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O-Zone: Hope alive

John Oehser Senior writer jaguars.com Follow John on twitter Like The O-Zone on facebook

JACKSONVILLE – Let’s get to it …

Mike from Jacksonville:

Win and move on. Ugliest bleeping game I’ve ever watched, but win and move on.

John: This pretty much sums up Sunday. That was among the most-perplexing games I’ve covered in 22 seasons covering the NFL – and I honestly had little idea how to analyze it. The Jaguars indeed played horribly offensively for three quarters – and this offense continues to raise legitimate concerns about the team’s ability to win. At the same time, the defense played well after a rocky second-quarter stretch and continues to look like a potential strength moving forward. The offense also has to be given credit for a fourth quarter that not only was productive, but was remarkably clutch given the circumstances. Are the Jaguars good? Not yet. Not from what they’ve shown this season. But they’re 2-3 and are a play or two from being better than that. The bottom line from Sunday, I suppose, is they survived and got a much-needed road victory. You take those when you can get them in the NFL. It keeps them in a situation where if they continue to improve they can still save the season. That’s not the best situation, but it’s a lot better than the situation they were facing late in the third quarter Sunday.

Jerell from Columbia, SC:

How many interceptions must throw before the organization realizes this guy is not the answer at quarterback?

John: Jerell, Jerell, Jerell … I’ve written often in recent weeks that Bortles must improve, and I’ve written often that the Jaguars’ 0-3 start was largely because of his turnovers in those first three games. But fair’s fair, and if you’re being fair, it’s awfully hard to put that first-half interception Sunday on Bortles.

Eric from Duval:

Please explain to me the prevent defense call on third-and -7. Are they serious? Poz can’t cover side-to-side crossing receivers. Let’s concede an easier field goal attempt at 0-0. Why?

John: I thought the defense was too soft on that third-down play late in the first half, too. The coaches felt yielding yardage there was better than playing tight and increasing the chances of a touchdown. I would have rather seen a bit more aggressiveness, but that was why.

Adam from Bryan, TX:

John, please tell me why is dropping into coverage on a key third down in the red zone? That was way too easy for Hoyer. What is going on with these defensive calls? Wasn’t Jackson brought in to pressure the quarterback – not cover receivers?

John: I get some version of this whenever a wide receiver catches a pass with a defensive lineman in coverage. I understand the frustration, and I have written before I’m not fundamentally a fan of dropping linemen into coverage. It by definition takes a player out of what he does best and puts him into a situation where he’s doing what he doesn’t do well. The situations usually occur when a defense has blitzed a linebacker or a secondary player and the linemen drops to cover an area. If the pressure doesn’t get home quickly enough then the lineman and coordinator are going to look bad on the play. More often than not, it’s not as much a case of the scheme being ridiculous as of the blitz not getting home quickly enough. Still, it’s a bad look when it doesn’t work. No doubt about that.

Logan from Wichita, KS:

Penalties, turnovers, penalties, turnovers, penalties. Why do we even bother to play?

John: Because.

Michael from Tucker, GA:

I really hate complaining after a much-needed win, but I’m beginning to think the experts were right about Ramsey. This guy can’t catch a cold. My question, can you be an elite corner with no hands?

John: This is one of the more amazing emails I’ve received in a long time, because unless I’m reading it wrong, you’re criticizing for not making an interception on the Bears’ final play. Ramsey on Sunday turned in a remarkable performance. He got beat regularly by Alshon Jeffery in the first half, but he recovered to hold Jeffery to one reception for three yards in the second half. His first half would have hurt the confidence of many players, yet he recovered to be a key reason for the Jaguars’ victory. The play he made to end the game was a big-time, elite play – breaking in front of Jeffery with remarkable quickness and suddenness to give the pass literally no chance of being caught. So, he didn’t make the interception? That’s the last job of a cornerback – an extra, if you will. He kept the ball from being caught. He made the play and ended the game. Finally, to answer your final question: Yes, a cornerback absolutely can be elite if his hands aren’t great. And speaking of elite, if the first five games of the season have shown us anything it’s that Ramsey is well on his way to that status.

Jason from Da ‘Hass:

Yo O: here’s the analysis: Ramsey is the man! He’s cool and I like him!

John: Hey, one fer Ramsey! – no matter what Michael may think.

Jason from Salem, OR:

What do you think should be done to make more Jacksonville scores on the opening drives or earlier in the game, when the Jags are not trailing in the game? It seems that the Jags are consistently battling back into the game when they are losing, after some bad offensive possessions. They have started games notoriously bad for a while and they seem as frustrated early on as most Jags fan seem to be.

John: Early-game struggles indeed have defined the offense in recent seasons. I think the Jaguars must start looking to go up-tempo earlier in games, and I think they’re at the point where they will do that. I don’t think they can do it the whole game, but I think they have to start finding a way to mix that into the offense. But if you’re convinced that the early-game issues are all on the coaching or the offensive coordinator – and if you think all that ails the Jaguars’ offense will be solved by an up-tempo approach, remember: the Jaguars turned in one of their best drives of the season on their first possession Sunday. They drove 89 yards methodically and efficiently. The ball was in Robinson’s arms and popped out. That wasn’t an issue of tempo or coaching.

Andrew from Fort Collins, CO:

Wow. That went from terrible to comeback fast. Won in a must-win situation and showed heart. Ramsey also showed why he was No. 5. Hope going forward.

John: This email was received a few minutes after Sunday’s game. It was not reflective of the tone of the inbox to that point, but yes – the Jaguars’ victory was what mattered Sunday. It was not pretty. The Jaguars probably won’t win a lot playing that poor offensively going forward, but they made some big plays when it mattered. That counts for something. It actually counts for a lot.

The Voice of the Fans fom DisappointmentLand:

Nobody should feel good about that win. We squeaked one out against a bad team. Without previously proving ourselves, that makes us a bad team. No matter what the score says, the Jags need to treat this as a L.

John: The Jaguars were 1-3 entering Sunday’s game. They are 2-3 this morning. They will not treat this game as a loss, nor should they.

Bill from Hawthorn Woods, IL:

Oh, O … so good to get a W. In the end, that is what matters. The bad news is that this does not look like a team building on momentum coming out of the Colts game. That was ugly for most of the game. The good news is they didn’t give up and found a way in the end. But Bortles has to get better or the stretch ahead is going to be tough and frustrating. Thoughts?

John: My thoughts are Bortles has to get better or the stretch ahead is going to be tough and frustrating.

Josh from Eyota, MN:

Will we ever see the offense that won the game today throughout an entire game? Bortles does look so much better when he goes no-huddle.

John: It’s very difficult in the NFL to run tempo and no-huddle the entire game – primarily because if it doesn’t work, you put your defense at an enormous disadvantage. At the same time, this Jaguars’ offense for the past two-plus seasons has been playing much better when playing no-huddle. You don’t want to do it all the time, but it stands to reason it needs to be done more.

Thomas from Williamsburg, VA:

Second-and-goal from the one-foot line and you throw a fade route. Are you serious? Just when I thought Greg Olson couldn’t do anything more stupid …

John: Loyal readers – and both of them know who they are – know I’m not a big question-the-play-call guy because usually a good play is the one that works and bad play is the one that doesn’t. But yeah, on that one …

Barbara from Springville, VA:

Thanks for the WIN, Jacksonville Jaguars! Hope is alive!!!

John: #DTWD, Barb. #DTWD.

Pages: 12

O-Zone: Money is cool

John Oehser Senior writer jaguars.com Follow John on twitter Like The O-Zone on facebook

CHICAGO – Let’s get to it …

Mike from Navarre, OH:

Why do we suck?

John: I nearly bypassed this question. I reconsidered because the Jaguars over the past several seasons have made it a legitimate topic. The truth is the Jaguars indeed were bad without much hope of being better in 2013 and 2014. That happened because the talent level was low enough that it was nearly impossible to realistically compete with a lot of teams. They were a bit better in 2015, but not good consistently enough on offense or good enough at all on defense to make the push for .500 many fans expected. They weren’t good enough last season on offense largely because of youth and they weren’t good enough on defense largely because Jaguars General Manager David Caldwell hadn’t had time to build that side of the ball adequately. That brings us to this season. The Jaguars are 1-3 through the first month largely because of a horrible game in San Diego and two missed opportunities at home against Green Bay and Baltimore. That 0-3 start is haunting the team and the Jaguars need to win in October to recover from it. If they continue to improve defensively and they get more consistent play from the quarterback position, then I think the Jaguars can win two or three of their next four games. If that happens, perhaps the perception that the Jaguars “suck” will change. Stay tuned.

Roy from Orange Park, FL:

I’m not questioning the move, but, why over ? I’m just curious?

John: He has experience starting in the NFL at guard. He also played well given the opportunity in London. He earned the opportunity to see if he can continue playing well.

Tyler from Jacksonville:

What tools does Shad Khan use to evaluate the effectiveness of his coaching staff? Does he have someone that knows game situations evaluate Gus’s decisions, schemes, and game plans to provide him a score? If not, this is something he severely needs. If so, he needs to fire that person and get someone better in the position.

John: Khan like any NFL owner has people who advise him on such things, and Khan is smart enough that I trust he is wise in choosing the people to whom he listens. As far as analyzing the ins and outs of every scheme, decision and game plan … look, this has become an issue almost like politics. Those who support Jaguars Head Coach Gus Bradley aren’t likely to be swayed and those who don’t support him are likely equally unswayable. We understandably have reached a stage where there are people who assume all that ails the Jaguars is the head coach. The “understandably” part stems from people being tired of losing. The only thing that will change minds is winning, and that’s fine because coaches are always judged that way in the NFL. If the Jaguars don’t progress this season in a manner Khan finds acceptable I’m sure Bradley will not return as coach. If they do, I’m sure he will.

John from Ramsey, NJ:

Although he never played up to expectations as a Jaguar, you never want to see bad news about our players. I read the headlines just now that Quentin Groves passed away in his sleep due to cardiac arrest. My thoughts and prayers go out to his wife and children. May God comfort them in their sorrow and may Quentin rest in peace.

John: Agreed. I never knew or covered Groves, but 32 is too young. May he rest in peace.

Evan from Honolulu, HI:

Hey O, with both Greene and Grant being questionable for this weekend’s game, who do you foresee replacing them as our kick and punt returners?? And if you were able to only have one ready to play, who would it be and why? Go Jags!

John: will return punts Sunday if Rashad Greene can’t play and it remains to be seen who will return kickoffs. The latter is a role has played in the past, but Bradley when asked on Friday declined to specify who would return kicks. If I had to choose between Greene and Grant, I would choose Greene. He also plays a role as a reserve receiver and he has made more big plays at his respective return position.

Alton from Orlando, FL:

What in the heck does DTWD mean? I hear and see everyone using it but me … thanks, John.

John: This is actually good question. I have been saying and writing it for nearly five years simply because everyone else does. Following the crowd blindly without regard for the ramifications of my actions has gotten me this far in life, so why stop now?

Jerry from Italia, FL:

Zone, just voted for the Pro Bowl and noticed some things on the ballot. Who places players on the ballot – the team, the NFL or you?

John: The NFL does it, but blame me. Everyone else does.

Bruce from Green Cove Springs, FL:

What exactly does it mean – if anything – when a commentator says a particular head coach was “out-coached?” Is it that one team’s coach better evaluates another team’s strengths and weaknesses, and plans accordingly? In your opinion, John, have there been games when it appeared that Gus Bradley was out-coached?

John: I am asked this often, and the truth is there are absolutely times any head coach is out-coached.” It’s just as true there are times when players are outplayed. The problem is defining which is which in a sport with so many interdependent parts. It is vogue to say Bradley and the Jaguars’ coaching staff has been out-coached this year, and many point to the fourth quarter of the Baltimore and Green Bay games as examples. The Jaguars had possession three times inside the 50 against Baltimore and scored three points. Many cite the late-game play-calling in that game and Green Bay as examples of poor coaching. And you know what? Maybe the staff was out-coached. I understand that stance. I also wonder if the offense had converted a fourth-and-1 against Green Bay and if the offense had converted its opportunities against Baltimore if anyone would be questioning coaching. If those conversions had been made, the Jaguars quite possibly would be 3-1 and it’s quite likely people would be talking about the wonderful job the coaches are doing. This is not to say the Jaguars’ coaches are flawless. They’re not. It’s merely to point out that while it’s easy to blame coaching for all that ails a football team there are often many factors that play into it – and the difference in perception on this issue often is determined by less clear-cut factors than many believe.

John from Jacksonville:

I think an increase of leaving the pocket and folding in some fast-tempo offense (the offense seems to excel at both) will have a winning formula going forward. Do you think we’ll see more fast-tempo, no-huddle offense?

John: I think the Jaguars are to the point they have to try it.

Otto from Ponte Vedra Beach, FL:

John, after the Denver “D” did such a great job last year and Wade Phillips was named Defensive Coach of the Year, he said he adapts the system to the players. Gus and Todd seem to be wed to the Leo/Otto system regardless of the personnel. Is this not counter-intuitive to good coaching?

John: The Jaguars’ defense appears to be playing well for the most part so far this season. I suppose we should see if that continues before we call what they’re doing on that side of the ball counter-intuitive to good coaching.

Rob from Jacksonville:

But I thought Jack didn’t have the skill set to play Otto …

John: This is a good point. He really doesn’t. He’s a little small for what the Jaguars typically want from the position. Instead, the Jaguars’ coaching staff is showing some flexibility and trying to get their best players on the field. That should help a defense that already is starting to show good progress play even better. We’ll see.

Rob from Orange Park, FL:

I have not heard Sen’Derrick’s name much during games. How do you think he has been performing this year?

John: Good – at times, very good.

Roger from Jacksonville:

Note to the NFL: Please, PLEASE just stop with the “Color Rush” nonsense. Just. STOP. Every one of these monochromatic abominations has been a hideous assault on the eyes and an insult to the dignity of professional football. For the love of everything sacred to fans of this magnificent game, please just stop.

John: I liked the Chargers’ uniforms Thursday. I liked the Jaguars’ gold uniforms last season, too. And however you and I feel about the Color Rush uniforms, I fear your memo will go unheeded. Enough people like enough of the colors that they will buy merchandise with the colors and their team logos on them. That means making money. NFL teams think that’s cool. They like it.

Pages: 12

O-Zone: Any day is a good day

John Oehser Senior writer jaguars.com Follow John on twitter Like The O-Zone on facebook

JACKSONVILLE – Let’s get to it …

Ed from Jacksonville and Section 205:

Please help me here, Zone. We seem to be basing our feeling for improvement with the Jags this year on a belief that the defense is going to be much improved. Last year after four games we had given up 110 points (and that included a 51-point game against the Pats). After four games this year we have given up 111 points. Not sure why I should feel improvement this year will be based upon our improved defense. Yeah, we seem to have more talent, BUT we also seem to have OVERALL more talent now than in Gus’ first year but with no real change in results. Seems to me it all points to coaching. So why should we really be encouraged?

John: The optimism over the Jaguars’ defense right now indeed has more to do with the eye test and projection than the hard, cold statistics. It also appears to be trending in the right direction because the unit has played better the last two weeks than it did the first two games. There were significant stretches during those games it played winning football. The same was true of a lot of the Green Bay game. Another positive is the Jaguars are doing it largely with young players and a slew of players who never had played with one another before this season. It has the look and feel of a defense that can improve. There’s no way to know until it happens. So, why be encouraged? I don’t know … if you watch the defense and believe it looks better, be encouraged. If you don’t like what you see, don’t be encouraged. Either way, we’ll find out in the coming weeks and months if this defense indeed is improved. If it is, then this team has a chance.

Tyler from Jacksonville:

I am tired of people being tired of people wanting to fire the coaching staff. If Sunday is an “L,” Gus Bradley has got to go. Chargers fans were calling for Mike McCoy to be fired and he was beating Gus 35-0. Four years with one win in September. Four years with one win in September. Four years with one win in September. Four years with one win in September.

John: I think I’m just tired of being tired.

Reinie from Glendale, AZ:

Do I have reason to be concerned that has played less than 15 percent of all the defensive snaps so far? When will this number increase?

John: I have neither the information nor inclination to tell you what needs to concern you. I’m good, but I’m not that good. I can tell you that Myles Jack now is starting at Otto linebacker, so I imagine that percentage will rise.

David from Broward County, FL:

O-Man, did you realize that in Bradley’s tenure, the Jags are 5-20 on the road – and three of those road wins came in 2013 with the worst roster? The last two years and one road game – with much better talent – the Jags are 1-16. They haven’t won a road game in over a year. This is damning. Regardless of roster talent level, that alone would get any such coach fired. They are playing the 1-4 Bears on the road. Must win can’t really even describe this game. Your thoughts?

John: I think the Jaguars really need to win Sunday. I think I’ve been saying and writing that much of the week.

Nathan from St. Augustine, FL:

You know with everything going on with Hurricane Matthew and the bye week it just now really hit me that if the Jags win Sunday we are right back in this thing. I said before the season if the Jags can get to midseason still in it, they should be a much better team the second half of the year. What say you?

John: I think that’s the overriding theme for the Jaguars entering Sunday’s game. If they can win, it indeed casts the next month – and perhaps the rest of the season – in a strikingly different light. In that respect, it’s like a lot of games last season when the Jaguars had a chance to get in the playoff chase with a victory. They never could quite do it last season for a variety of reasons – mostly because they simply weren’t good enough on defense or experienced/good enough on offense to take advantage of the opportunities. This situation feels the same with the important difference that the team feels more ready to take advantage of it. The defense looks better. The overall talent is better. There is a bit more experience on offense. Bottom line: it just feels like time. It felt like that a couple of other times earlier in the season and the Jaguars squandered opportunities. It’s time for the squandering to end.

Eli from Orlando and Rio de Janeiro:

John, I think you are the man! I enjoy your humor and agree with most of what you write. But please, please, please do not compare Gus Bradley to John Fox and Bill Belichick. Fox is a proven head coach. This Bears team has a bad roster with many key injuries. They are losing despite of coaching. Bill was not an idiot in Cleveland. He was building something long-term there. The problem he faced was that the year when he finally he had his roster/players in place, the move to BLT was announced which deflated the team. Last year and especially this year, young players or not, this is at the very least a .500 team talentwise. Now considering how last year shaped out with how bad the division was, and how many second string QBs we faced, we should have had more wins. We lost to Hasselbeck twice! Twice! We made Brian Hoyer look like an All-Pro. If this team cannot win games, Gus should be fired. Anyway, good luck Sunday and enjoy your trip to Chi-town!

John: The Jaguars beat Matt Hasselbeck’s Colts team 51-16 last season at EverBank Field last season.

David from Oviedo, FL:

O-man, as healthy as it feels the Jags have been, it surprised me to see that seven Jags are currently on injured reserve: , Jeff Linkenbach, , , , and . Do you think there’s anybody on this list that the Jags are high on, that could make a significant impact next year?

John: It wouldn’t be surprising if six of those players – Joeckel, Bowanko, Sample, Bennett, Wells and Woodard – are on the team next year, and it wouldn’t be surprising if at least Woodard and Joeckel are starting.

Frank from Fleming Island, FL:

If we can score more points than the Bears on Sunday we are definitely going to win.

John: I googled this. I’m almost sure you’re right.

Bob from Sumter, SC:

I’ve kind of revised my expectations of . I see him as having the potential to be an effective Andy Dalton-type quarterback who can win with a good team around him and have success. Third season and still having some of the issues you’ve mentioned tells me the elite level talent isn’t there. I hope he proves me wrong. But being a good solid quarterback is not a bad thing at all.

John: I think we’ll know a lot more about Bortles’ direction and career at the end of this season, and maybe even after the next month or so.

Gamble from Brasilia, Brazil:

If we break the remainder of the Jags’ 2016 season into quarters – Tony Dungy-style – then this staff needs to go 7-5 or 6-6 the rest of the way to prove that this team is on the rise. Shad Khan has never given an exact demand for wins, but doesn’t a rising 7-9 or 8-8 seem reasonable?

John: Yes.

Jimmy P from London:

I’ve been dazed and confused for so long, is it true? There’s a lot of people talking and I think they just don’t know. I don’t know where we’re going, but I know where we’ve been. I have a Whole Lotta Love for this team. We don’t need any more Communication Breakdowns in No Quarters. I Want us to Ramble On John, Zone, Hey, Hey, What can I do?

John: I think you can go Over the Hills and Far Away and realize if the Jaguars don’t win Sunday then you’re probably going to feel like a Fool in the Rain.

Tudor from St. Augustine, FL:

I’ve got a bet going at work with a Bears fan. If the Jags win, he wears custom-made lobster bib designed by me all work day; if the Bears win, I wear a teal full body snuggie all workday. It’s gonna be 85 degrees in Denver on Monday … please don’t make me have to wear that snuggie, Jags!

John: I think your friend will be wearing a bib Monday. If not, always remember: Any day is a good day for a snuggie.

Pages: 12

O-Zone: Bringing down the house

John Oehser Senior writer jaguars.com Follow John on twitter Like The O-Zone on facebook

JACKSONVILLE – Let’s get to it …

Mike from Navarre, OH:

Usually at this point in the season I’d have my pitchfork out and be ready to join the crowds of angry fans. Something about this defense and the potential of all these young players keeps me from giving up too soon on this team. Who is the biggest surprise to you so far this season and who is the biggest upset based on your expectations for this team?

John: I’m surprised has been as effective as he has been through four games. I’m not surprised he has shown ability, but I expect rookie pass rushers to have a long acclimation process – and Ngakoue appears strikingly well-adapted at this stage of his rookie season. That plays into my biggest overall surprise: the effectiveness of the Jaguars’ rookie class. If you consider part of that class, you have five players – cornerback , linebacker , Fowler, Ngakoue and defensive tackle – who are showing the potential to form the core of the defense. That’s an unreal amount of production from five players who never had played an NFL snap before this season. I’m also surprised struggled to the extent he did in Weeks 2 and 3. I wrote often throughout the offseason that I believed Bortles had some significant steps to take this season, so I wasn’t surprised there were struggles. I was surprised they were so pronounced and so damaging to the Jaguars’ chances to win those two games.

Chris from Section 437:

I know turnovers are a big concern with Blake Bortles moving forward. One guy that turned the ball over a lot during his career was Brett Favre. A lot of his turnovers were deep balls, however, and he was able to still win a lot by continuing to go downfield. I would like to see this with Bortles: even if he turns it over deep, keep throwing long. What do you think?

John: There’s no question Bortles needs to take shots deep. The Jaguars want him to do this when the time is appropriate – and I’ve never sensed any concern around the Jaguars that Bortles will become too cautious. That’s not his nature. The biggest concern with Bortles’ interceptions this season came from forcing plays too early in games. It’s not so much the long, chance throws down the field that hurt quarterbacks; it’s the sack/fumbles and the interceptions that give opponents possession in plus territory. Those are the tougher turnovers to overcome.

Don from Ponte Vedra Beach, FL:

The last win against the Colts was without question a must-win game. That’s the difference between this year and seasons past. They had to have it and so did the Colts – and the Jags won. They know they can do it now and I think they will and win the division.

John: OK.

Johnathan from Virginia:

I am tired of reading, “Fire the coaching staff.” Excluding interim coaches, all of the Jaguars’ previous head coaches went on to be head coaches for other NFL teams. Two are still in the league and we get to play against them, while one retired with some rings. Can we move away from this topic until Bill Cowher wants to coach again?

John: The easiest thing to do when teams lose is to blame coaching, and coaching does matter in the NFL. It’s just almost never the only reason a team is struggling. It’s often not even the primary reason, and there are plenty of situations in which perfectly capable coaches are in a situation beyond their control. John Fox has coached in Super Bowls with two different teams. He’s 1-4 with the Bears this season. I suppose it’s possible that he suddenly became a horrible coach just as I suppose it’s possible Bill Belichick was an idiot in Cleveland and suddenly a genius in Foxboro, Massachusetts. But while I suppose those things are possible I also suppose that’s probably not the case.

Brian from Dunwoody, GA:

I told you this when we signed him, and I’ll say it again: [Patrick] Omameh is going to play well and be deserving of his starting spot.

John: OK.

Dave from Orlando, FL:

Johnny-O, after four games, Yannick Ngakoue has three sacks, Dante Fowler Jr. has two. Olivier Vernon has one. So far, that’s $17 million a sack for the Giants. A few months ago, not signing Olivier Vernon was a major fail; now, thanks to Ngakoue and Fowler, we are better off.

John: Ngakoue and Fowler appear on their way to being high-level defensive ends. They also appear to have a chance to be part of a young, ascending defense. That’s what matters far more than Vernon’s average earnings per sack.

Bill from Hammock, FL:

O, there has been a lot of discussion of an ascending defense with the statistical information confirming this. It seems to me that this is even more evident based on the exceptional quarterbacks faced in the first four games. Do you believe this is true?

John: The Jaguars for the most part played well defensively through the first four games of the season. That’s tougher to do against elite quarterbacks, so that’s a good thing. The key for this “ascending” defense is to continue the “ascending” part. While there have been good signs and improved statistics on that side of the ball, there also have been too many points allowed – and the performances have not yet been dominant. If that side of the ball does not improve from this point then the Jaguars won’t be much better off than they are right now. If that side of the ball does improve and fulfill the potential it’s showing … well, from that sort of stuff long-term sustained success often is built.

James from Socorro, NM:

EVERY team in the NFL is one or two plays away from a couple of more wins. That’s life in the NFL, and it’s disingenuous to say the Jaguars could be 3-1. For example, all of the Chargers (1-4) losses have been by less than a touchdown (a team that blew out the Jaguars, by the way). What separates good teams from mediocre teams is winning games in the fourth quarter, and the Jaguars have not shown themselves to be anything other than mediocre.

John: You are correct. That’s why pass rush, quarterback play and the ability to run are so important. With most games decided by one or two plays, the quarterback must minimize mistakes and maximize impact plays. With most games decided by one or two plays, the pass rush must pressure the passer in late-game situations. With most games decided by one or two plays, the running game must be effective late. The Jaguars this season haven’t had enough of all of those things operating at a high level enough to win more games. That needs to change.

Richard from Myrtle Beach, FL:

I’m a huge Jaguars fan and love Bortles. My concern is that in interviews he is constantly scratching, fidgety and moving his jaw. Is he really that nervous or is there any other issue going on?

John: You’re overthinking this one, Richard.

John from Nowheresville:

I am really beginning to question whether Gus is the man. You stated that the first two years shouldn’t count toward his record due to the absence of quality players, which I can agree with. So, last year he ended the year at 5-11 in a year that we should have won more games based on our schedule and the quarterback issues in Indy and Houston. This year, we are 1-3 so far. I have serious doubts about his ability to put the team in a position to win each week. Not playing Myles Jack the first couple of weeks really makes no sense, not adjusting scheme to have the right players on the field is coaching. What say you? Go Jaguars! DTWD

John: We can discuss all we want about who should be blamed for what records in what seasons. I’m not sure the Jaguars underachieved all that much a year ago – mainly because you had a young offense and a defense that in retrospect was not strong … but whatever. So far this season the Jaguars’ season has been defined by an awful overall game and struggling quarterback play in two others. Throw penalties in there and trouble running the ball and you have a 1-3 record. Some of that is on coaching and some of that is on players. If the Jaguars turn this season around and push toward .500 I think Bradley and this coaching staff will have done a good job. If that doesn’t happen then I doubt they return. We’ll see.

Limo Bob from Neptune Beach, FL:

Just got back from London trip and wanted all your readers to know what a fantastic trip it was. One of the highlights was the Jag Party at the Finery Tavern. The dance you, J.P. and Lageman did with the Roar was fantastic; when the three of you took your shirts off it brought the house down! Where would you like me to send the pictures?

John: Just send it to this email. I’ll print them out and put them in the room where I have the TV that’s playing the video of the night in a constant loop.

O-Zone: Ro Ro Rosey

John Oehser Senior writer jaguars.com Follow John on twitter Like The O-Zone on facebook

JACKSONVILLE – Let’s get to it …

DUVAL DOOM from Section 217:

I’m in a really weird place, Zone. I want this team to win. I NEED this team to win, but for the first time ever I find myself doubting that they will win. Not specifically against the Bears, but in general. I don’t like this feeling. I want to go back to being delusional the other way. Please just win, Jaguars. Please.

John: This is a fair feeling in the wake of the first month of the 2016 season. The Jaguars for the most part during that month didn’t play well enough to earn the blind confidence of fans. Quarterback in particular struggled far too much and the offense as a whole struggled along with him. So, you ask: what possible reason is there to believe the 1-3 Jaguars can get the season going in the right direction? Well, there is a reason and it’s a better reason – one more based in reality – than you might think. This is starting to look like a defense that legitimately could be good. I don’t see it being great yet, but it very definitely can be good – with a chance for greatness as it continues to develop. There are signs of a legitimate pass rush and there is playmaking speed on the back end. If the signs we saw in Week 3 and 4 are real, then that’s a side of the ball that can win games. As far as offense, there are playmakers there. There is ability. Production largely depends on the quarterback. He struggled in Weeks 1-3 and while he played better against Indianapolis in Week 4, he also missed some opportunities. Still, Bortles against Indianapolis showed the ability to play turnover free and not hurt the team. Within those things are some real positives and a potential winning formula. Building on that formula would seem to be a way this team can find success – and restore your faith.

Al from Fruit Cove, FL:

Mr. O, can you give us the back story? On Sunday afternoon, when the Bears took an early lead on the Colts with a field goal, the Indy mascot was standing behind the goal line with a sign reading, “Jaxson is the greatest mascot in the world.” No disagreement here, of course. Just curious as to why the sudden awareness in Indianapolis.

John: Jaxson won a bet based on the game in London. Good for him. He’s a cool mascot. People like him.

Bryant from White Plains, NY:

The tough part about starting 0-3 is it feels like every game after that is a must win. Two weeks ago was a must win in London. This is a must win in Chicago, especially with a tough Oakland matchup the week after that. Let’s keep building this momentum up. #DTWD

John: That indeed is the tough part about starting 0-3: every ensuing loss for a while feels like the end of the season – and indeed, every ensuing loss could well be the end of the season. This is the situation the Jaguars created for themselves. They have no one else to blame. Thus, their current scenario: If they beat the Bears Sunday, they get the chance to breathe – with an additional chance to have a very good outlook if they can follow it with a victory over Oakland. If they don’t beat the Bears … ugh.

Alex from VA:

Do you see moving back to guard this year and us drafting a center or signing a free agent? Or will he stay at center?

John: Linder will stay at center. He’s very good at it. There is no inclination to move him.

Scott from Fernandina Beach, FL:

The Jags we saw in London – run blocking, pressuring the opposing quarterback and Nortman and Myers and Blake being good – can compete in every game. Get rid of the untimely penalties and we can win most of those games. Gotta take it off the paper and put it on the field.

John: So, if the Jaguars run well, minimize mistakes, pressure the opposing quarterback, get quality special teams play and have their quarterback play well they can be in every game. That’s pretty much every team’s winning formula. Is that all they need to do?

Brandon from Athens, GA:

Hey John, do you know what sucks? Knowing that many of the great quarterbacks of the past 15 years are nearing the end (Brady, Brees, Rivers, etc.) and we don’t have the elite quarterback on our team to take their place. I like Bortles, but he’s not elite.

John: The jury indeed remains out. We shall see.

John from Cape May, NJ:

John, for four years I’ve seen in this column and others like it fans bashing the Jaguars’ coaching staff for issues like player personnel, play calling, and time management – just to name a few. So after a 13-39 start and having seen the regression the team has made through the first four weeks of the season do you see/have any faith that this coaching group can turn things around and find success?

John: As has been noted fairly often, it in many respects is short-sighted and unfair to sum up the entire Gus Bradley regime simply by stating the record during that span. The talent level during the first two years of that regime was not such that a significantly better record during those two was realistic. But the record is how coaches are judged, so … fine. As for the team regressing in the first four weeks of the season … I suppose I would have to disagree. While 1-3 is not what anyone expected, the Jaguars are a play or two from 2-2 or 3-1 and the defense is playing significantly better than it did last season. I’ve said often that I thought we would have a clearer idea about Gus Bradley and this coaching staff by the end of this season. I still believe that to be the case.

Karri from Sandy, UT:

So O, I have to ask because it’s been so long since you’ve been asked … still sticking it to the man?

John: Patience, Karri. Patience.

Jon from Chicago, IL:

I’ve lived in Jax my entire life except for the past couple years and am now living in Chicago. I’m pumped to go to the game on Sunday. My bold but realistic prediction: Jags win six of their next seven games with the only loss going to the Raiders.

John: #DTWD

Rob from Jacksonville:

An answer to a question about got me thinking: Does being inactive on game days have any effect (or affect) on a game check? And since you’re here, is it effect or affect? That one has always been difficult for me. Thanks, O.

John: No, being inactive does not affect a player’s game check – and it’s “affect” because there was no squiggly line under it after I wrote it.

John from Boynton Beach, FL:

Even if looked great in the preseason, so did the offense. That hasn’t seemed to translate yet, so I am holding my breath on Colvin being outstanding this season. Every year we forget that the preseason never seems to be a good prediction of the regular season.

John: OK.

Kenny from Rochester, NY:

A lot of people want our two young pass-rushers to start and play most of our plays on defense, but when I watched the Giants play they said JPP and Olivier Vernon play too many plays and that is why they can’t take over games. What’s the deal, O-Zone? Make this clear cut for me.

John: I can’t speak to the ideal number of plays for Jason Pierre-Paul and Olivier Vernon. I can say that the Jaguars ideally want a situation in which they’re heavily rotating eight or so defensive linemen. Under that scenario you essentially can have two defensive lines, which enables the linemen to be fresh and “play in waves.” As far as having and both starting, it’s really not much of an issue. Both players are going to play a lot and both will be on the field the vast majority of the time in passing situations. That’s about as much as you want young pass rushers playing.

Ed from Danvers, MA:

On a pass interference call, why not subtract 27.34 percent of the yards gained on the play? If the call is egregious enough, take 27.34 percent of the yards gained and multiply it by pi (3.14). This will balance the field by adding a math booth on the opposite side from the replay booth and attract engineers and math majors to the game.

John: I’ll pass this along.

Preston from Oakville, CT:

O-Man, Chicago is reeling. They have a quarterback controversy brewing and have shown all sorts of problems on the field. After a bye week and a win, and given how the division looks right now, is Sunday’s game a “must-win?” A loss at this time to that team would be devastating.

John: Yes, the Jaguars must win Sunday. If they do, the season suddenly looks a lot rosier. If they don’t, then it suddenly looks just like it did after Baltimore. Things did not look rosy after Baltimore.

Pages: 12

O-Zone: Worried no more

John Oehser Senior writer jaguars.com Follow John on twitter Like The O-Zone on facebook

JACKSONVILLE – Let’s get to it …

Jay from Gainesville, FL:

I’m starting to think ’ stats last year were overrated. Most of his yards and touchdowns were when games were out of reach. A-Rob is going to be a legit Top 5 wide receiver. I think he made Bortles look good because of his jump-ball ability and his catch radius. This year, Bortles has three good wide receivers, two good tight ends and a receiving back. You can’t teach accuracy. You either have it or you don’t. I’m not saying we should get rid of him, but I think we have to realize we have to load up on D because he is going to have a lot of turnovers! Am I overreacting, O??

John: It’s very possible you’re overreacting; if so, you’re far from alone. There’s no question Bortles isn’t playing as well as he did last season. Part of that is because teams are doing more to negate the deep pass to – and yes, Robinson indeed helped Bortles greatly last season. I’ve said since the end of last season that Bortles’ statistics last season didn’t matter nearly as much as how he improved this season – and that the improvement he needed to make this season was going to be more difficult than the one he made from his rookie season to his second season. He didn’t make it in the first three games, but while he wasn’t perfect against Indianapolis in Week 4 he did some good things in terms of pocket presence and eliminating turnovers. Those last two things are the key. If he can continue in that vein in the coming weeks and start hitting more big plays when opportunities arise, the narrative surrounding him could change in a hurry. Either way, the defense absolutely will be a key. The unit is beginning to look like a strength – and considering how that side of the ball is built, it appears to be a strength that could get a lot stronger as time goes on.

Stephen from Jacksonville:

has played fairly well these past two weeks in place of the injured . With Odrick likely to return this week at Chicago, will Alualu again likely be placed on the pregame inactives list? Is there any chance Alualu could be named to the game-day roster over someone like , who hasn’t appeared to yet make as much of an impact this season as Alualu?

John: Game-day actives and inactives are sometimes more a function of numbers and roster management than an indictment on how well a player is playing. That was surely the case with Alualu being inactive in the first two games of the regular season. Jones was active instead of Alualu in the first two games because Jones is the closest thing the Jaguars have to a true backup nose tackle and players such as , Jones and Sen’Derrick Marks can theoretically kick outside to strong-side end if Odrick is unavailable. That doesn’t make those players better options as starters than Alualu, but it did make them better options to be active on game day if Odrick is healthy. Will Alualu be inactive Sunday? We’ll see, but he certainly played well enough that it would make sense if the Jaguars’ coaches rethought some things.

Lavoris from Jacksonville:

Hello, John. With the Jaguars’ running game nonexistent over the past four weeks, how can they be an effective running team going forward with so many injuries on the offensive line? This spells disaster for Blake and the wide receivers – especially when the offensive coordinator is not calling plays that get Bortles out of the pocket.

John: If the Jaguars had played just three games your email would be spot on, but the Jaguars ran very effectively against Indianapolis in Week 4 – and offensive coordinator Greg Olson did a nice job in that game of getting Bortles out of the pocket. The Jaguars’ ability to carry those things forward –the ability to run effectively in particular – will be crucial going forward. I don’t know that they’ll match the 136 yards rushing versus Indianapolis every week, but I think they can show improvement.

Steve from Jacksonville:

Has there ever been a serious discussion about having two types of pass-interference penalties like there used to be for face mask? I don’t like the NFL rule because a ticky-tack pass interference can result in a 50-yard penalty, whereas in college a defensive back literally tackling a receiver who’s about to catch a long touchdown pass only is penalized 15 yards. Thoughts, O-Man?

John: I think we can discuss this all we want, but I never have sensed real momentum for changing this rule. First, the NFL almost certainly is not going to do anything to reduce scoring – and implementing anything to shorten pass-interference penalties by definition would accomplish that. Second, the general direction of the NFL’s Competition Committee is to implement rules that take judgment as much out of the officiating equation as possible. That was why the league removed the “force-out” rule in the middle of the last decade and it’s why the league eliminated the different face-mask penalties. To install a second pass-interference penalty certainly would fly in the face of that trend.

Jay from Gainesville, FL:

I honestly feel like we should put our best players on the field – no matter who makes the most! We should run a 3-4. Marks is a beast! Malik, Roy, and Marks on the line. Dante, Yannick, Telvin and Jack at linebacker. And take Roy out on passing downs. As much as I like Odrick and his emotion, he has to come off the bench. I think a 3-4 would be a better fit for the players we have. I could be wrong, but am I, John??

John: The glaring thing wrong with your email is you talked about having the team’s best defensive players on the field and listed eight players – then you didn’t have among the eight. The reason he is in the starting lineup has nothing to do with money and everything to do with him being the best middle linebacker on the team right now. You also have at inside linebacker, a position that would be an extremely tough fit at his size. I have no fundamental problem with a 3-4 defense and the Jaguars probably could make it work, but realistically it’s not a huge issue. The Jaguars happen to be playing pretty good defense right now – and defenses are in nickel so much that a team’s formation in its base defenses is less important than it was 20 years ago.

Andrew from Sampson, FL:

If the Jaguars were to win all of their division games but have fewer overall wins than Houston, how is the division winner decided in that case? Has anything like that ever happened?

John: Division winners in the NFL are the team with the best overall record. How many games a team wins within its division only comes into play in the event of a season-ending tie.

Beau from Delta:

Do you think we are still a playoff-caliber team even with Blake Bortles’ struggles early? Loving the defense this year, though I just wish we could put together a complete game where the offense and defense can both play good.

John: “Complete” games in the NFL are difficult to achieve – primarily because every NFL team has highly-paid, talented players on both sides of the ball trying to play their own version of a complete game. As far as the Jaguars’ being a playoff-caliber team … no, they certainly are not that if Bortles plays as he did in Weeks 2 and 3. If he plays the final 12 games as well or better than he did in Week 4 against the Colts … well, we’ll see.

Adrian from El Paso, TX:

Eighteen hundred straight O-Zones are impressive given how hard it can be to face the dreaded mailbag after particular game days and things like those pesky hurricanes. I’ve always been curious, and maybe you’ve answered this in a previous O-Zone, but what exactly is your process? How many emails do you receive/wade through for the upcoming O-Zone? Are you particular about choosing an email that’s a day or two old – or is everything fair game? Finally, what are your preferences in choosing an email? There’s really seems to be no pattern I can pinpoint in the 1800 days I’ve read the ozone. Keep on keepin’ on.

John: The number of emails I receive on a daily basis varies widely. On some summer weekends the number per day can dwindle to 10 or 15 whereas it can reach well above 500 in a 24-hour period after particularly difficult-to-accept losses. There’s no real process and no real pattern. I answer questions that I believe interesting and I try to vary the mix of on and off the field based on the time of year, day of the week and my mood on a given day. If a question strikes me as one to which I can provide a comparatively informative or entertaining answer, I answer it. If not, I don’t. Some people seem to like the mix and others don’t. The ones that dislike the mix are sometimes more vocal than those who like it, and that’s fine. There was a time I worried about pleasing everyone and worried about my flaws. Once I waded deep enough into marriage to receive the requisite itemized oral list of said flaws on a regular basis … well, let’s just say that eased the pressure a bit.

Pages: 12

Ozone: Time for a run

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:

You want to stop having to worry about penalties costing you a game? Get good enough that it doesn’t matter. Bottom line: that is the answer. A bad call or two should not be the deciding factor for your team to win a game. If it is, then you need to get better. Hopefully, the Jaguars’ defense continues to improve and becomes the foundation the team is built on. Defense wins championships.

John: There’s truth in your email – though far more in the second part than the first. Penalties matter in the NFL, because 10 or 15 yards here or there can dramatically change down-and-distance – and in a situational game such as the NFL, changes in down and distance dramatically change plays. As far as defense winning championships …if there’s a positive from the Jaguars’ first four games it has without question come on defense. The unit gave indication in the last two games before the bye that it is improving – perhaps more rapidly than expected. The Jaguars impacted the quarterback in both of those games, and began showing a lot of signs of being a winning defense. They’re doing it with young players and newcomers, a factor that indicates that the unit can still improve. It’s too early to call the defense the foundation of the team, but not too early to say it looks like it has a chance to be that foundation. If that’s true, that’s a phenomenally important occurrence.

Bryan from Nashville, TN:

Who do you believe will be our starting left guard for the remainder of the season?

John: .

Cliff from Las Vegas, NV:

I understand why defensive pass interference is such a damaging penalty. However, don’t you feel like offensive pass interference should have the same drive-impacting effect? I think they should charge the ten yards, but upon accepting the penalty, the offense loses the down … any reason you wouldn’t support that rule change?

John: There’s one reason – that the 10-yard penalty already is damaging. First-and -20 is a vastly different down-and-distance scenario than first-and-10, and your chances of converting are greatly reduced with any 10-yard penalty. It’s difficult enough to overcome a 10-yard loss without reducing the number of downs a team has to make overcome it.

Tucker from Gallatin:

I want that Blake every week. I saw a guy against Indianapolis who went through his progressions, and when his internal clock went off, he moved out of the pocket. Seven rushes for 36 yards doesn’t seem like much, but it is huge. It’s positive yards and not fans blaming Blake or the O-line for the sack.

John: I think you’re going to see that more going forward. I don’t know that a heavy emphasis on rollin’ and runnin’ from the quarterback position is ideal for the long term, but for now, it appears to be a way to get the best from this offense.

Kevin from New York, NY:

Great. We didn’t even play this week and we are now in last place in the AFC South.

John: That’s one way to look at it. The other is that Jaguars gained half a game on the division lead. That happened when the Texans lost to Minnesota. Every team in the division is within a game and a half. That means this thing is wide open.

Janie from Neptune Beach, FL:

People act like it’s a miracle if a kicker makes a field goal from 55-plus yards; however, on kickoffs they regularly kick the ball 75-plus yards with ease. Somebody tried to claim it is because the guy holding throws the kicker off, but you have guys holding the ball on kickoffs on windy days and it doesn’t affect distance. Another excuse I have heard is you aren’t kicking at a specific target on kickoffs; that may be true on the accuracy, but doesn’t make sense on the power. Why can a kicker kick the ball 75-plus yards on kickoffs, but suddenly they are too weak to kick the ball 55-plus yards on field goals?

John: They use a tee on kickoffs.

Ray from Jacksonville:

John: What percentage of people stating concerns about Bortles’ mechanics have any earthly idea what they are talking about?

John: A very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very small percentage, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t issues. Bortles is the first to say this, and he has said it’s something he probably will address throughout his career.

Hunter from Jacksonville:

The last time I said something like, “Oh, go ahead; I deserve it” we were discussing who gets a punch in the stomach.

John: I believe this.

Arianna from Pooler, GA:

Has No. 76 played his last game in a Jaguars uniform in your opinion?

John: My guess: yes. is a former No. 2 overall selection in the NFL Draft who has played well enough at times that I believe some team will give him a chance to at least compete for its starting left-tackle position. Would that team be Jacksonville? Possibly, but I doubt it. An “X” factor here could be Joeckel’s injury. It’s a fairly significant injury and it certainly will concern any team considering signing him. The Jaguars like Joeckel and liked what he brought this season at guard. Could he and the team agree on a one-year deal that would give him a chance to perhaps play guard and show he is healthy? Stranger things have happened.

Christian from Titusville, FL:

It seems the trait most of the great quarterbacks have is the ability to feel the pressure and adjust the pocket or leave it while keeping their focus downfield – no doubt a difficult task. How much of that do you think can be taught versus it just being somewhat innate? I think that trait trumps athletic ability in most cases for NFL quarterbacks.

John: I’ll address your last point first, because there’s no doubt that pocket awareness – and the ability to sidestep pressure and buy time – is far more important than athletic ability for a quarterback. As immobile as quarterbacks such as Dan Marino, Peyton Manning and Brady may or may not have been, they could extend plays with a step to one side or the other or a step forward. Is this skill innate or learned? My belief is it usually comes from hard-learned experience, though I suppose there are probably cases in which a guy can just do it naturally.

Impatient X from Jacksonville:

After a good win, this seems as long as the whole offseason. I’m anxious, Zone.

John: It does seem as if it has been a while since the Jaguars played. For me maybe it was the preparation for Hurricane Matthew followed by a day without power followed by a morning cleaning up the yard followed by a day trying to help navigate my son home through blocked roads from Fayetteville, North Carolina, but whatever … yeah, it has been a while.

Ty from Jack Town:

John. Conspiracy aside … a simple fact for you. Tom Brady and the New England staff got caught using deflated balls – deflated to the point a defensive player noticed (how often do linebackers actually touch a ball?) This was an offense so egregious that Tom Brady just served a four-game suspension for it – and yet, not one official who handles the ball every down noticed? C’mon, John … something is rotten in Denmark, maybe not the NFL. But officials have been known to sway games for one reason or another…$$$$

John: The walrus was Paul.

Karri from Sandy, UT:

Hey O … I want to get your opinion on how the defensive back rotation is going to go. Who will start and who goes to the bench? In my opinion, I think that House should go to the bench. Have Ramsey shadow the best receiver, Prince on the other side and Colvin in the slot. What say thee?

John: I don’t know that the Jaguars are quite to the point where they’re going to have shadow the best receiver – though I would say that point is fast approaching. I also don’t know that will play a full-time role against the Bears Sunday. I do believe that sooner rather than later and Ramsey will start on either side with Colvin playing the slot. I also believe that Colvin’s return from his four-game, season-opening suspension is going to be a big deal for this defense. He was playing at a high level in the preseason – and with his return you may see one of the best, deepest cornerback situations this team has had in a long, long time.

Steve from Nashville, TN:

With a game in hand on the rest of the division and one divisional win already, we are actually in a good place to make a run for the division title. The five in-division games remaining are very important games to focus on.

John: #DTWD

Pages: 12

Ozone: So Deserving

John Oehser Senior writer jaguars.com Follow John on twitter Like The O-Zone on facebook

JACKSONVILLE – Let’s get to it …

Jonathan from Jacksonville:

How important do you think these next four-to-five games will be for the Jaguars?

John: Very. I’m not a big preseason strength-of-schedule guy because opponents/matchups typically look far different five or six games into the regular season than in June. That said, we’re now five games into the season and the Minnesota-Denver back-to-back home stretch in early December looms even more brutally difficult than it looked in the offseason – and I wrote in the offseason that I thought that stretch was … well, brutally difficult. With those games looming, the next seven games will be critical. Five of the next seven are on the road, so yeah … it ain’t going to be easy.

Logan from Wichita, KS:

Wait … so you are telling me we didn’t play this week? Then, what was I watching? Don’t tell me I was … (gulp) … fanning in my dreams!!! NOOOOOO!!!! What am I supposed to do without Jags football on Sundays!?!?!? Is this gonna be forever??? When will this lack of Jaguars football end???

John: The Jaguars will visit the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field in Chicago Sunday. Hang in there.

Greg from Section122 and Jacksonville:

As I read your intro Saturday, it really put things into perspective. Yeah, I love football and the Jaguars – but in reality, it is just a game. When things like Matthew hit, life gets real and things like the Jags just get trivial. I was fortunate and was fairly unscathed by the storm. To those who were impacted by the storm please be safe and here’s hoping you get back to a normal life soon so we can relax and just enjoy football again. And thanks to you John, personally, for providing a pleasant distraction to the seriousness of real life going on around us.

John: I can’t rightly say anything I wrote this weekend put the storm in perspective, though I do appreciate your thought. My family and I were relatively fortunate to be unscathed by Matthew. It appears Duval County and the surrounding areas were relatively fortunate, though “relatively fortunate” is on a general basis. I obviously cannot speak case by case, situation by situation, hardship by hardship – and without a doubt there are many facing hardships. I can say that if what I do provides any pleasantness … then, yeah, that’s the idea. And thank you.

Bruce from Gotham, NY:

Saturday’s O-Zone was one of the best in a long time. It was due to the fact that it confirmed you and your family and other readers/fans in the Duval area were safe and survived with damage that could be repaired. As it is Thanksgiving weekend in Canada and as it approaches in the States, something a “little” extra to be thankful for this year. All the best to you and your family and the rest of the Jag family during this time.

John: Thank you. That means a great deal.

David from Broward County, FL:

O-Man, very glad to hear you and the O-Clan are OK and you have power restored. We got very lucky down here in Broward, but we do know your pain. After Wilma we had no power for eight days. I have family in Clay County and Palm Coast and they are OK, too. On to the Jags – more specifically, Blake Bortles. Right now, he is what he is. No amount of coaching can dramatically improve things. Clearly, Bortles has not worked hard enough on his fundamentals to ensure he would not regress. Only he can be committed to his craft and put in the very hard work to improve to the next level. You covered Peyton Manning, so you know that Manning wasn’t the greatest athlete at quarterback, but no one out worked him. Bortles can be much, much better – even elite – than he is, but only he can control that outcome. David Caldwell must bring in some competition to light a fire under BB5. What do you think?

John: I think it’s an interesting concept in theory, but a difficult one in fact. First off, I hesitate to say Bortles “hasn’t worked hard enough” on fundamentals. The work he put in between Years 1 and 2 showed real results. I thought he looked much better in the 2016 offseason and 2016 training camp than he had the previous offseason and training camp, so it’s hard to harshly criticize Bortles for his 2016 offseason approach. I also don’t know that it’s fair to say all of his early 2016 issues have been about fundamentals. A lot of what has gone wrong early – the interceptions, decision-making and pocket awareness – are issues Bortles had last season. I wrote often in the offseason that Bortles still needed to take a step forward in Year 3 to become the quarterback the Jaguars needed him to become, and I also wrote often that the step forward likely would take time because it was a decidedly more difficult step than his Year 2 progression. The step he’s trying to take now is the one that takes quarterbacks from good/functional to great, and it’s a step that in turn can dramatically elevate the team around him. Bortles hasn’t done that in the first few weeks of the season, but that in no way means he can’t do it. It also doesn’t mean he didn’t work in the offseason, and it doesn’t mean Jaguars General Manager David Caldwell needs to bring in competition. It means Bortles needs to keep working to develop in these critical areas. It’s certainly not out of the realm of possibility that he will. We’ll see.

Stephen from Jacksonville:

Are you still in favor of benching Telvin Smith? What is your opinion of his play through the first four regular season games?

John: I don’t know that I ever banged the table for Telvin Smith to be benched. I suppose that is yet another example of the difference between what is read and what is written. I did write and say in the preseason that Smith needed to play better and reduce his mental mistakes – particularly in coverage. This was true. As for Smith’s play in the first four games of the regular season, he indeed has played better and reduced his mistakes. He is playing as well as he ever has played in three NFL seasons and an argument can be made that he is playing as well as anyone on the Jaguars’ defense. So, no, I am not “still” in favor of benching Smith.

Chris from London, UK:

O Man, given the Jags’ record over the last few years. I would like to point out I’m two wins from two live games. If you want to fly me out to Duval and put me up I would be willing to do this even at short notice. In fact, I would happily go anywhere stateside to help the Jags win. I will await the tickets!!!

John: I’ll run this up the flag pole. Hold your breath … go ahead … I dare you.

Doug from J’Ville and Section 139:

The Jags will have two past head coaches head coaching in EverBank this year. That just hit me.

John: Way to keep up, Doug.

Dwayne from Jacksonville:

You certainly get surly when called girly names. As far as the difference between 1-3 and 3-1, Bing says it can be the officiating.

John: Officiating didn’t help the Jaguars during the first month of the season, though once the bye week passes it may be time for a collective shake of the head to whisk away the goings on of the first four weeks. The missed opportunities. The worries over officiating. The struggles of Bortles and his London recovery. All were real. All happened. All are in the past. The Jaguars are 1-3, which is not as good as 3-1 – but which is better than 0-4. After Sunday’s results, the Jaguars are a game and a half out of first place with two games remaining against AFC South leader Houston. They’re 1-0 in the division. It’s all right there in front of them. Time once again to go play.

Donald from Orange Park, FL:

If the storm had caused you to miss an O-Zone posting, hence ending your streak, you could have named the next posting “Evacuation O-Zone.” What is the current streak at?

John: Watch it, Donald: I’ll decide the titles around here. The streak is currently at 1,891 days. As for posting during the storm, I opened the laptop, answered questions and sent the story to be posted. I did it over the hum of a generator for a while and with a few pine trees bending at impossible angles just over the back fence, but it wasn’t as if I was dodging fallen street signs on I-295 and Butler in the pitch darkness of Friday night. I guess I’m just saying let’s not go overboard patting O-Zone on the back and praising his absolute manliness in the face of advers … nah, never mind. Go overboard if you want. If anyone deserves it, I do.

10/7/2016

O-Zone: Seriously…

John Oehser Senior writer jaguars.com Follow John on twitter Like The O-Zone on facebook

JACKSONVILLE – Stay safe.

Let’s get to it …

Greg from Section 122 and Jacksonville:

Okay, curious about your opinion on the return of JDR to EverBank. You think he might have this one circled as a grudge match? Could he hold any extra incentive to beat us due to his being fired? I know every coach wants to win every game, but rubbing it in the noses of your former employer seems tempting even for an NFL head coach.

John: Sure, the Raiders-Jaguars game on October 23 almost certainly will have a touch of extra emotion for Jack Del Rio. He will be asked during the week about returning to Jacksonville. I’m sure on some level memories will flood back when the Raiders’ bus pulls up to EverBank Field. But as far as extra incentive and/or impact on the game … I doubt it. Remember, the vast majority of people with whom Del Rio worked are no longer with the organization. The only players left from his time are Marcedes Lewis and Tyson Alualu. Del Rio indeed was fired on the morning Shad Khan’s ownership was announced, but a lot of things were going wrong and the firing seemed more a matter of time than any personal vendetta. Ownership has changed since Del Rio held the job and so has the general manager. In fact, there’s very little that hasn’t changed. If Del Rio held a grudge – and after five years I doubt that would be the case – there’s not really anyone with the Jaguars against whom he would be holding it. His return will be a storyline that week, but I doubt it will be an overriding factor.

Richard from Orange Park, FL:

Now that we have had a few days to soak in the feeling of victory … back to work. The most obvious, simplistic thing I take away from this season thus far is the Jaguars are built to win now. We have the talent on both sides of the ball to compete, to overcome some obvious weaknesses when we have average quarterback play. Heading into the bye week what are the keys in your mind that the coaching staff needs to do to help Blake Bortles as far as the playbook, play calling, and his personal intangibles so we can continue to see what I feel is a direct correlation of no quarterback errors/turnovers and victories?

John: I believe this is the pressing question entering the final three quarters of the season. It’s not remotely a coincidence that the Jaguars’ lone victory came in the one game in which Bortles did not commit a turnover. If you take turnovers out of the equation in Weeks 1-3, the Jaguars would have had a very good chance to win the opener and almost certainly would have beaten Baltimore. In fact, if you take three first-half turnovers out of the equation against San Diego, even that one-sided loss would have looked far different. So that indeed is the main issue going forward: how do you structure the offense to allow Bortles to minimize mistakes and still make plays downfield? I imagine you’ll see a lot more schemes to roll him out and to create the opportunity for him to run if the throws aren’t there. I also imagine you’ll see the Jaguars continue to emphasize the run. I don’t know that you can take that approach all of the time because it’s hard to have your entire passing offense based on rollouts and the quarterback moving around, but it’s apparent the Jaguars need to have that as part of the approach in some capacity.

John from Section 102:

It is kinda sick to see people on some sites making merry over Luke Joeckel‘s injury. I for one am sad for him. A dream of his, of playing in the NFL, has been derailed again. He busted his butt coming back from injury before and he may again, but for now – again – it’s over. Give the guy a break, people. He deserves to be treated with some respect. Just wanted to get that off my chest …

John: I hadn’t seen any merry-making over Joeckel’s injury. I’m glad for that. I’m pathetic and sad enough on my own enough without having to read people taking those traits to higher levels.

Preston from Oakville, CT:

O-Man, people need to stop wanting Bortles to be the next Peyton Manning. He doesn’t need to be. The best quarterback in Jaguars history made his name by just making plays. Mark Brunell may not have had the best mechanics (lefties always look worse than they actually are), but he was exciting to watch and he had that “it” factor. I think Bortles needs to make better decisions, but his style of play reminds me of old No. 8.

John: Bortles indeed must find his own way within his own skill set and become his own quarterback. I don’t think the end game with Bortles will be that he is a precision, quick-read passer along the lines of Manning, Tom Brady or Aaron Rodgers. If that ever happens, it appears a ways off. It appears he’s going to need to make plays with his legs, make plays downfield and be effective in play action. Mostly he needs to channel whatever he did this past Sunday to not throw interceptions and to be aware in the pocket. If he’s turnover free with limited mistakes, he can be an effective quarterback.

Mark from Archer, FL:

O-Man, I am getting very annoyed. I keep reading articles and everyone keeps saying the Texans have the best defense in our division. Personally, I think our defense is better. We have more sacks, more interceptions. We are not allowing many more yards a game. The points category is a little misleading because many times the other team was given point-blank range after a turnover. So, with both teams winning some stat matchups to me the final thing to consider is our defense is doing this with a lot of rookies and second-year players. When will our defense start getting respect?

John: The Texans have been playing pretty good defense for the better part of four or five seasons. The Jaguars have been playing decent defensive for the better part of four or five quarters. The respect will come, Mark. Just give it time. Oh, and the Jaguars need to win. That will help, too.

Will from Orlando, FL:

How much of a concern is Luke J. being on injured reserve? He was never great. but a man down is a man down.

John: It’s a real concern for a couple of reasons. One is that he was the starting left guard. Another is that he was a very capable, proven experienced option as a backup left tackle. Throw in the fact that never was nearly as bad as many people believed – yeah, it’s a concern. It’s one the Jaguars should be able to overcome, but it’s not ideal.

Kyle from Parsippany, NJ:

John, I think it’s a little premature to start citing our defense as Top 10 against the pass based on these yardage statistics. I don’t think they would look too good if you factored in penalty yardage. Let’s give the defense a few more weeks before we anoint them.

John: OK.

Andrew from Sampson, FL:

Will the Jags game plan for the Bears for two weeks or try to clean up recurring problems? What is normal for bye week?

John: The Jaguars mostly self-scouted during the bye week and will pretty much be off Thursday through Sunday. They will then begin preparing to play the Chicago Bears next week as they would on a normal week.

Michael from Tupelo, MS:

Hi John, Luke Joeckel is on the injured reserve list for a second time in four seasons. Have we seen him play his last game as a Jaguar?

John: That remains to be seen. There obviously is a very good chance that Joeckel indeed has played his final game with the Jaguars. His contract expires after this season and he very likely will want a chance to play left tackle somewhere. That chance isn’t likely to come in Jacksonville. At the same time, the injury could lead to at least a short-term return to Jacksonville for Joeckel. He needed to play well this season to enhance his value on the open market. If there isn’t much of a market, a scenario in which he and the team agree to a short-term deal for Joeckel to play guard could be a possibility. That would give Joeckel a chance to play a full season and possibly enhance his value for the following offeason.

John from Jacksonville:

Bold prediction alert! Looking ahead at the schedules for the Jags and Texans, as well as the head-to head advantage we have with the Colts, the Jags will be in the division lead by the end of October. Isn’t that quite a stark twist of events since starting 0-3 and predictions of doom?

John: #DTWD

Jeremy from Wise, VA:

Everybody down that way stay safe. Hurricane Matthew looks really nasty and could bring many problems. I hope all of you guys down there are safe and we are praying for everyone in the path of this monster. Stay dry, buddy!

John: Well said.

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