defenses in the modern NFL can only hold opponents down for so long and so often. Case in point: You could consider the defensive performance against Washington “un-clutch” because the Redskins scored 10 points in the fourth quarter. Had the Jaguars scored 21 or 24 points in that game, those 10 fourth-quarter points would have been considered mop-up points and hardly discussed at all.
Scott from Fernandina Beach, FL
Hi, John: There has been speculation that the Jags could/would/should move on from running back Leonard Fournette. I hope not, but if so, I hope they don’t part ways with Carlos Hyde. I would like one of the two to be on this team.
OK.
Bob from Sumter, SC
In your opinion who are the players the organization considers core players given that there could be a lot of changes this offseason?
Cornerback Jalen Ramsey and defensive end Yannick Ngakoue pretty much for sure. Beyond, there’s not a lot for sure.
David from Section 236
Regarding not going back to quarterback Blake Bortles – particularly in the second half of the loss to the Redskins – I’d sure love more than you answering, “Sometimes it’s time to move on.” I get why you move on to try younger talent (Ronnie Harrison instead of Barry Church at strong safety), for some “fresh air/spark” (Blake, originally), or because of a nagging injury and/or perhaps to send a message (Fournette), but by now I don’t see which of those still apply at quarterback. Instead, for the last home game we all paid good money, went to the stadium and were subjected to what by then everyone knew was not an NFL quarterback even at his best (unlike Blake, at his best). Thanks.
I understand the desire for to hear a better answer than “sometimes it’s time to move on,” but in the case of Bortles … sometimes it really is just time to move on.
Lynne from Jacksonville
When Blake was playing, he was blamed for EVERYTHING. Now Kessler plays the same way and all of a sudden the real reason Bortles didn’t play well is the exact same reasons. Kessler is on the ground wayyyyy more than Blake ever was and Kessler throws very few balls downfield. Yet, when Bortles did it all hell would break loose. If we really are ridiculous enough to lose Blake, he will move right up to the Steelers and get a Super Bowl ring. Jaguars Owner Shad Khan, please DON’T let Blake go. We just got him ready to be a REAL franchise quarterback. Our team will never be the same without him. I have been a fan since Day 1. I will always love my Jags and Blake Bortles. Fight for it, Blake. You can do this man!
Hey … one really, really, really, really – and perhaps a bit unreasonably – for Blake!
Travis from Ormond Beach, FL
Hey, John: I was thinking about the running game’s struggles and it seems to me the last time they ran well was the Buffalo game – all the way up to when Norwell was lost for the year. Coincidence or was he that key to the ground game?
Losing left guard Andrew Norwell hurt. Fournette also hasn’t been as effective in two games since being suspended the week after the Buffalo game. It’s rarely one thing in the NFL, and this issue isn’t either.
Nick from Annapolis, MD
I was a big advocate against Lamar Jackson coming out of college, partly because of the injury concern for running quarterbacks. Still, it looks like the Baltimore Ravens might be on to something with Jackson. Over the past five-to-ten years, the effectiveness of quarterback runs seems to be on the rise. The way Baltimore is using Jackson appears to be working, and it appears he has been coached very well about running smart enough to avoid taking direct hits. He is basically tackling himself on most of his runs. Do you think this is the future, or is the availability of quarterbacks with great running ability and strong arms just not big enough? I’m a traditional guy myself, but it’s certainly intriguing to watch. He’s averaging 4.9 yards per carry when everyone knows he wants to run the ball.
Running quarterbacks indeed are having more success than was the case perhaps 10-to-15 seasons ago – and Jackson has been effective as a rookie. Russell Wilson, though a far more advanced pocket passer than Jackson, also is very effective extending plays for the Seattle Seahawks. Still, when it comes to long-term effectiveness the ideal remains a quarterback who can win from the pocket – or who looks to pass first with escapability as a supplemental quality (Wilson). Until it works long-term, I’ll always be skeptical of selecting a quarterback who leans heavily on running first in the first round of the NFL Draft. The probability of injury – and the accompanying decline in effectiveness – is too great.
Paul from Jacksonville
I understand the Jaguars’ offense can’t block for the easy stuff right now, can’t block straight ahead runs, can’t pass block etc. If you can’t do the simple stuff, coaches are hesitant to open the playbook. However, it seems to me if you can’t pass block or run block isn’t time to move the pocket? To try to catch defenses over pursuing with reverses, jet sweeps, flea flickers, etc.? We might not score (we don’t now) but we’d at least be fun to watch.
Would we?
Chris from Mandarin, FL
Just how lost is Fournette right now? I saw him make an incredible cutback Sunday at the line and broke away up the sideline. He looked to had room to get the ball to at least the 30 or 25 if he just kept running straight. Instead, he displayed uncommonly poor field vision once again and gets tackled near the 45. He normally picks the wrong holes at the line of scrimmage, but this play was alarming. He seems like he plays slow. What is going on?
Fournette does seem to have lost some confidence in the last couple of games. He played really well for a couple of games and hasn’t played well since returning from his one-game suspension. It’s fair to assume the offensive-line injuries aren’t helping his cause. What’s going on beyond that? Fair question.
Gabe from Chapel Hill, NC
The 2019 draft will be huge for this franchise. Is it fair to say that General Manager David Caldwell has not done well enough to merit another Top-5-to-top-10 selection? Also, #FreeMattScott
It’s fair for you to think that. What will matter is whether or not Khan and Executive Vice President of Football Operations Tom Coughlin think that.
Ryan from Dallas, TX
Can you explain the “healthy scratch”? What exactly does that mean? Is that decided by the player, the coaches, or both?
A healthy scratch refers to a player who is healthy being one of a team’s seven game-day inactives. It’s typically decided by coaches. Healthy scratches are often players lower on the depth chart who weren’t expected to be active; when that’s the case, it’s not news. Sometimes, when the decision involves more established players such as Jaguars strong safety Barry Church or running back Carlos Hyde in recent weeks, it’s more noteworthy.
Rocky from Jagsville
Zone, I read the O-Zone every day, as much to get entertained and have a chuckle to stay up on the pulse of the Jags and their incredibly diverse fans. Keep up the good work and thanks for being you … you know … you light up my life…. you are the king of all funk. Oh, sorry … it was getting away from me there. Thanks brother dude man!
Good eye.
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