Category: Uncategorized
O-Zone: Calendar girl
John Oehser Senior writer jaguars.com Follow John on twitter Like The O-Zone on facebook
JACKSONVILLE – Let’s get to it …
David from Maplewood, NJ:
I’m a little concerned about the game. It feels like a lot of people are picking the Jags, but I think this is a tough matchup. I am a Blake Bortles fan/believer but I would be blind if I didn’t acknowledge turnovers as one of his biggest challenges. The Bills’ defense takes the ball away … a lot. I know we do as well, but while ball security is a challenge or concern for our guy, the Bills’ quarterback hardly ever turns it over. What am I missing? I would have preferred the Chargers. Yes, Philip Rivers is better, but he has a habit of throwing picks, which plays into a strength. It seems Tyrod Taylor may neutralize that strength, no?
John: What are you missing? Nothing, really. This isn’t an “easy” matchup. The Jaguars are favored to win, but they’re in no way assured of winning. Unless you have a bye and are therefore playing no one, there’s no such thing as an easy, worry-free weekend in the NFL postseason. There are games that appear easy in retrospect, but all postseason games present potentially difficult matchups because every postseason team has enough strengths to win enough to get to the postseason. The worries you cite are indeed the ways the Bills could win on Sunday. They are an opportunistic defensive team with a mobile quarterback, which means they can stay in – and win – the game if the Jaguars commit turnovers offensively and neglect to stay in their pass-rushing lanes on defense. But you know what? The Jaguars have strengths and have a bunch of ways to win, too. The thought here is that the Jaguars’ strengths are stronger than – and outnumber – the Bills’ strengths in this game. As for the Chargers, they were equally scary – if not more so – because of a big-time defense and an elite quarterback in Philip Rivers. Bottom line: no game is easy right now. The playoffs are hard because they’re supposed to be hard.
Josh from Lynchburg, VA:
My new No. 20 jersey arrived today. GO JAGS.
John: Good for you, Josh. Natrone Means is an oft-overlooked important part of this team’s history. Enjoy your jersey.
Nathan from Fort Belvoir, VA:
Does the current state and trending-upwards state of the Jaguars bode well to land premier free agents without having to overpay them? In the past, we have been accused of having to pay more than our competitors.
John: I don’t know that you’re going to see the Jaguars make the massive foray into free agency in the coming offseasons that they have done in recent offseasons. You ideally will see the Jaguars participating in free agency less and less and building more through the draft with an eye on retaining their own players. Still, the success of the franchise should make the team more attractive to potential free agents. You’ll still overpay because you always overpay in free agency, but perhaps you’ll overpay less.
John from Jacksonville:
Nothing against the Bills, but I feel confident for the Jags winning this Sunday. If we don’t win against the Bills at home, then we don’t deserve a chance against the Steelers (and eventually the Patriots) on their turf to get into the Super Bowl. There is nothing more real than the sudden-death nature of the playoffs. I think Head Coach Doug Marrone will have the players in the right frame of mind to put everything they have out there on the field. I’m very happy for the veterans who haven’t been in a playoff game ever (or in a long time).
John: I believe the Jaguars will win, and I don’t doubt for a minute the team will be in the right frame of mind. It’s the postseason. If you need help getting motivated you’re in the wrong profession.
Red from Jacksonville:
Does having Marcell Dareus on the Jags’ roster help the Jags’ offense? Having played as part of the Bills’ defense until midseason he may be able to give Jaguars offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett some good intel on the Bills’ defense as well as the strengths and weaknesses of Bills defensive players – especially the defensive line.
John: It won’t hurt, but I don’t think this is an overwhelming advantage for the Jaguars. Now, having Dareus on the Jaguars’ defense? That could be a big edge.
Mickey from Section 408:
O, we are going to rock the bank on Sunday!! We’re excited and thoroughly expect to win because we are a better team! Defense wins championships and we have the best most talented defense in league! Btw, our offense ranks pretty high in several categories as well. It sounds crazy but I’m going to allow myself to believe this team can and will win it all!! And we’re going to be competing for many years to come! #JagsDynasty
John: #DTWD
Jason from North Pole, AK:
I saw three different plays last week where Blake Bortles did not step up into a clean pocket to deliver the ball. He instead threw off his back foot or stayed too deep. The result was two sacks and a bad interception forced by the defensive end that the tackle was trying to run around him. This seems like a regression and old habit for him. He has had a number of fumbles from strip sacks over the years. Do you think it was a case of him not trusting Josh Wells? I’m just trying to understand why he regressed all of a sudden.
John: I don’t know the exact plays you cite, but if you say they happen then perhaps they did. Bortles has been much better in this area this season and his pocket awareness and pocket presence has kept the Jaguars out of many, many sacks. It’s possible he didn’t trust Wells, or it’s possible the pressure – and there was a lot of pressure at times – caused him to make some of the mistakes you cite. It’s also possible the young receivers were going things downfield he didn’t expect and forcing him to buy more time. I saw a lot of cases last week where I thought Bortles moved in the pocket well, even though it’s tougher to step up against Tennessee because the Titans have a good interior defensive line. I haven’t seen a major regression here, but you’re right that this needs to be an area where Bortles doesn’t regress. His pocket presence is critical.
Matt from Section 133:
Did the team practice outside on Thursday to get themselves ready for cooler weather, or did they practice in the Flex Field?
John: They practiced in Flex Field. The idea is it’s better to get a good practice in which you concentrate and accomplish what you want to accomplish than “acclimate” yourself to weather. The weather will be what it will be, as they say. Better to go into the game prepared.
Bryan from Portland, OR:
Here’s wishing all the faithful safe travels as we return to EverBank this weekend. As a West Coast transplant, I’ve only seen the team in person in Seattle and San Francisco for the past eight years. Home cooking, the playoffs, and a packed stadium?! #DTWD
John: Yes.
HJT from Modville:
What do Earl Thomas, JaDeveon Clowney, and Jurell Casey have in common? They all agree that Bleak Lobster is trash. How long until the shillers and homers wake up?
John: It might take until those players’ teams have better seasons than the one for which Blake Bortles plays. (And by the way: saying Bortles is playing well – or at least not terrible – doesn’t make you a shill or a homer. It means you’re able to see that he’s playing with absurdly young receiver corps and that he’s also not getting nearly as much help from the running game in the second half of the season as statistics might indicate. Keep trying, though. Keep working to learn. You’ll get it).
Trent from Fernandina Beach, FL:
What are your honest thoughts on Blake Bortles overall this season and his future with the team?
John: I think Bortles has improved dramatically since last season in a lot of important areas such as accuracy, command of offense, decision-making and pocket presence. I think there are areas he must improve, and I think he still needs to cut out the one or two bad decisions/throws he makes a game. I think he helped the Jaguars more than he hurt them this season, and I think he showed a lot of potential to continue to improve. I also think he will be the Jaguars’ quarterback next season, probably playing the final season of his rookie contract for the $19 million guaranteed option.
Frankie from Mean Streets of Ponte Vedra:
Do the Jags take a flyer on a guy like Lamar Jackson in the draft if they’re stuck with Bortles again for another year?
John: The Jaguars play a postseason football game at EverBank Field Saturday. The NFL Draft will be held in late April.
Ask Vic: Picker most important person in franchise
Fabrizio from Cuneo, Italy
Vic, do you think Case Keenum has earned a starting job for next year? I don’t know why but I like his grit and I’m happy for this season of his.
He’s not “The Man” and he’ll never be “The Man” because he neither has the skill set nor the financial commitment to justify it. Even if he takes the Vikings all the way, he’ll continue to play on the edge of being replaced as the starter. What he’s achieved this year is longevity in the league. He’s going to play in this league for a long time because as backups/starters go, he’s “The Man.”
Aaron from Wausau, WI
How important is a GM in relation to the rest of the personnel department? Have you seen any that were the difference-maker in the success of their organizations?
The GM is the picker, and the picker is the most important person in the franchise. You can have the best board in the league, but if you don’t know how to massage it and pick from it, they’re just names on a wall.
Paul from Cumming, GA
How did you enjoy the Rose Bowl?
That’s not my kind of football. I don’t like 102 points and well over a thousand yards of offense. It’s not Georgia’s fault. They play the right way, and eventually the best team and the best way of playing won. With apologies to TCU, which plays football the right way, the Big 12 plays soft and cheesy football. It’s all scheme, and schemes work great until a real team sees them for the third or fourth time, and then they stop working. Schemes win early; players win late. That’s what happened on Monday night. I was delighted for my friend Mel Tucker.
Greg from Danbury, CT
Do you still think the incoming GM goes for a No. 2 guy in the first round? The Insiders seem to think A-Rod will be around long enough.
We are so far from that kind of decision it doesn’t make sense to even talk about it. Everything is open to change right now, and it’ll stay that way until a new person is hired. I think we start with this: The Packers need a new GM and Aaron Rodgers needs a new contract. Packers fans know this drill. We wait.
Ben from El Paso, TX
What do you think really happened with Martellus Bennett? I don’t buy the doctor story.
The Packers got conned. Welcome to high-priced free agency.
Joe from Minneapolis, MN
Do you think Monday’s events indicate the Packers are tired of winning?
Monday’s events indicate the Packers think it’s time to be new.
Betty from Flagstaff, AZ
Vic, am I being too wild and crazy pondering the possibility of Mike Holmgren coming back to Green Bay as GM?
Betty, I said it’s time to be new, not prehistoric.
Lupe from Minneapolis, MN
Is the relationship between senior adviser to football operations and GM similar to Vito advising Michael after Vito went into semi-retirement?
It’s more like Tom Hagen advising Michael after the family moved its operations to Las Vegas.
Joel from Laramie, WY
Vic, we know how you felt about Mr. Capers and Thompson, however, you’re given the keys to finding their very big shoes to fill, who is on your short list for each position?
There is no short list for GM. Right now, it needs to be a very long list. The search should be exhaustive and the process should be time-consuming. As for defensive coordinator, I get the feeling someone from within needs to be promoted. Reportedly, Mike McCarthy had a year added to his contract, which now runs through 2019. Assistant coaches’ contracts are usually concurrent with the head coach’s; new assistants usually don’t get deals with more years on them than the head coach has. Where are you going to find a top guy who’ll work on a two-year deal? I love Joe Whitt. I think he’s ready to be a coordinator and he might be the next Mike Tomlin. He’d be at the top of my short list.
Greg from Cuenca, Ecuador
Vic, the Packers purge has begun. What is it like around the business offices when this happens? Is everyone on edge, including secretaries? Is there just a sense of resignation and acceptance? Is there any good way to transition?
Somebody almost always gets hurt when change occurs. It’s the way of life in the NFL. For the fans, it’s a game. They’re entertained by the real-life misfortunes of good people. Just howl, baby.
Lori from Brookfield, WI
Vic, does the number of teams looking for a new head coach surprise you? What effect will the coaching turnover have on the league next year? Which team — Bears, Cardinals, Colts, Giants, Lions — has the most potential and would be your go-to choice if you were looking for a head coaching position?
You’re not going to like this answer: the Bears. They’ve got a big-play defense, a quarterback on the rise and more high picks on the way. The Bears’ days of futility are nearly at an end. They’re about to become a worthy rival again.
Gregg from Chapel Hill, NC
Vic, do you think the Steelers and their fans will eventually welcome Harrison back the way the Packers did with Favre?
It doesn’t work that way there. That door swings one way.
Joe from Wauwatosa, WI
SEC rematch in the CFP. Is this good for college football? Do you think it will lead to an eight-team playoff format?
It’s supposed to be a national title game, not a conference title game. The process needs more work.
Bill from Sheboygan, WI
What are your thoughts on Baker Mayfield following his performance in the Rose Bowl?
I didn’t see him complete an NFL-type throw. I’m not saying he can’t do it, I just didn’t see him do it. I saw drag routes, swing passes, back-shoulder fades, bubble screens ad nauseum, etc. They’re scheme passes and they worked early. They made Georgia look as though Oklahoma was playing against air. I wanted to see Mayfield make the pro-like throws. Late in the game, as the schemes dried up, Mayfield was forced to make some throws at which he didn’t appear to be comfortable. They’re pro-like throws. Late in the fourth quarter, he missed on a honey hole throw down the right sideline. Earlier, he was intercepted on a tight-window throw down the seam. Late in the game, he threw incomplete short with a rusher hanging on him. I didn’t see him attempt a deep sideline pass from the far hash. He didn’t do anything to raise my opinion of him.
Connor from Greenville, SC
When I’m older, I’ll happily think back to eight straight years of playoff runs. Will we ever have it this good again?
A wise man once said to me, “Too often, we don’t learn to say hello until it’s time to say goodbye.” Did we say hello to eight years of winning? In other words, did we appreciate its presence, or did we take it for granted? Unfortunately, it’s time to say goodbye.
Ben from Chicago, IL
Vic, do you think Aaron Rodgers’ play allowed other players to become complacent?
No, but I think it allowed for other players to be average, and that needs to change.
Joe from Rhinelander, WI
Vic, You have always said the stars of the 3-4 defense are the linebackers, yet, in the nine drafts where the Packers were picking with the 3-4 defense, they spent top three picks on exactly three linebackers (Matthews, Perry and Fackrell). None of them played ILB and they hit on two of the three when healthy. We wonder why the defense couldn’t be relied on to win ballgames without top athletes playing the most important positions.
In that same period of time, the Steelers picked linebackers in the top three rounds six times, four times in the first round in the last five years, and they picked linebackers 13 times overall since 2009. If you’re going to play a 3-4, you need to pick linebackers early and often. Dom Capers didn’t get the picks he needed to run his schemes.
Nathan from New York, NY
Vic, what are your picks for this week’s playoff games?
Jacksonville and Kansas City in the AFC and Falcons and Saints in the NFC. Yes, I’m making a change. I had made the Rams my NFC Super Bowl pick in a previous column, but I’ve changed my mind. After more thought, I like the way the Falcons match up against the Rams. I think the Falcons are going to stop the run.
Tom from De Pere, WI
What are the strengths of Russ Ball, Brian Gutekunst and Eliot Wolf?
Ball understands and appreciates the importance of the salary cap and how it relates to the future stability of a franchise. A GM must possess that talent. Gutekunst is a top scout and I was impressed by his ability to communicate with the media and explain why a pick was made. Those are also significant traits. Wolf has the bloodlines and there is reason to believe he possesses his father’s magic touch. What’s not to like about that?
Tom from Seatac, WA
Did the cold weather catch you?
Yes, but yesterday afternoon’s event is about a whole lot more than a rare cold day on the southeast coast. Since October of 2015, coastal South Carolina has experienced a thousand-year flood, two hurricanes, five tropical storms and, now, something called a “winter bomb cyclone.” Frankly, I think our king tides are most frightening of all. Every time I read or listen to our president mock global warming by referring to it as a hoax or fake news, my worry deepens. The sun is on the rise as I write this, and yesterday will be quickly committed to memory, but what’s headed up the coast isn’t a hoax or fake news. Mr. President, please open your mind to what’s real.
John from Jacksonville Beach, FL
I have read all your columns since 2004 and, yes, I started reading after the 2004 Jaguars-Steelers game. I just found the new blog yesterday and I’m thrilled. Calais Campbell, A.J. Bouye and Barry Church have been excellent free-agent signings. I agree with your stance on free agency being a trap, so how did this success happen? Lightning in a bottle?
It’s easily explained as the Jaguars falling so far under the salary cap minimum they were forced to spend ultra-liberally in free agency and, therefore, bound to hit on some of their acquisitions. Let’s not forget the misses: Davon House, Chris Ivory, Jared Odrick, Julius Thomas, Toby Gerhart, Chris Clemons, Ziggy Hood and others. A team tight against the cap couldn’t employ the Jaguars’ strategy, and the day is rapidly approaching when the Jaguars won’t be able to employ the Jaguars’ strategy. The current Jaguars team is a product of epoch losing. They’re good because they were bad.
O-Zone: Flip the switch
John Oehser Senior writer jaguars.com Follow John on twitter Like The O-Zone on facebook
JACKSONVILLE – Let’s get to it …
Jake from Illinois:
There are multiple guys I feel are capable of “taking over a game” on this defense, but I think Marcell Dareus (maybe the defensive tackles as a group) will be the guy if this is a deep run. Any one player on the defense you could see carrying the team? More the group as a whole? Or does going deep into the playoffs fall more on the offense?
John: No one player truly “carries” a defense, though a player such as Dareus certainly can make a major postseason impact because of his talent level – and I do expect Dareus to play well against his former team when the Jaguars face the Bills in an AFC Wild Card playoff Sunday; he is a motivated guy this week. I also see Jaguars cornerbacks Jalen Ramsey and A.J. Bouye, because of their ability to take the ball away and make momentum-turning plays in big situations, potentially changing a postseason game. And don’t overlook defensive end Yannick Ngakoue’s ability to strip-sack quarterbacks; on such turnovers do postseason games usually turn. Here’s the formula I see for a potential deep Jaguars playoff run: the defense plays as it has played all season and gets takeaways in the first half; the offense makes enough big plays to give the Jaguars the lead; the defense rushes the passer and extends the lead to close out the game. The Jaguars are capable of using that formula to beat any team. If they give the ball away and can’t run or hit big plays offensively, they’re capable of losing to any postseason team. This has been their story all season and it remains their story as the postseason begins.
Logan from Wichita, KS:
This offense is the worst offense in the entire NFL playoffs. No one could possibly argue otherwise.
John: The seven offenses in the postseason ranked below it might argue otherwise. The seven postseason teams who didn’t score as many points as the Jaguars this season might, too.
Eric from Water Ways/Stepford, GA:
“Here’s something to remember, though: Sunday’s game was played in very cold temperatures in Nashville. Neither offense was effective. Here’s guessing the Jaguars are more efficient offensively Sunday in the passing game.” Well … that’s all well and good, but what does it portend for the rest of the playoffs?
John: It portends that if the Jaguars play in an extreme cold-weather game it might mean the weather affecting both teams and resulting in a low-scoring game that comes down to a few big plays. That’s often what happens in those conditions.
Ryan from Dearborn, MI:
John, what are the chances that the Bills and Jags could just swap quarterbacks this offseason? Maybe throw in a sixth-round pick for good measure. But Buffalo seems to want a big-bodied pocket passer like Blake Bortles instead of Tyrod Taylor. And Taylor doesn’t fumble or throw picks and can run, which would make him a perfect fit for the Jags’ offense. It seems to make sense for both teams. What say you?
John: No.
Greg from Section 122 and Jacksonville:
One thing Marcus Mariota and Taylor have in common is they are both mobile, read-option quarterbacks. We got burned multiple times with this, which is one of the big reasons we lost to the Titans. What adjustments do you believe are going to be implemented to account for this? Because unless they get someone on the quarterback lanes to keep him the pocket, I see a repeat of the Titans game coming.
John: The Jaguars will certainly scheme keep to Taylor in the pocket and they will enter Sunday’s game knowing the read option will be a part of the Bills’ offensive game plan. That’s the case when you play mobile quarterbacks – and the reality is mobile quarterbacks are going to make a play or two above the Xs and Os, which Mariota did on Sunday. But the Jaguars didn’t lose to the Titans on Sunday because they couldn’t contain Mariota. They lost because they committed four turnovers and couldn’t score enough to win a game in which the defense clearly played well enough to win.
Gamble from Brasilia, Brasil:
John: who is the most-dangerous offensive player for the Bills outside of LeSean McCoy? Who absolutely needs to be stopped on offense for the Jaguars to come out with the first playoff home win in the century?
John: Wide receiver Kelvin Benjamin. He and Taylor have shown the ability to connect on a few plays downfield in the passing game in the second half of the season, and his frame makes him a threat.
Jon from Trinidad and Tobago:
Jaguars got to come out in the Teal unis for the home playoff don’t you agree? #battleteal
John: Not necessarily.
Jeremy from Wise, VA:
I would like to have seen how Bortles’ numbers would have been affected by a full season of Allen Robinson. I think he has done pretty well when you consider the top three wide receivers on this team missed quite a bit of time. Re-signing Allen has to be a priority in the offseason.
John: I don’t disagree with much of what you say. I’m not overly concerned about Bortles’ numbers, per se, but I wrote at the time of his injury that losing Robinson would probably cost the Jaguars a couple of games – and a strong argument could be made that they would have won at the Jets, at Arizona and/or perhaps at Tennessee had he been available. At the very least he would have helped. And yes … I think re-signing Robinson will be an offseason priority.
Ron from Virginia Beach, VA:
Any chance that Allen Robinson will be available for the postseason?
John: No.
Cody from Boston, MA:
O-Man: I’m sick of these “Patriots-versus-Steelers” lock-ins. Do you personally see it that way as well? When you look at it, we’ve beaten the Steelers at Heinz Field. Chiefs have beaten the Pats up here in Foxboro. If anything, I’ve already made an agreement with a Pats season-ticket holder that if the Jags end up coming here, I’ll have a seat! I’ll see you there!
John: I think the Patriots and the Steelers deserve to be big postseason favorites in the AFC. Winning 13 games is difficult, and when you’re assured of playing a Divisional Playoff game at home, you by definition should be favored to make the conference title game. But being favored doesn’t guarantee winning – and I agree with your scenario. The Chiefs can beat the Patriots. The Jaguars can beat the Steelers. But to beat those teams you must face those teams – and to face those teams you must win this weekend.
Chris from Niagara Falls, Canada:
Hey, Zone. I personally would consider re-signing Blake long-term, while still drafting a quarterback early next year. But football is a business, so I have to ask? How deep must Blake take the Jags into the playoffs to earn a “mega contract?”
John: A mega contract? I imagine that could happen if the Jaguars win or make the Super Bowl, but I don’t know that there is urgency to necessarily do a megadeal with Bortles this offseason. He is under contract for next season at $19 million guaranteed, meaning he can play under that contract. The sides could then agree on a long-term deal at some point next season or even the following offseason. The Jaguars also have the franchise tag available for Bortles for the 2019 season if necessary, which is a legitimate option for a quarterback in Bortles’ situation – i.e., one who has potential and has shown progress, but who hasn’t yet established himself as a sure-fire franchise player.
Steve from Upper Tract, WV:
It is amazing how you fall on your sword for this team. I’m 50 and never seen a team enter the playoffs trending downwards like this one is.
John: You haven’t? Really? The only way to interpret your second sentence is you haven’t watched enough football. I’m 51 and I’ve seen plenty of teams “trending downward” late in the season play fine late in the postseason. I saw the 2012 Baltimore Ravens lose four of five games in December and win the Super Bowl. I saw the 2009 Colts lose their final two games after winning their first 14 and make the Super Bowl. I saw 2006 Colts lose three December games and win the Super Bowl. I saw the 2009 New Orleans Saints lose their last three games of the regular season and win the Super Bowl. I saw a Colts team in 2008 finish on fire and lose in the first game of the postseason. I don’t know what will happen Sunday because all postseason games are difficult tasks. But I do know this team has just as much chance of succeeding in the postseason as it did two three weeks ago.
Steve from Nashville, TN:
Who is in charge of flipping the player switch from “these last two games don’t matter” to “now it matters?”
John: Human nature.
Ask Vic: Happy New Year! Time to be new
Brandon from Strum, WI
With the lack of offense this year, why is Edgar Bennett not on the hot seat? Put him on it. Put everyone on it. Everyone must be held accountable for our unhappiness. How dare they deny us joy? The fans of the other teams don’t deserve it. Joy should only belong to us. Bill from Sheboygan, WI
What is your new year’s resolution?
With the lack of offense this year, why is Edgar Bennett not on the hot seat? Put him on it. Put everyone on it. Everyone must be held accountable for our unhappiness. How dare they deny us joy? The fans of the other teams don’t deserve it. Joy should only belong to us. Bill from Sheboygan, WI
What is your new year’s resolution?
I want to survive the ground.
Tracy from Sioux Falls, SD
Do the Packers have the star needed on defense currently on the roster, or is he going to come through the draft with needed development?
Through the draft.
Dustin from North Port, FL
What have you learned from being new? And what is your recommendation for 2018?
I learned to kayak and to never stand in a kayak. I learned to live without going to a football stadium every day. I learned to turn a trip to the food store into a social event. I learned to love nature and enjoy its beauty. I learned to sit in a quiet room and let it speak to me. I learned the joy of living in a place where neighbors are family. Most of all, I learned to be thankful for all of the people and all of the games that helped get me to where I am. Advice for 2018? Try as often as possible to do something you’ll remember, because memories make us rich.
Lori from Brookfield, WI
Vic, what positive things do the Packers have to build on in 2018?
A high place in the draft order. That’s where you find the players who win games.
Brannon from Greenville, SC
I’m glad you are in my adopted home state, though I really miss you on packers.com. You taught me much about the game I’ve watched (my dad and uncle were at the Ice Bowl and I remember them coming home from that game screaming and hollering with happiness and frozen with cold). The current Packers fans really disappoint me with the “fire everyone” talk. They have lost perspective and are tired of winning (two of my favorite phrases of yours). I feel lucky to be in a world where worrying about whether the Packers win is my main, first-world problem. I’ve enjoyed the run and look forward to what happens in the draft.
This season was cathartic. This fan base needed it. It needed to know how the other half live. Nobody is above losing.
Jon from Bloomfield, NJ
From a business perspective, does anyone in the Browns org get credit for them looking like a decent squad in many of their 16 losses, especially in matchups against some of the league’s top teams, such as the Steelers on Sunday?
I thought they were disgraceful yesterday. The Steelers had top seed on the line and didn’t fear resting their starters. That’s the epitome of disrespect, especially when it comes from your supposed rival. I am continually asked when it’s time for a coach to go. I think 1-31 should do it.
Greg from Danbury, CT
Happy New Year, Vic. I began the year with cancer and I end it with a clean bill of health. My December friend is hibernating and I’m a little drunk on sparkling wine as I watch the NY Philharmonic on Channel 13. I’m in love with my wife of 26 years and my cats are asleep. Life is good. May it be so for us all.
I remember the day my oncologist said my chemo was over. It was the Monday before the 2003 draft. I didn’t have a hair left on my head and I looked like a wrinkled sheet, but it was a beautifully warm and sunny day and I raced home, put on my jogging shoes and hit the start button on my watch. I’ve never erased the time. It still reads 2:40. That’s minutes and seconds, and that’s how long I was able to run before I had to stop and nearly crawl back home. It felt wonderful.
Will from Salt Lake City, UT
What will you remember from this season?
As it pertains to the Packers, I’ll remember Aaron Rodgers’ injury. It defines the 2017 season. As it pertains to the Steelers, I’ll remember their amazing string of last-second wins and one loss. As it pertains to the Jaguars, I’ll remember this as the year the Jaguars returned to the playoffs.
John from Austin, TX
Vic, it’s great to see you back online; too bad I just found you now. Are you going to continue during the offseason?
Yes, I plan to continue the Monday/Thursday publishing routine.
Dustin fron Seymour, WI
How do you recommend the Packers “be new” going forward?
By replenishing the roster with new talent. The Packers will be in a more advantageous position to do so. I think this would be a good time to get younger and better.
Joe from Dundee, IL
Vic, if the “wolves” win and Capers is relieved of his duties, who are some hot names and who are some up-and-comers who could be the next defensive coordinator for the Packers? I have heard names like Vic Fangio if the Bears let him go, and even Marvin Lewis. Others?
Capers is off the Fangio tree and Lewis is off the Capers tree. Anything for change, huh? There are good coaches everywhere. Finding one wouldn’t be difficult.
Bob from Mystic, CT
Green Bay is positioned to draft a quarterback. Rosen and Darnold should be drafted 1-2. Who of Mayfield, Allen, Rudolph and Jackson would you select and why?
Before Saturday’s bowl game, I would’ve said Lamar Jackson, but I saw major red flags in that game. Mississippi State overwhelmed him with its rush and in almost every case Jackson responded with his legs instead of his arm. Before Oklahoma State’s bowl game, I loved Mason Rudolph. A year ago I thought he was a soft-arm guy, but this year he changed my opinion. Then, in the bowl game, he was wild, especially when he needed to zip the ball. Hmmm. A lot of people love Baker Mayfield but I’m scared away by the fact the Big 8/Big 12 has never produced a star NFL quarterback; John Hadl was a star in the AFL. Josh Allen is my guy. I liked what I saw in the bowl game. He has NFL toughness.
Matt from McNaughton, WI
What did you see in T.J. Watt vs. Kevin King/ Vince Biegel this year? I’m not sure if I am a homer for liking Watt more than I should, or having more faith in Biegel than I should. I like King, but worry about that trade being mentioned in a Hall of Fame speech some day.
First of all, I don’t agree with linking Biegel to King. It’s almost a way of apologizing for not drafting Watt. Every man stands alone. Watt vs. King is the issue and I think it’s simply a matter of rush vs. cover. The Packers picked cover. I favor rush.
Curt from Pennsylvania
The Giants howlers got Tom Coughlin fired. How’s that working for them so far?
I’m not opposed to change, but it doesn’t guarantee success.
Jim from Maple Grove, MN
Is it time to ask that age-old “Ask Vic” question? With the youth and apparent talent shift to the defensive line, could the Packers switch to a 4-3 defense in the offseason? Would the talent of Clark, Daniels and Lowry translate well into a 4-3? How would the drafting philosophy change?
Clark and Daniels are perfect fits as 4-3 tackles and Lowry is a classic run-stuffing left end. The issue is pass rusher. The Packers would have to find a hand-on-the-ground guy, such as Bradley Chubb, and they’ll be high enough to get that kind of premium defensive end. Be advised, however, the pool of stand-up rush-backers is usually much deeper. Yes, the Packers could make the move to a 4-3. In my opinion, it would fit their talent base because they lack the depth of talent they need at linebacker to play a 3-4. It’s all about that rush position. Do you want a guy with his hand on the ground or a guy who can stand up and be moved around. Are you sure you just don’t want change for change sake?
Brian from Jacksonville, FL
Vic, you mentioned the commissioner should be a football man and not a lawyer or marketing man. If memory serves, Pete Rozelle was a PR man for the league, yet, he set the table for what the others enjoy today. Was he more football man than was reported? Or was it a different time?
PR people in football are football people, not marketing people. They’re one of the moving parts of the football operation and they are privy to all of the inner workings of the general manager’s job and work directly with the head coach. Pete Rozelle began his career as the University of San Francisco athletic news director. He followed by joining the LA Rams. His background in sports was deep. Pete was first and foremost a football man.
Jillaine from Star Valley Ranch, WY
Vic, I am glad you are continuing to enjoy writing and sharing your unique insight into football. This may be an odd question but maybe you can enlighten me. What does it mean to a player when they get signed to the active roster for the last game of the season?
Late in the season, teams out of playoff contention begin building their roster for next season by placing players on injured reserve and signing new talent to their roster. It’s another one of the advantages of losing; those teams get a head start on talent acquisition.
Lori from Brookfield, WI
Vic, what are your thoughts on the situation involving James Harrison, who was cut by the Steelers and picked up by the Patriots?
Harrison lives and plays with an edge. It’s what makes him great. He’s not a loving man. He’s motivated by confrontation and he didn’t like riding the bench in Pittsburgh. Now he has a chance to make the Steelers pay for the slight. These are the men who make football the hard-edged game and business it is. Harrison is a great football player who may have authored the greatest play in football history. I love the way he plays and I’ll never forget his “There goes the wildcat” comment. My only regret for him is this move to New England could cause him to become a man without a team. That would be very unfortunate.
Pete from Los Angeles, CA
Vic, as good as it is for drama’s sake to have an evil empire in the Patriots, doesn’t the NFL have to do something about players forcing their way out of their team’s locker room to then sign with the Pats?
Blount, Bennett, Harrison; yeah, it’s a problem. I don’t know how it can be defeated without the commissioner ruling arbitrarily against the player and the team agreeing to suspend the player with pay, which would open up a roster spot. You certainly couldn’t suspend him without pay; that wouldn’t hold up in court. But the NFLPA would almost certainly fight a suspension-with-pay ruling. It looks like the Patriots have done it again. They’re just so much smarter than everybody else.
Ben from Hilo, HI
What’s the most disconcerting jersey switch you’ve seen a player make?
Johnny Unitas wearing lightning bolts. It was grotesque.
Maggie from Kenosha, WI
If you had to make an early Super Bowl prediction, who would be your NFC and AFC representatives?
Rams and Patriots.
Matt from Chicago, IL
If you woke up tomorrow as Coach McCarthy and had your job to worry about, family to feed, etc., would you change defensive coordinators?
There’ll be no more of this. You all got your cup of blood. This is a day for you to rejoice. Happy New Year!
O-Zone: Mr. Disagreeable
John Oehser Senior writer jaguars.com Follow John on twitter Like The O-Zone on facebook
JACKSONVILLE – Let’s get to it …
Sid from Sidsonville:
And it ends with a whimper…
John: I suppose this is as good a place to start this next-day O-Zone as any. The inbox after Sunday’s 15-10 loss to the Tennessee Titans was stuffed with anxiety and angst, with many people convinced that the Jaguars losing their final two regular-season games surely means disaster entering next Sunday’s Wild Card Playoff against the Buffalo Bills at EverBank Field. That’s not necessarily the case. Anyone who read the O-Zone this past week – and he knows who he is – will know that I wrote all week that I was concerned about Sunday’s game, but that I wasn’t nearly as concerned about the following week’s playoff opener. I wrote that assuming the Tennessee Titans would be the Wild Card opponent if the Jaguars lost Sunday, but the fact that it will be the Bills changes nothing. The reality in the NFL is it’s very hard to beat a team on the road late in the season if that team is desperate and playing for a playoff spot, particularly if you have your playoff seeding secured. What happened in Baltimore with the Ravens losing to Cincinnati Sunday and getting knocked from the playoffs is an outlier; it simply shouldn’t happen because the adrenaline and the urgency of the moment is so in favor of the desperate team. The Titans played with that urgency Sunday and they had some breaks in the way of turnovers happen that enabled them to win. The Jaguars played with heart and gave themselves a chance to win late, but did not. This is not to simply dismiss the Jaguars’ offensive issues. Those are real and the team is struggling to run consistently. But that has been the case more often than not this season – and the Jaguars managed to win 10 games with that being the case. The Jaguars’ two season-ending losses have come on the road with a total of seven turnovers and just two takeaways. That’s a difficult-formula for winning and the Jaguars indeed lost those two games. In retrospect, it’s impressive that they were even in those games late considering the turnover margin. Bottom line: if the Jaguars reverse the turnovers and hit a couple of plays on offense next week, they will probably advance. If not …
Sucky Sucketron from Sucktown:
Welcome to Sucksonville! Home of the one-and-done Jaguars! What a season-ending letdown. The way this team is playing it has zero chance in the playoffs.
John: This is categorically incorrect.
Jacob from New York:
Please convince me we have an offense, because right now I don’t think we do.
John: That’s an understandable feeling considering the offense’s performance Sunday, but you probably would feel better about the offense if rookie wide receiver Dede Westbrook had caught a touchdown pass instead of dropping it – and if there hadn’t been a couple of other costly drops. The Jaguars entered Sunday ranked No. 6 in the NFL in total offense. They have scored points in bunches at times this season. I can’t argue that Sunday’s performance inspired confidence, but I can argue that there is evidence to suggest the Jaguars are capable of scoring enough points to win next Sunday.
Shane from Atlanta, GA:
RECANT!!!
John: Solidarity!!!!
Mr. Padre from Kingsland, GA:
Please, please tell me Cam Robinson will be back for the playoff game!
John: Jaguars Head Coach Doug Marrone said after Sunday’s game that both Robinson – the Jaguars’ starting left tackle – and nose tackle Abry Jones were trending in the right direction entering Sunday. He also said there is hope that wide receiver Marqise Lee (ankle) could return Sunday against Buffalo. Getting Robinson and Lee back seems critical at this point. The Jaguars need to protect Blake Bortles better than they did Sunday, and the Jaguars’ receivers sure need to play better if this team is going to do much in the postseason.
George from Jacksonville:
I’ll bet you’re getting a lot more email this year.
John: Not really, actually.
Chris from Roseville, CA:
I lived in Chicago in the ‘80s and I think the better comparison for the 2017 Jaguars defense is the 1984 Bears. This is Year One and I wouldn’t be surprised if the Jaguars take a huge step forward towards total defensive dominance next year. Look out!
John: Will do.
Reggie The Jaguar Fan in the Rocky Mountains:
Is this THE YEAR?
John: Yes. The Winter Olympics are held every four years. They start sometime in early February, if memory serves.
Chance from Windsor:
This is crazy to see how bad this offense is playing and it’s definitely not LF27 or BB5. Jaydon Mickens made two huge mistakes. Josh Wells can’t block the edge, A.J. Cann getting destroyed. If you would have said 10-6, No. 3 seed before the season … 100 percent I would have taken it. Not positive vibes going into the postseason. I think the saving grace is that we are not going to play the Chargers. Can Blake actually get some dang help?
John: A couple of thoughts on your thoughts. One is that while most Jaguars fans obviously would have taken 10-6 and the No. 3 seed before the season began, there is no reason to believe that securing that seed will be the high point of this season. While the Jaguars’ offense struggled Sunday, the defense looked like the defense that played much of the first 14 games. That’s important and the thought here is it bodes well for the playoffs. Remember: it is the defense that is the core of this team and it’s the defense that will give it a chance against anyone in the postseason. That unit played with heart and fire on Sunday, giving the team a chance to win a game that probably should have been more one-sided. The guess here is the offense will have a wrinkle or two Sunday it hasn’t shown in the last two weeks, and my guess is the Jaguars’ young wide receivers give Bortles the help you so covet. If that happens, I can see the Jaguars getting a lead and turning Sunday’s game into a feel-good afternoon for the sold-out crowd at EverBank. We’ll see.
JT from Rosamond, CA:
John, we are losing in the first round. This team is playing its worst football right now. Great year, but it’s not happening this year. To my knowledge teams don’t go in like we are and win the Super Bowl. Happy New Year to you and yours though because this has been a surprising for many of us Jags fans.
John: I appreciate the New Year’s wishes and I humbly accept, but don’t at all agree with the idea that the Jaguars are guaranteed of losing in the first round. Momentum is what happens in your first playoff game. I watched Colts teams I covered in the 2000s lose plenty of playoff games after finishing the regular season with momentum and I watched them win the Super Bowl following the 2006 season after losing three AFC South games in December. This is hardly an outlier. The 2012 Baltimore Ravens lost four of five games late in the season and won the Super Bowl. I can’t predict this Jaguars team winning the Super Bowl, but can I see them winning Sunday against Buffalo? Absolutely. After that, who knows?
Jerell from Columbia, SC:
Jags are one and done. This version of the Jags has a very different feel than the team earlier on. Blake is a liability and the defense is overrated. Great that there will be a game in the bank but that good feeling will be short-lived.
John: Happy New Year, Jerell.
Marc from Oceanway:
Our playoff game will be tough, regardless who we play, but why am I so relieved we are not playing the Chargers?
John: Because the Chargers had a very good defense this season and they have a quarterback who might be in the Hall of Fame one day. That’s a formula for a team that can beat anyone in the postseason, so yes – the Chargers were the potential first-round matchup I thought least favored the Jaguars, too. But remember: every team in the postseason has strengths. Every team has a formula that it has relied on to win successfully enough to be in the postseason. That means if things break the right way, any team can beat any other team in the postseason. The Jaguars’ formula is to get an early lead and let the defense make plays to take the opponent out of its game and stretch the lead. That’s the formula of many teams, but the Jaguars were better at it this season than most teams in the NFL. I believe they can get back to that formula and I don’t believe the fact that they were unable to get to it the last two weeks means they won’t do it Sunday. My sense from reading emails this week is that many people disagree. Perhaps that makes me disagreeable. That’s OK. I’ve been called worse. I was called worse twice on Sunday, in fact.
O-Zone: Big-game hunter
John Oehser Senior writer jaguars.com Follow John on twitter Like The O-Zone on facebook
JACKSONVILLE – Let’s get to it …
Greg from Section 122 and Jacksonville:
Please clarify something. Isn’t the schedule already set by the division we are facing that year? Eight games for division opponents, four from the rotational division we face, then I guess the other four games are decided based on your previous year’s success. So the previous year’s record only impacts the schedule by four games?
John: You’re in the right ballpark, but not the right section. Or something close to something like that. NFL schedules are set like this: six games against teams in your division, four from a division within your conference and four from a division in the other conference. That’s 14 games, with two more decided by how you fared the previous season. The Jaguars next season will play six games against the rest of the AFC South, four against the entire NFC East and four against the entire AFC East. Because they won the AFC South, they also will play the champions of the AFC North (Pittsburgh) and AFC West (Kansas City). It’s the latter part that makes next season’s schedule look tough. Rather than playing, for example, the last-place Cleveland Browns (AFC North) and Denver Broncos (AFC West), the Jaguars next season will play the Steelers and Chiefs. It’s only two games, but the Steelers and Chiefs are tough two games.
Brian from Greenwood, IN:
Remember when Shad Khan said he would make the Jaguars the hottest ticket in town?
John: I do. And he did.
Chuck from Charleston, SC:
All of the questions about resting players this week. Didn’t Tom Coughlin play his front-line players in the last game of the season the year they beat the previously undefeated Patriots in the Super Bowl? It worked pretty good that year.
John: He did. And it did.
Howard from Homestead, FL:
Why is the stadium capacity more than 16,100 seats less for a Jaguars playoff game than for the Florida/Georgia game? I get that additional seats are added for the college game, but can’t the Jaguars do for themselves what they’re doing for others?
John: You theoretically could add the seats, but to do so would eliminate a lot of the fan-experience elements in place for the Jaguars’ home games.
Tom from St. Johns, FL:
John, just saw your O-Zone Live interview with Dede Westbrook and it answered the question of why he has blossomed so quickly into a stud. The guy is the opposite of everything the media had tried to imply he was. He is intelligent, humble, talented as all hell and has a great grasp on what the whole thing is about. Thanks for letting see what a future All-Pro wide receiver is really like.
John: Thanks. I was on my A Game in that interview and Dede helped out, too.
Chris from Mandarin, FL:
What has happened to the pass rush? Sure, there were four sacks against the Texans and Colts, but the second half of the season there hasn’t been as much going on from that standpoint. This is the wrong time of year to lose one of your calling cards.
John: The Jaguars’ pass rush has slipped a bit statistically, but I don’t know that “there hasn’t been much going on.” The Jaguars have 17 sacks in the last seven games, so if they get two in the finale Sunday they will have 19 in the second half of the season. That’s a pace for 38 for the season, which by my estimation would put the Jaguars around 10-to-14 in the NFL in sacks. It’s not the feverish pace they set in the first half of the season, but it’s not bad. Why the dropoff? They have played quarterbacks who did a nice job escaping the run (Russell Wilson and Blaine Gabbert) and they also played a couple of quarterbacks who did a nice job getting the ball out quickly (Jimmy Garoppolo and Philip Rivers). Sacks are less important than pressures, though, and from this view the Jaguars still have done a good job in the second half of the season getting pressure.
Sam from Boston, MA:
Logan is correct and you are wrong. Don’t worry, though, as we’re used to that at this point. The Jaguars’ defense has played great at times. Usually against a team with an offense as inept as ours. You’re arrogance is only bested by your lack of impartiality. If you don’t like communicating in this forum, you should move on.
John: This is on me. I have little-to-no experience being wrong, so I’ve got to figure out the terrain. I will say this, though: While you’re insights are appreciated and valued, I must be forgiven for incorrectly assessing the Jaguars’ defense against offenses as inept as their own. What makes it difficult is the Jaguars only have faced one offense ranked higher than its own inept sixth-ranked offense – the Steelers’ presumably third-ranked offense. The Jaguars held that “un-inept” offense to three field goals and intercepted the quarterback five times, all of which I arrogantly and incorrectly interpreted as “not sucking.” I’ll move on now. I need to nap. Arrogance makes one sleepy.
Paul from St. Johns, FL:
With us “wanting” to win Sunday, but also likely wanting to rest players if we get a big lead early, what are the chances BB5 comes out slinging it all over the yard in an effort to get quick scores? It seems to me the more plays we take to score, the more chances we have for injury and fatigue going into the playoffs. How much of a lead and by when would we need to take out the starters?
John: I don’t anticipate the Jaguars taking a fast-and-loose, throw-it-all-over-the-yard-because-we-need-to-get-a-lead approach. I think they’ll play as they normally would in a normal circumstance. If they get a lead, great. If not, I think they’ll play to win – just as Head Coach Doug Marrone has said would be the case.
Brian from Round Rock, TX:
I’m tired of the teeth-gnashing over the running game. I think there is value in running the ball, regardless of yards per carry. Maybe the run game is too complicated for many to understand, but it has value outside of yards per carry. It wears a defense, breaks its will, instills a physicality and confidence on offense, it opens up play-action passing, it creates man-to-man outside coverage, it slows the pass rush, it creates offensive balance and keeps defenses honest. Etc., etc., etc. Got it? Keep running. Two-point-five yards per carry … fine. Keep running.
John: Nah. I can’t say 2.5 yards-per-carry is fine. It needs to be closer to 3.5 – somewhere in there. But you’re right that you must keep trying even if it fails.
Realfun from Funeral:
Do you still hold your wife’s hand?
John: Yes.
Kevin from Sault Ste Marie, Ontario:
What team do you feel the Jaguars would best match up against in the Wild Card round? Worst matchup? I’m thinking Buffalo, Baltimore, Tennessee then the Chargers in order of most-to-least preferred. Also, do you agree with Doug Marrone’s strategy to play the starters and risk injury given it’s largely a meaningless game aside from gaining “momentum” going into the playoffs?
John: I think the Bills would be the best matchup for the Jaguars followed by the Titans, the Ravens and the Chargers, but that’s only because I’m forced to pick. There’s no such thing as an easy playoff victory. As far as playing starters, I usually lean toward resting players in this situation – not because of the risk of injury but in the interest of keeping players fast and fresh. In this case, I think the Jaguars will play fast however much rest they get in the coming weeks. Marrone’s thought is that for this team this is the right move and he’s probably right. This is a young team that plays on adrenaline. It typically has bounced back from losses well. I don’t know that these young players need to have a week without being motivated and trying to win.
Paul from Auburn, AL:
How come the Jags always revert back to the “find-a-way-to-lose” mentality in big games?
John: This is a tricky question, which I suppose is my way of saying I haven’t the foggiest idea what it means. The Jaguars didn’t play any big games from 2011-2016, and they are 10-5 this season. They beat the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 5, but perhaps that wasn’t a big game. They also beat the Seattle Seahawks in early December and followed that by clinching a postseason berth the following week with a victory over the Houston Texans. Those, I gather, were not big games. They won seven of eight games in a late-season stretch this season. Those, too, must not have been big games. They then lost a game last week to the San Francisco 49ers after they had clinched the AFC South. I can only assume that was a big game. But mostly I suppose this is a long-winded way of saying, “What do you mean by big games?”
O-Zone: Proof positive
John Oehser Senior writer jaguars.com Follow John on twitter Like The O-Zone on facebook
JACKSONVILLE – Let’s get to it …
Chase from Jacksonville:
Not a question, but I stumbled across an article on NJ.com about Blake Bortles sending an autographed jersey with a signed note to a family there who lost their son to a car accident last year. According to the article, the guy was a big Blake Bortles fan, and it meant a lot to the family. It’s a good story, and it’s a shame it’s not getting as much coverage as the Clowney Trash Talk story did. One for Bortles!
John: I hear a lot of stories like this about Bortles. He’s a classy, humble guy and I’ve never known him not to be gracious and professional – even around people who probably have been critical of him. This doesn’t make him a saint, but it’s worth noting. The reason you don’t hear as much about good things Bortles does is because it’s rare for positive stories about athletes to overshadow stories about trash talk, controversy or off-field transgressions. The controversial stuff gets page views, clicks and retweets; the good stuff gets appreciated by those who take time to appreciate such things but usually doesn’t go viral. It’s not a Bortles-specific phenomenon. It’s just the way things are.
Tom from Loughborough, England:
John, please help me settle a disagreement with my friend. Assuming they are both at full fitness, who would you rather have on a team: Larry Fitzgerald or Allen Robinson?
John: This question depends on whether you’re talking about one game right now, their entire careers or at this stage of their careers. I would rather have Fitzgerald for one game right now, or for his entire career. He’s one of the best, most-reliable, most-consistent wide receivers I’ve ever seen and he has had a Hall-of-Fame career. That’s not a knock on Robinson, but no one with NFL knowledge would say he has had a better career than Fitzgerald – just as no one would say he has had a better career than Jerry Rice, Randy Moss, Marvin Harrison or a slew of other all-time great receivers. Now, if I had to take a player at this stage of his career, I would take Robinson because he appears to be at the beginning of a long stretch of very productive seasons whereas Fitzgerald is nearing retirement.
Darius from New Milford, NJ:
Had the Jaguars played well and won last week do you think Jaguars Head Coach Doug Marrone would still be opting to play his starters? Do you think his main reasoning for playing them this week is to wash the “stink” off before playoffs?
John: Marrone absolutely would be playing his starters had the Jaguars won last week because they would still be in contention for the No. 1 and No. 2 seeds in the AFC.
Josh from Rochester, MN:
What was it that made Tony Boselli so good in the 90’s?
John: Everything. Height, size, leverage, toughness, balance, work ethic, athleticism, knowledge of the game. Boselli was put on this earth to play left tackle and he worked to play it as well as pretty much anyone ever. Notice I didn’t include humility on the above list. It wasn’t an accidental omission.
Ambuj from Minneapolis, MN:
If we lose to the Titans, it would be an ominous reminder of 1999 when the Titans beat us three times in a single season. Let’s squash this fairy tale for the Titans this week. What say you, and what do you think Tom Coughlin has to say about it?
John: I say I understand Titan Angst, but I guess I’m just not feeling it like most fans. First, there’s no guarantee a victory over the Titans Sunday will knock Tennessee from the playoffs. The Titans can still get in if the Jaguars win Sunday, and if the Dolphins and Raiders both lose. And in that scenario the Titans would still play the Jaguars in the first round. Plus, I don’t think the Titans coming here for the first round of the playoffs is the worst possible matchup. It’s not an easy victory by any stretch, but Tennessee is not playing nearly as well late in the season as any of the other three teams in contention for the sixth seed: the Los Angeles Chargers, Buffalo and Baltimore. I’m sure Coughlin would like to win Sunday. I’m also sure he’s more concerned about winning the first-round game next week, but I doubt he’s overly concerned about what happened 18 seasons ago. That’s a fan thing more than a players, coaches and administration thing.
Fred from Naples, FL:
After watching your O-Zone live interview with Dede Westbrook it is really hard to believe he had any type of behavioral issue while at the University of Oklahoma. What a terrific young man!
John: I generally try to refrain from passing judgment on players based on what I hear about them or on their reputations before I meet them. It’s not my job to pretend I know in detail a player’s life circumstance, maturity level or character outside of my dealings with the player. This doesn’t make me good or bad. It’s simply my approach. I say that to make the point that I know little about Westbrook’s past or his inner workings as a person. I have interviewed him multiple times, and his appearance on O-Zone Live Thursday was by far the most time we have spent together. What I do know is that since he has joined the Jaguars I have found him to be nothing but pleasant, patient and professional my dealings with him. He seems easy to root for, and I hope he continues to do well.
Steve from Jacksonville:
John, I’m a 54-year old man who was there on our first home opening day. Heck, I even traveled to Miami to watch a preseason game against the Dolphins in the Jaguars’ first season and was irate that Don Shula wouldn’t shake hands!! Oh, the horror! And now I actually got goosebumps Thursday when I read that the very gracious sponsors and the NFL are allowing the tarps to be removed for more fans to attend! Thank you Navy Federal. Thank you FDOT and DTWD!
John: #DTWD
Sam from Orlando, FL:
This schedule turned into a pretty easy slate of games for Jacksonville. If we see Pittsburgh again, that isn’t the same Steelers team we crushed. I think you need a certain amount of maturity and consistency to win in the playoffs and we simply do not have it yet. It’s been a great season, though.
John: I forgot that Pittsburgh, Seattle, Baltimore and the Los Angeles Chargers were all long since eliminated from the postseason. Wait … what?
Logan from Wichita, KS:
I don’t understand how our defense can be “elite” when they give up huge yards to the Titans, Jets, Cardinals, Seahawks and 49ers like they were handing out free candy. They are constantly burned by huge plays and it is truly pathetic. Our defense is great against teams playing horribly and that is it. Our defense is maybe top 20. But not anywhere near the top. Especially when you also add in the stupid-as-possible penalties they constantly dish out to rub salt in the wound of giving up huge plays. This is grow-up week or we will be humiliated at home in the wildcard game.
John: To say the Jaguars’ defense shouldn’t be considered anywhere near the top of the NFL is one of the sillier sentiments I’ve read in a while. I actually thought, “This may be some sort of record for dimness …” Then, I read the last sentence.
Steve from Nashville, TN:
How does Coach Marrone try to focus player emotions and energy into highly-skilled and athletic play on the field versus taking penalties that hurt the team and the fans?
John: By emphasizing it all week – and perhaps more importantly, by having veterans such as Calais Campbell, Barry Church and Telvin Smith emphasize it all week. It’s great for Marrone to preach about it, but if players get across the message that such behavior hurts the chance to win that message will get through.
Howard from Homestead, FL:
We’re locked in at the three seed. Why make us wait to know which day we’ll play?
John: Because not every team is locked into its seed. And because the league decides who plays when and on what day once the playoff matchups are set.
J Cool from Orange Park, FL:
How cool would it be if and when we beat the Titans on Sunday the Jags get to throw on their AFC South Champs hats?
John: That would be cool. Fans would like it. I bet players would, too.
Jim from Middleburg, FL:
John, reading some of what fans have to say in the O-Zone makes me wonder if the same people are readers of the Zone!?
John: There long has been a difference between what is read and what is written. The O-Zone proves that on a daily basis, even during an AFC South championship season.
Ask Vic: Find a star, add depth
Here are my Week 17 power rankings:
1. Eagles – Is Nick Foles Jeff Hostetler reincarnate?
2. Patriots – Al Riveron team MVP.
3. Rams – Jeff Fisher left them in good stead.
4. Steelers – Haden’s return helps.
5. Saints – NFC South title on the line.
6. Panthers – Newton vs. Brees.
7. Vikings – Keenum is not “The Man.”
8. Jaguars – Clowney was right this past Sunday.
9. Chiefs – Getting hot at the right time.
10. Falcons – Clinging to life.
11. Ravens – Still don’t have that Ravens look.
12. Bills – Riveron victim in New England.
13. Chargers – Loss in Jax is the killer.
14. Seahawks – Might squeak in.
15. Titans – Big questions about Mariota.
16. Lions – Choked at crunch time again.
17. Cowboys – Greatly underachieved.
18. 49ers – Making a statement for next year.
19. Dolphins – Never really threatened in 2017.
20. Packers – Shut out twice at home.
21. Cardinals – Fitzgerald era winding down?
22. Bengals – Will they play hard against Ravens?
23. Raiders – Most disappointing team in AFC.
24. Jets – Enough grit left to upset Patriots?
25. Redskins – Decisions upcoming.
26. Broncos – Little on which to build.
27. Bears – Next year could be their year.
28. Bucs – Winston is out of control.
29. Texans – Going through the motions.
30. Colts – Pagano didn’t have a chance.
31. Giants – Blow it up.
32. Browns – What if the season was 32 games long?Mike from Somerset, WI
Vic, at least we don’t have to cut and gut. We still have a healthy cap.
1. Eagles – Is Nick Foles Jeff Hostetler reincarnate?
2. Patriots – Al Riveron team MVP.
3. Rams – Jeff Fisher left them in good stead.
4. Steelers – Haden’s return helps.
5. Saints – NFC South title on the line.
6. Panthers – Newton vs. Brees.
7. Vikings – Keenum is not “The Man.”
8. Jaguars – Clowney was right this past Sunday.
9. Chiefs – Getting hot at the right time.
10. Falcons – Clinging to life.
11. Ravens – Still don’t have that Ravens look.
12. Bills – Riveron victim in New England.
13. Chargers – Loss in Jax is the killer.
14. Seahawks – Might squeak in.
15. Titans – Big questions about Mariota.
16. Lions – Choked at crunch time again.
17. Cowboys – Greatly underachieved.
18. 49ers – Making a statement for next year.
19. Dolphins – Never really threatened in 2017.
20. Packers – Shut out twice at home.
21. Cardinals – Fitzgerald era winding down?
22. Bengals – Will they play hard against Ravens?
23. Raiders – Most disappointing team in AFC.
24. Jets – Enough grit left to upset Patriots?
25. Redskins – Decisions upcoming.
26. Broncos – Little on which to build.
27. Bears – Next year could be their year.
28. Bucs – Winston is out of control.
29. Texans – Going through the motions.
30. Colts – Pagano didn’t have a chance.
31. Giants – Blow it up.
32. Browns – What if the season was 32 games long?Mike from Somerset, WI
Vic, at least we don’t have to cut and gut. We still have a healthy cap.
The Packers have a healthy cap and the nucleus of what I consider to be support talent. By that I mean players who only need a star player to be added here and there to dramatically raise the overall performance. For example, a star pass rusher would make the secondary a significantly better unit. Find a star and add depth. In my opinion, that should be the goal in the next draft.
Corey from Las Vegas, NV
Do you think the Patriots should have kept Jimmy Garroppolo?
This is becoming an intriguing story. Is Garroppolo the real thing? That’s the question that has to be answered and it’s an intriguing question as it applies to two teams. For the 49ers to answer that question, they’re going to have to make a major financial and salary cap commitment to Garroppolo. If the answer to the question is no, the 49ers will have suffered a major setback that could even result in change at the top. If the answer is yes, the 49ers will be set for the future and the Patriots could find themselves bemoaning theirs. Never trade “The Man,” especially when your man is nearly 40 years old. Bill Belichick doesn’t need to be told that, and that’s why I’m still skeptical of Garroppolo. I’m not buying there was no way to get a deal done; there’s always a way.
Hans from Manassas, VA
What current NFL team do you think exhibits the model the Packers should follow to try to regain and maintain their recent level of success? Or do they just need some good luck?
The Packers are the model. They just need to move up in the draft to where the talent is. The hit percentage is significantly higher when you move up.
Connor from Greenville, SC
It’s Gronkowski, not Brady.
Then it would also have to be Troy Brown, not Brady. David Givens, not Brady. Deion Branch, not Brady. Randy Moss (at the end of his career), not Brady. Reche Caldwell, not Brady. Wes Welker, not Brady. And a whole lot more, not Bradys. Connor, if Belichick had to pick between Brady and Gronkowski, he’d pick Brady. That’s why there’s been a revolving door of receivers in New England. It’s Brady.
Dallas from St. Ignace, NB
I’m old enough to remember the win over the Cowboys in the Ice Bowl. I understand the disappointment we feel at missing the playoffs, but not the rage, anger and desire to make someone pay so evident among so many fans. I understand how a person could lose perspective in a real crisis (death of a loved one, serious illness, etc.), but this is football and, come what may, everyone gets another kick at the cat next year. Why do fans blow a gasket over what, in the final analysis, is only a game?
I worry about the fans. This has become too important. They’ve lost their sense of balance. What happened to the Packers this season is easily explained and nearly unavoidable. It was just a matter of when Aaron Rodgers would get hurt.
Jason from Menomonee Falls, WI
On a positive note, you’ve got to feel good about our defensive line group. Can you build a defensive identity around that?
In a 4-3, yeah: Fearsome Foursome, Purple People Eaters, Steel Curtain. In a 3-4, no. Three-man fronts are two-gappers. They eat blocks and hold the point of attack instead of rushing the passer. In a 3-4, the linebackers are the identity. Blitzburgh is an example. The Packers need more impactful linebackers, if the team is going to continue to play a 3-4.
Beaux from Los Angeles, CA
Vic, I remember you writing many years ago that Keenan McCardell was going to make a great coach. Don’t look now but the Jaguars just keep plugging in new bodies at wide receiver, and they’ve all been producing. What was it that made you realize Keenan would become such a good NFL coach, and are there any other former players you’ve covered who we should keep an eye on?
Keenan can’t live without football. It’s his life. I easily saw that in him and that’s how I knew he would be a good coach. It’s what you do when you can’t live without it. Keenan was always available for an interview. When players are that accessible, it means they want to talk about football. I wish there were more players like that. I was at the Hall of Fame to cover an induction ceremony a few years ago — I think it was Dave Robinson’s. In a terribly crowded room, I heard someone call out to me. I looked around but couldn’t see who was doing it. I heard it again, and then I saw Keenan. He had a big smile on his face and we embraced. I love the old guys.
Vincent from Seattle, WA
What did you think of Gene Steratore pulling out a piece of paper to litmus test a first down? It was one of the most unique moments I ever saw in a NFL game.
I thought it was fine. I thought it was an example of a common sense ruling and we need more of it. I think Steratore is the best referee in the game. I think he should replace Al “Replay” Riveron as the review boss.
Josh from Tucson, AZ
“You find football players where you find football players,” and “wide receivers are a dime a dozen.” Two quotes that have never been more accurate than after watching the Jags’ two undrafted WRs and a fourth-round pick light up the Texans.
You don’t draft the school, you draft the player, and get the big guys early.
Morgan from Kaukauna, WI
Who are some junkyard dogs at LB coming out of college? We need a guy who likes to smack a QB when he runs the option.
Jason Cabinda of Penn State.
Brady from Milwaukee, WI
You’ve mentioned in the past receivers are a dime a dozen, but do you see any exceptions who are truly special players?
Antonio Brown is special, but he was a fourth-round pick. What does that say?
Bill from Forest Park, OH
Vic, regarding the many (seemingly ever-increasing) complaints over replay review, I’d like to see the system changed to having to review the play utilizing only game-speed video; no more super slo-mo, freeze-frame, high-def technological enhancements. If you can’t definitively overturn a call on this basis, then the call stands.
On game day, I’d like to see Al Riveron locked in a room without a TV. What he did to the Bills might be the worst example of replay officiating I’ve ever seen. As Mike Pereira said, the officials on the field made a great call, and then Riveron canceled it. He took the heart out of the Bills. He needs to go.
Amanda from Villa Rica, GA
What are your predictions for the upcoming College Football Playoffs?
Alabama over Oklahoma in the title game.
Eric from Washington
There isn’t a single team in the league that doesn’t buy into the draft and develop philosophy. Hard headedness is what leads a team to have a guy like Kyler Fackrell still on the squad. “No one beats the inverse order of the draft,” yet, Bill Belichick and the Patriots have secured themselves another first-round bye even while having lost a first-round pick due to infractions. “It’s players, not plays.” I think Sean McVay and Rams nation might disagree.
That team was built on high picks. It was success waiting to happen. McVay just came along at the right time. Noll, Walsh and Johnson weren’t as fortunate. They were a collective 4-42 in their first season as coach. They had to build their teams and, most importantly, beat the fire buzzer. Jeff Fisher didn’t beat the buzzer.
Randy from Medicine Hat, AB
You have stated how difficult it is for a college player, even a really talented one, to transition to the NFL. Is it the same for a coach moving up from the college ranks?
It was for Lou Holtz. He didn’t even know how the waiver process worked.
Robert from Roscoe, IL
Vic, looking to next season, which direction is the Packers’ arrow pointing?
It’s pointing down right now. If they draft well, it’ll immediately turn upward. You are what you draft.
Brooks from Oklahoma City, OK
Vic, Is the main difference between the 2014 roster and the 2017 roster a healthy Aaron Rodgers and Julius Peppers?
Three years is a long time in the NFL. You’re talking about three more years at the bottom of the draft order, and three more years the Vikings were closer to the top of it. It’s the old saying: If you’re not getting better you’re getting worse because your competition is getting better. Three years ago Eddie Lacy was a star and teams were playing single-high safety to get that eighth defender down in the box to stop him, which helped open the passing lanes for Rodgers and Jordy Nelson, who wasn’t coming off an ACL injury. Three years ago, the Packers had Casey Hayward and Micah Hyde on their roster; they hadn’t lost those two players and T.J. Lang to free agency. When you win, you draft lower and your players’ successes cost you more, which forces you to let them leave in free agency. The inevitability of the system can only be defeated by “The Man,” which Rodgers had done until he was injured this season. I don’t know why so many fans are struggling to understand what happened. Time and winning happened.
Bill from Menominee, WI
“When performance is not the equal of the talent available to the coach, it’s time to find a new coach.” I always defended Dom Capers, saying he would be hired immediately elsewhere if he were let go because he was too good to go unemployed at the NFL level. But after looking at players like Walden, Hyde, Hayward and Williams being released to become difference-makers elsewhere after being average or slightly above in Green Bay, it’s getting harder to defend Capers with such a disconnect between drafted talent and scheme. It just seems like the same deficiencies are exposed year after year.
Forgive me, Bill, but you have lit a fuse in me. Casey Hayward was the Packers’ rookie of the year in 2012 with six interceptions and 21 passes defensed. A crippling hamstring injury limited him to only three games played in ’13 and then dogged him through his final two seasons with the Packers. That’s Coach Capers’ fault? Micah Hyde was an ultra-productive player for the Packers. He intercepted eight passes and defensed 22 passes as a part-time starter in his final three years in Green Bay. The Packers allowed him to leave in free agency because they had drafted HaHa and Randall in the first round and Rollins in the second round in consecutive drafts and couldn’t find a place to play Hyde that would justify the money they’d have to pay him. That’s Coach Capers’ fault? Tramon Williams came to the Packers after being cut by the Texans and he became a fixture at cornerback in Green Bay. I don’t recall him becoming a difference-maker in Cleveland or Arizona, but who would forget what he did for the Packers in the 2010 season? He was allowed to leave in free agency because the Packers needed to get younger in the secondary. That’s Coach Capers’ fault? Erik Walden came to the Packers after being cut by the Cowboys, Chiefs and Dolphins. An off-the-field event did much to seal Walden’s fate in Green Bay. That’s Coach Capers’ fault? How about Datone Jones, Jerrell Worthy, Josh Boyd, Khyri Thornton and Christian Ringo? Have any of them become difference-makers somewhere else? I think you all might get your cup of blood this year, because I don’t know how Mike McCarthy can withstand another year of the howl, but this problem is not Coach Capers’ fault.
O-Zone: All’s fair
John Oehser Senior writer jaguars.com Follow John on twitter Like The O-Zone on facebook
JACKSONVILLE – Let’s get to it …
Carly from Atlantic Beach, FL:
Winning the AFC South is nice, but this team is so one-and-done in the playoffs.
John: While this comment is understandable considering Sunday’s loss to San Francisco, it isn’t necessarily true. Putting Sunday’s frustration in the rear-view – and it is, after all, Look Ahead Wednesday – the fact remains the Jaguars have the AFC’s third-best record and a big-time defense. They also will be playing their first playoff game at home. Could the Jaguars lose in the first game of the postseason? Sure, because any team can lose in the postseason and you’re playing the NFL’s best teams in high-pressure situations. But the Jaguars also easily could win multiple postseason games. I think the Jaguars need to play to a pretty specific formula to win in the postseason; they need to get early leads, force turnovers and make big plays. If they do, they can beat anyone. If not, yeah … they could lose in the first round. But don’t think this team can’t still beat any team it plays. It can. That hasn’t changed.
Tom from Section 141 and home of an AFC South Champion:
Pittsburgh, Foxboro and Minneapolis aren’t in the Pacific Time Zone, are they?
John: No.
Steve from Jacksonville:
Is it possible to overstate the positive influence of the vets who have “been there” such as Calais Campbell to all the young players on this team in terms of what awaits in the playoffs?
John: No.
Josh from Dayton, OH:
Winning helps all things, but I’m still not at all friendly to the new uniforms or logo; I own no merchandise with any of the new theme, and I don’t ever plan to. That said, more teal is always better than less. We look far sharper in the teal unis, as evidenced by how many showcased photos involve the teal uniforms. Teal is the Jags’ identifier. We need more teal.
John: Wow. You’re dug in. That’s fine. Digging in may not be cool, but a lot of people do seem committed to it. You’re going to have a long wait if you’re waiting for a new logo, though. Just FYI.
Biff from Jacksonville:
Can we agree that, despite how elite this defense can play, there is some serious growing up to do on that side of the ball?
John: Of course.
Tucker from Nashville, TN:
John, why isn’t Marcell Dareus starting? I like Abry Jones, but early downs are more likely run plays that Dareus can dominate.
John: Who “starts” and who doesn’t is relatively unimportant compared to how much a player plays when it comes to NFL defensive linemen. Dareus has played more than half the snaps in four of the last five games and he has played close to 60 percent of snaps the last two weeks. That seems about right. Any more and you risk wearing him down, which is not what you want entering the postseason.
Sam from Houston, TX:
Is anyone really questioning Clowney’s assertion now?
John: Not anyone reasonable. Or anyone who understood what was going on Sunday.
Dean from Rochester, NY:
What happened to the idea of a call can only be overturned with “indisputable video evidence?”
John: Good question. The spirit of the NFL’s replay system from the beginning was to overturn only indisputable evidence. When then-Commissioner Paul Tagliabue pushed for the replay’s implementation in the 1990s, he did so knowing that few in the league wanted the game officiated via video – but also believing that there was a need to prevent obvious, reversible errors from deciding games, seasons and careers. That concept has been lost at some point. Perhaps the league or officials have responded to criticism on social media. Perhaps there just needs to be a reset at the league level. Either way, it’s out of control. Replay is supposed to change obvious calls. Put it this way: if you’re sitting with two friends while a play is being reviewed and all three of you don’t unanimously and easily agree what the outcome will be, the call on the field usually should stand. If you’re surprised when the official announces the decision after a review, the replay system isn’t working as it should.
Researcher from Jacksonville:
Studies show senior writers are grossly underpaid.
John: You had me until “-ly underpaid.”
Bo from Dresden, NC:
I’m curious about Blake’s ability to change out of a play. The very first play he walks up to an eight-man front … it seemed like a good time for play action. Does BB5 have the go-ahead to make audible or the first series usually scripted?
John: Bortles doesn’t change out of a lot of plays yet. He has done more of this in recent weeks and I would look for him to do it more and more the more experience he gains in offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett’s offense. Remember, too, that there’s more involved in changing plays at the line of scrimmage than the quarterback. The Jaguars are playing two rookie wide receivers (Keelan Cole, Dede Westbrook), a first-year wide receiver (Jaydon Mickens) and a rookie running back (Leonard Fournette). Bortles generally speaking knows the offense and what needs to happen in given situations, and his knowledge is reaching a pretty high level; that’s not always as true of the young players around him. It’s fine for Bortles to check into a play, but if his teammates can’t react and respond, then it doesn’t do much good.
Patrick from Mandarin, FL:
John, do you have the number of a good free-agent receiver?
John: I have two: 15 and 11.
Fred from Naples, FL:
It’s real important that we go to Nashville and knock the Titans out of the playoffs … or we will see them in the Wild Card game in Jacksonville and we all remember how well that worked out for us in ’99.
John: The Jaguars want to win Sunday and will make every effort to do so. If they don’t win Sunday, fans will likely experience some ’99 angst next week. It will have nothing to do with reality or what happens on the field the following week, but that won’t stop fans from experiencing it.
Tim from Monks Corner, SC:
Will the real Blake Bortles please stand up? I think that in four years Blake has shown that he is not a franchise quarterback. Sure, he has an occasional good game but continues to lack consistency. There is an old saying about a blind squirrel and a nut; it applies here. Three years of futility cannot be erased in a couple of weeks. I’m glad that it happened now before Tom Coughlin and Dave Caldwell hitched their horses to this bandwagon with a broken wheel. A new quarterback early has to be a priority if this team is to continue to improve. I know that you disagree and if you publish this, you will try to find a way to spin it in a way that makes Blake look like the second coming.
John: Bortles for the most part played fine on Sunday, though if you want to blame him for the mistakes of receivers … well, I can’t force you to understand something if you don’t wish to try. There are a handful of NFL quarterbacks who are consistently at a high level week to week – and most of those are going to the Hall of Fame. I don’t think Bortles is headed to Canton, and I don’t think I ever said otherwise. I also don’t think I’ve ever remotely tried to make Bortles look like the Second Coming. I do think some readers like to say things that make them look like they’re flailing widely trying to get a reaction or like they simple don’t understand the things they read. There’s nothing wrong with readers who do this, though they sometimes do come off looking a bit silly.
Henry from Florahome, FL:
Just curious. Why was the game last week telecast on Fox? Usually, Fox only carries games where the NFC team is visiting. Go Jags!
John: Games can be flexed between networks just as they can be flexed between time slots.
Shannon from Las Vegas, NV:
Do you think Sunday’s loss is a kind of loss that can humble a team enough to not buy in to what people are saying and simply play every game like they can lose it? I feel like they for the first time this year got too high on themselves.
John: I’m not usually a big wake-up call guy. I think in this case it may apply. This is a young team that has had some success. Could they need to ratchet it down a bit and be reminded they’re not yet great? That’s reasonable.
Keith from Palatka, FL:
You and the sycophants are correct. Bortles is definitely a franchise quarterback. Sign that man to an extravagant extension. Super Bowl here we come! Is John a genius or what?
John: I’m not a genius. Thank goodness, too, right? It wouldn’t be fair to be that smart and this damned good looking.