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O-Zone: Shouldering the blame

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:

Okay, so I get you say “No” to 2-14. But if we don’t win another game this season, what do you say then? From the fans’ perspective, we don’t look like we can beat anyone except ourselves – and we are REALLY good at beating ourselves. Stupid penalties, mental mistakes and blown assignments all make for a 2-9 record. So, what do you see that will make this team come together all of a sudden and get a win in these last five games? It would really help if you explained your reasoning to us fans who have lost all hope.

John: If the Jaguars don’t win another game during the 2016 season and someone sends me an email that reads “2-14?” … I would answer “Yes.” I don’t believe that scenario will take place for a couple of reasons. One is that the NFL is a difficult-to-predict league in which teams often play better than expected for a game or two. But the biggest reason I think the Jaguars will win again this season is they have played very competitively the last four weeks and could have won any of those four games. An argument could be made that they should have won at least once if not more during that span. They are well within range of winning. As long as they are doing that, I believe they have a chance. This does not mean I think the Jaguars have fulfilled expectations this season, or played well – or anything of the like. It does mean I think they can win multiple games before the end of the season.

Ryan from Apopka, FL:

Buffalo Bills Head Coach Rex Ryan mentioned last week that the Jaguars could be the most talented 2-8 team in the NFL. Could this year’s Jaguars be similar to the Chiefs of 2012? That team went 2-14 and had the No. 1 overall selection in the 2013 NFL Draft, but most people would have said that team underachieved and had good individual talent. The next year they got a new head coach (a proven head coach in Andy Reid) and went to the playoffs and have now have had a solid run for the past four years. Will next year be the start of something? I’m ready for things to turn around!!!

John: I think the Jaguars are acquiring and developing young talent that will give this team a chance to be good going forward. I don’t who will be coaching the team when that takes place.

Ronnie from Jacksonville Beach, FL:

You told Duval Doom the expectations for this season “were so high.” Shad Khan said in the offseason that .500 was a reasonable expectation, and most media and fans alike believed .500 was reasonable and expected. When did going .500 become such a high expectation? That’s a sad commentary for exactly where this franchise is. Del Rio was run out of town for going .500 and look at us now.

John: Considering the Jaguars had five, two, four, three and five victories in the seasons before this offseason … yes, I considered a winning record “a high expectation” at the time. No, a winning record ordinarily should not be a high expectation.

Brian from Gainesville, FL:

Big O, I agree with the general sentiment that bad calls/missed calls work themselves out in the wash, but – as has been noted – it’s not balancing out for the Jaguars. That is both ridiculous and disheartening. What can be done about this besides just sending calls into the league for postgame review? That’s not fixing the problem. The Jags are being treated terribly by the officials. Shad Khan is an owner, too. What can be done?!?! And please don’t say “winning” or “having more Pro Bowl players” or some such nonsense. I’m ready to sue or have Yannick bum rush a ref or… something!

John: While I agree the Jaguars have been unquestionably hurt – perhaps to an unusual extent – by some missed calls this season, there is little to do in the way of recourse. I also don’t believe there’s a conspiracy against the Jaguars. There’s no meeting each week taking place with an evil man in a long coat, cracking knuckles with a grin and saying in a creepy voice, “Let’s keep the Jaguars from winning. Haa, haaaa, haaaa, haaaarrggjjhh!!! ” And I don’t believe officials consciously make calls to hurt the Jaguars. I believe most of them have just been missed. Would winning or having players with bigger reputations help? Perhaps on some level. Mostly, what the Jaguars have to do is play well enough to overcome the calls. They’re not doing that often enough yet.

Mike from Jacksonville:

I read an insightful article the other day about sports writers who have covered NFL teams with the worst records. It included Cleveland, Buffalo and the Jaguars. The writers spoke of the four-year perpetual cycle of doom and rebuild that occurs when teams have losing records each year – i.e., start over …lose, start over … lose … start over … lose. Some blamed coaches, Some blamed general managers. Others blamed owners. I do not understand why this continues to occur to the same teams. How can this horrible cycle of doom be broken for the Jaguars??

John: There is no across-the-board reason teams lose consistently, just as there is no easy fix for breaking out of a long stretch of losing. The best, most-reliable formula is to build a solid roster with a mix of veteran core players and young, ascending players – and add an elite quarterback to the mix. The first takes time, good drafting and patience – and the other takes some good fortune. The Jaguars appear on the way to building a solid roster with some core players and ascending players. Time will tell on the quarterback, but it isn’t an easy process. In fact, it can be brutally difficult and frustrating. Obviously.

Jonathon from Jacksonville:

What will be the keys to Jaguars winning this weekend against the Broncos?

John: They must avoid turnovers. They must find a way to function offensively against a defense that is capable of making very good offenses not function. They must pressure the quarterback and stop the run. I think they will do the latter two. I worry about the offense functioning against the Broncos. Defensively, these guys are really, really good.

Gabe from Washington, DC:

You can’t call Davon House a miss. We had money we needed to spend and holes we needed to fill. He was the best cornerback on our team last year and provides solid depth this year. That’s what we (over)paid for, but free agency means overpaying. Even Julius Thomas took some attention away from Allen Robinson and Allen Hurns, which helped them both break out in 2015 – though I would have liked to see more out of JT for longer. He got over-overpaid. Dan Skuta was never meant to be anything more than a solid, experienced body to help hold down what would have otherwise been a weak and shallow linebacking unit. It’s OK to spend free agency money (when you have it) on bodies like that (when you lack them).

John: If you’re going to spend in free agency, you’re going to overspend and have players who aren’t as good as their hype. The Jaguars have participated heavily in free agency at times in the last few seasons in the hope of upgrading the roster. For the most part, the players added have been at least marginal upgrades. Have they turned out to be core, franchise-defining players? Malik Jackson appears capable of being an exception, but for the most part — not expectedly – they have not.

Aaron from Chantilly:

John, I am probably in the minority but given the team they have and lack of playing time together and Blake Bortles’ regression, I just don’t see why Gus is taking the blame for all of this. I think he is a fine head coach who has the team’s respect. Would I like him to be a bit tougher with guys? Yes, but I think he is as good as they come but needs time to put a team together. Disagree?

John: The head coach takes the blame because that’s how it is, and no: I don’t disagree with your premise. I have said often that I don’t think Bradley is an awful coach and I don’t for a second believe that he is all that ails this franchise. But at 2-9 with expectations much higher than this, NFL reality is that heat on Bradley is very, very hot. Like scorching.

Greg from Jax:

John, do you realize that Gus will not have won a full season’s worth of games after four years? That is pretty fascinating. One has to think part of that is attributed to the curse you bring to this franchise.

John: Your question assumes that the Jaguars will not win two more games this season. I think they will win at least that many and possibly more. Either way, the Jaguars haven’t won enough games the past four seasons – and yes, a lot of it is on me.

Pages: 12

O-Zone: Credit where it’s due

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:

At this point I firmly believe you’re correct: Shad Khan won’t be making a mid-season coaching change. At what point do you feel it’s appropriate to begin questioning Shad’s ability as an owner? We’ve seen a rebuild that has not worked, a decision to cater to opposing fans because they can’t get any more Jags fans to show up and the worst record of any team in the last few years. Making changes to make changes may not yield results, but this has not, either.

John: Fans can question whatever they want whenever they want; it’s absolutely within their rights to do so. That’s especially true considering the Jaguars’ 2-9 record is not what anyone wants – and considering the expectations were so high entering the season. Considering those factors, it makes sense that people are questioning a lot that’s going on around the Jaguars right now. But Shad Khan has made significant moves to stabilize this franchise in Jacksonville, so in that sense I’d call him a successful owner – and that’s the part that is under his control. As far as win-loss record, the approach he has taken with the football side was not unsound. Has it had the desired results? No, but I don’t see Khan’s approach being the reason.

Vishwa from Jacksonville:

Hey, Zone. I understand for obvious reasons why Gus Bradley is on the hot seat. But why does Dave Caldwell get a pass? His first three picks were all top three picks and looks like none of them have worked out – Luke Joeckel, Blake Bortles and Dante Fowler Jr. How can a general manager be considered good if he has that poor a record with three Top 3 picks? Shad needs to clean house, including Dave. Agree?

John: No.

Tom from Orlando, FL:

I think Sunday was Jalen Ramsey‘s worst game this season. He has been a bright spot on an otherwise terrible team in a dismal year. While his performance wasn’t terrible, he was beaten on both of the Bills’ big plays. He took a bad angle and LeSean McCoy blew by him on his long touchdown run. He was also beaten by Sammy Watkins on his long reception. At the end of the day, he is still a rookie, although he has played like a Pro Bowl cornerback for most of the season.

John: Ramsey indeed is still a rookie, but he didn’t take a bad angle on McCoy’s long touchdown run. He played his gap, which was to contain outside. Free safety Tashaun Gipson filled the same gap as Ramsey and McCoy ran through the inside gap. As far as the long reception by Watkins … yeah, Watkins beat Ramsey on the play. Ramsey actually had pretty good coverage on the play, but Watkins won that one.

Keith from Jacksonville and Section 436:

2-14???

John: No.

Bruce from Gotham, NY:

The past few weeks there has been considerable drop off in the run game once Mr. Ivory leaves the game. This was very evident this past game. Did Mr. Caldwell miss on Mr. Yeldon? It does seem that he is more of a No. 2 change-of-pace back than a true No. 1, does it not, Mr. O?

John: Yeldon on Sunday was playing through an ankle injury, so I’m not sure his performance that day is the greatest gauge – and there have been times in his two NFL seasons when he has run very well. But overall, I would say yes: Yeldon looks like he has a chance to be a good complementary back, but I don’t know that he’s going to be a workhorse, No. 1 running back.

Big Brother from Duval:

You are your record and if your record says you’re not talented then you’re not talented; 2-9 and zero wins in November means you’re not talented.

John: OK.

Mike from St. Mary’s, GA:

Johnny O. It does not matter how talented this team is. All that talent is not coming together into a winning team. That’s got to fall on the coaches. How can it not be time for a change at the top? Just asking.

John: It’s not time for a change at the top because Khan does not believe a midseason coaching change is the way to go in the NFL. I do not know what will happen at the end of the season, but it stands to reason that all will be evaluated. It has been the sort of season that demands that.

Justin from Jacksonville:

Did it seem to you that Blake Bortles appeared to have a little more zip on his passes Sunday? I noticed fewer ducks and – dare I say – a spiral or two.

John: I thought Bortles played better Sunday than he had in most games this season. He did not commit a turnover and made some big plays with his legs. He also indeed had some impressive passes and overall seemed mechanically better than he has most of the season.

John from Jacksonville:

Of course you re-punt: that’s the smart move 95 percent of the time in that situation. You gave up a 15-yard return. Now, you gain five yards and have a shot at a turnover or pushing them back a good 20 yards and eating up another 10 seconds on them by re-punting. The problem wasn’t the decision; again, it was execution. Line drive punt and weak coverage.

John: Yeah, pretty much.

Chris from Houston, TX:

Since Tyson Alualu has been comparable to Jared Odrick, it seems like Odrick will be among the veterans who are released at the end of this season. Other candidates appear to be Julius Thomas, Dan Skuta and Davon House. Do you see any of these players remaining on the 2017 squad? P.S. All of these players were major free-agent additions brought in by David Caldwell. Seems like he deserves some criticism for not getting bang for his buck in free agency.

John: I’d be somewhat surprised at this point if the players you mentioned return next season, but I’ve been surprised before … so we’ll see. Yes, they were all major free-agent acquisitions brought in by Caldwell – and because everything’s open to criticism at 2-9, Caldwell certainly will be criticized for those acquisitions. At the same time, Caldwell’s free-agency approach has been clear from the start: sign free agents to what essentially are two-year contracts and get what you can from those players until you can draft and develop potential core players at the positions. It’s very difficult to get “bang for your buck” in free agency. One reason is you’re paying so much that it’s hard for a player to live up to the contract and another is that there are usually reasons players are available. Caldwell has “hit” on some free agents such as Sen’Derrick Marks, Malik Jackson, Prince Amukamara and Roy Miller III and he has “missed” on others. That’s pretty much the nature of free agency and it’s why it’s best to build through the draft.

Ron from Orlando, FL:

Why would the team spend $90 million on Malik Jackson, only to have him start over a near equal Sen’Derrick Marks? Seems like an awful large waste of money when there are so many other spots needing to be filled with “superstar” unrestricted free agents.

John: While I’m not a big free-agency guy, I will say Malik Jackson is one of the better unrestricted free-agent signings I’ve ever covered. While it’s impossible for a player to “live up” to that kind of money, he’s remarkably close to doing so. As for superstar unrestricted free agents … well, I guess I just I always smile when I hear the term “superstar” connected to unrestricted free agency.

Jeff from Troutman, NC:

I agree with Blake: there was a crucial call missed; however, refs do not make or break a game. Plenty of opportunities were presented to pull away in the first half. Our Jags failed us once again. As [Bills Head Coach] Rex [Ryan] said, they are the most talented 2-8 team in the NFL. On the upside, when they start meshing as a team, it could look deadly.

John: I answered enough questions about officiating Monday that there’s not much to add today. But your second point is a good one: the Jaguars pretty much lost Sunday’s game in the first quarter. They led 7-0 entering the second quarter, but they had missed three opportunities to increase that lead. That’s a formula for losing more often than not and that formula bit hard Sunday.

Mike from Jacksonville:

How can you say Bortles played one of his better games? He threw for only 126 yards. You are not going to win many games throwing for that many yards. Check Sunday’s stats and see how many winning quarterbacks threw for that fewer yards. I guess because no interceptions makes it one of his better games. Just sayin!

John: Bortles played one of his better games Sunday precisely because he did not throw any interceptions and because he did not make negative plays to hurt his team. He has done those two things too often and he has been criticized when he has done so. Is it not OK to mention it when he does the right thing?

Pages: 12

O-Zone: Positively positive

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

JACKSONVILLE – I don’t like Mondays. I want to shoot the whole day down.

Let’s get to it …

Logan from Wichita, KS:

I am starting to think that everyone who said before the season started that “this is a talented team” is an IDIOT. This team is worse than mediocre talent-wise and 2-9 proves that. With this losing environment and lack of ACTUAL talent, we won’t win another game until 2019 or later. I’m sick of this.

John: You’re far from alone being sick of what’s going on, Logan. The current six-game losing streak is bizarre, disheartening and frustrating on a pretty grand and epic scale. Not only was a 2-9 record unexpected, a 2-9 record in this fashion is just strange. The Jaguars now have played four consecutive pretty good teams very tough and easily could have won any of those games. Instead, they won none of those games. But to say that this team is “mediocre talent-wise” is to pretty dramatically miss the big picture. Yes, losing stinks – and 2-9 stinks right now. But the last few games also show that this team indeed has talent and is closer to being good than it has been in a while. That doesn’t make 2-9 better, but it should mean some victories before 2019.

Emily from Richland, WA:

Just punt the ball out of bounds. Ridiculous.

John: Well … you’re not wrong.

Daniel Since Day One from Jacksonville:

So sad … better in several areas, but still not good enough. I have never understood why we have a nose tackle in a hybrid 4-3 defense, but did a great job the last few weeks and I certainly didn’t think that it hurt us. Sunday, no nose tackle and I certainly didn’t think it hurt us … in fact, it helped get more sacks on a highly mobile quarterback?

John: The reason the Jaguars use a nose tackle in base situations is the same reason they have a strong-side defensive end. It’s because of the defense’s emphasis on the stopping the run on early downs. The Jaguars’ defense has played well in recent weeks with or without a nose tackle, and yes … having Sen’Derrick Marks and on the field at the same time does give this defensive front a speedy, athletic element that can’t hurt against mobile quarterbacks. It didn’t hurt against the Bills’ athletic, multi-look running game, either. Would the quicker look have worked as well against a run offense based more on power than that of the Bills? I don’t know.

Tony from Murray Hill:

is better than .

John: There’s certainly no drop off from one to the other. Alualu always has been a good, solid, reliable player for this team. He is proving to be that again. That has been important in light of the five games that Odrick has missed this season.

Mike from Jacksonville:

How do you compete when three possessions are taken away from you? That’s the equivalent of three turnovers – “forward progress”, “DPI”, and a no call on A-Rob.

John: Yeah, I know the plays you’re referencing. I usually don’t spend a lot of time rehashing/discussing penalties because they usually balance out. I didn’t see a lot of balancing getting done Sunday.

Dakota from Fleming Island, FL:

I feel this needs to be said, so here goes. We aren’t good enough to clearly beat average teams. We need to be better (execution, coaching, players, all of it overall) so we can beat these teams. But this season the officiating in these close games has been brutally against us. The Green Bay game was bad, there were some very questionable calls in some close games early in the season and Sunday may have been the worst. From the supposed non-fumble early on all the way to LeSean McCoy clearly stepping out of bounds on his own in the last drive and them running the clock. … We probably didn’t deserve to win but the officiating has not been anywhere near fair towards both teams and has taken away opportunities that we needed for us to win close games.

John: You’re not alone in your feelings. Nor are you necessarily incorrect.

Mark from High Springs:

I have never seen such a blatant showing of bias by a referee crew in all my years of watching the sport. This is not the first game this season heavily influenced by the refs, but it seems to be the most obvious. What can we do when the integrity of the game seems to be in question: bad ball spotting, the missed PIs, the clock moving while McCoy is a yard out of bounds, all favoring the home team? Is this what we can expect for the remainder of the season?

John: I don’t know.

Brian from Section 238:

Time for another rebuild. Only way this pathetic excuse for a team gets better.

John: No, no, no, no, no. No. I understand the frustration and I understand a six-game losing streak is unacceptable and inexcusable. I never would have predicted it and I doubt many other people would have predicted it, either. I don’t know what the end of the season will hold and I don’t know what direction Owner Shad Khan will choose. I do know that whatever the direction this is not a team in need of a dramatic rebuild. Not even close.

Ed from Jacksonville:

We are hard on Blake for his decision-making in Year 3 and rightfully so, but how about good ‘ol Gus? Let’s have them re-kick a punt when our punt coverage has been horrendous and are now gassed when we had them on about their own 40 with our defense playing great. Or how about calling a timeout on fourth-and-1 while they are sending their kicker out for a field goal with less than a minute to go in the first half. Or how about not calling timeout in the crucial fourth-and-4 on our last drive in which a coach with any clue would have done in such a critical situation!! Seems like our fourth-year coach still can’t get some of the basics down yet, either. But Wow: we have a great culture with Sen’Derrick Marks celebrating he didn’t actually jump offside on their late fourth-and-inches. Wow. What you think?

John: I think people criticizing Bradley in the wake of Sunday’s are understandably upset about Bradley’s record and therefore see every decision he makes that doesn’t turn out favorably as bad decisions. Re-punting late in the first half made sense because the Bills had just returned a punt 16 yards and it was reasonable to assume that would punt the next punt better than he did – and that the Jaguars could improve their field position. I get that the Jaguars’ punt coverage has struggled, but a head coach can’t make that decision assuming his special teams will allow a long return. Bradley’s decision to call timeout late in the first half was made with the idea of getting the ball back for the offense, which is a perfectly legitimate strategy with a minute remaining in the half. As far as not calling a timeout at the end on fourth-and-4 … yes, that would have been a decent idea. At the same time, the clock was stopped after an incomplete pass. You shouldn’t have to call timeout in that situation to get a play off.

Travis from High Springs, FL:

Hi, John. Do you believe if Nathaniel Hackett had started the season as our offensive coordinator that our running game would have been better earlier in the season and led us to some more wins? It just seems to me that our offense has been way better or more competitive since he’s taken over. Do you agree?

John: The running game has been better since Hackett took over as offensive coordinator four weeks ago, and there certainly has been noticeable improvement when running back has been able to get into a rhythm. Part of the improvement, too, has come from Bortles running more decisively/effectively at times. At the same time, while the Jaguars have improved offensively in recent weeks, they have lost all four games and have been unable to score at critical times – particularly in the fourth quarter. So, has it improved? Sure. Would the Jaguars have won more had it improved earlier? Harder to say.

Jerell from Columbia, SC:

Blake actually looked like a backup quarterback or once this year. That’s a major step in the right direction for him.

John: I was going to admonish Jerell for being mean here, then I realized that I’m not sure I’ve ever seen Jerell be quite so nice. And you know what? I was proud of Jerell. He’s making progress. But yes – Bortles played one of his better games of the season Sunday. He didn’t throw interceptions and he was pretty decisive taking off and running. Maybe it’s something on which he and the offense can build.

Pages: 12

O-Zone: Burning sensation

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

BUFFALO, N.Y. – Game-day O-Zone.

Let’s get to it …

John from Jacksonville:

I find it very interesting how teams are labeled very good versus very bad by the simple measure of who makes one or two extra key mistakes in the course of 60 minutes of action. It’s quite a generalization for such a fine line of difference between two opponents. Yes, some teams have a knack to win the close games more than others but, to me, defining a team as good or bad lies more to the full body of work/effort versus the fortune of getting that edge of the extra good play to win. Losing so much like the Jags have done this season sucks, but I don’t place them in the category of being a “bad” team this season. They are about 10 total plays of being in the chase for the division lead, but that’s the price of having a young team trying to get playing time together.

John: There’s a lot of truth in this point, and I think it’s indeed something that gets overlooked because the frustration of losing is so overwhelmingly … well, frustrating. Whereas two or three years ago the Jaguars were not “a play or two away” in most games, this season that’s indeed the case. Does this mean the Jaguars are a good team? No. A 2-8 record is a bad record so the Jaguars are, in that sense, a bad team. But it’s probably fair to put them in the category of an “ordinary bad team” rather than a “bad team with a long way to go” – the latter being the category they found themselves in 2013 and 2014. That means while things still need to get fixed, the fixes are perhaps not so difficult and might not take so long as was the case a few seasons ago. At the same time, remember: winning close games and making plays at the end of games to do so pretty much defines the NFL. If you can’t do it, you’re going to lose a lot more than you win.

Attila from Budapest, Hungary:

John, what is the eye problem precisely that keeps inactive? Did it happen in practice/game or off the field? Do you think he will be with the Jags next year?

John: Jaguars Leo defensive end Chris Smith sustained an eye injury against Kansas City November 6. The exact nature of the injury hasn’t been revealed, but he has remained inactive because physical exertion and contact would put the eye at risk. I don’t know if he will be with the Jaguars next season. But he has improved since his first two seasons and has a year remaining on his contract, so I’d be surprised if he’s not in training camp in 2017.

Josh from Lynchburg, VA:

I liked Jack Del Rio, and never thought he was a bad coach. He just gave up on the dumpster fire in Jax and got out of dodge.

John: I liked Del Rio, too. And he didn’t give up in Jacksonville. He was fired.

Preston from Soeprasetyo:

O-Man, I completely understand those who want to be benched. I don’t agree, because I think he can overcome at least some of his issues. But how can ANYONE believe is a better option?

John: When starting quarterbacks struggle in the NFL people want to see backups play. I don’t think benching Bortles is the answer, but that’s why those who want to see Henne think that way.

Steven from Woodbine, GA:

Why is it that you are always right and the paying fans are always wrong? When was the last time you paid to watch the Jags lose? Whatever happened to the old saying “the CUSTOMER is always right?” It seems you treat your readers’ thoughts as irrelevant and sometimes ignorant. I will admit that some of the comments are just that, but many of the fans have very good points to make and you just brush them off with either the company line or some other pointless response. Remember when the fans feel as if they don’t have a voice, they will just lose interest as many already have. Help us out, John, with some true candid answers.

John: I was going to say something about not always being right, but I realized that was wrong. I was also going to say something about the irony of getting an email complaining that the fans don’t have a voice in a forum specifically designed to … you know, give fans a voice … then I got caught up in the deliciousness of again being right and decided to take a nap. Before I napped, I remembered that my job is to answer questions and not to necessarily trying to accomplish the impossible task of answering every question in a manner that every reader likes. I unsurprisingly slept quite well.

Tom from Ponte Vedra Beach and Section 106:

It is said that football is a game of inches; I’d say it is also a game of split seconds. One consistent trait of very good quarterbacks is all have very quick releases. Philip Rivers with the wacky mechanics gets the ball out in the blink of an eye. Russell Wilson is a bit short but he releases the ball superfast. Ben Roethlisberger is built more like a linebacker – but bang, it’s gone. It seems true of them all. So much has been said about Blake good and bad, mechanics, desire, on and on … I’m afraid his slow release is going to hold him back no matter what he does. It doesn’t matter if he makes a great decision if the window closes. Do you think this is something that can be coached and drilled or is it just something the great ones are blessed with?

John: I don’t know if quarterbacks are “blessed” with a quick release or if it’s developed over time. I do know I agree that the great ones have it. I also believe it’s something that can be improved upon. Whether Bortles will ever get it to the point where he reacts to what he sees and throws as quickly as the quarterbacks you mention … only time will tell, but it is a key issue.

Aaron from Duval:

Okay, hear me out. A team practices special teams and field goals and various other situations which happen only a couple times a game. Is it time for us to start spending more time practicing tackling after an interception? With the near guarantee of this happening a couple times a game now we might as well start practicing keeping them from being touchdowns, right?

John: I heard you out. I am now wiping away tears.

Hunter from Jacksonville Beach:

Be the spark, John. This team hangs on your every word. They look to you to lead. So lead.

John: Nah.

Dave from Oviedo, FL:

O-Zone, in Blake’s first season, due to his bad mechanics, he was an arm thrower (not using his body in his throws), which led him to admit that his arm was tired at the end of the year. With the mechanics regressing and the high number of passes that he’s thrown this year, I’m afraid his arm is only going to deteriorate the rest of the season.

John: This is indeed something to watch. I haven’t seen much this season to make me think Bortles’ arm is getting tired. He actually seemed to throw better – with a quicker motion much of the time – for the most part the last few weeks since spending time with his quarterbacks guru, Adam Dedeaux. Will it deteriorate the rest of the season? I kind of doubt it – at least not as much as it did when he was a rookie – but we’ll see.

Geoff from Jacksonville:

How long before Lee overtakes Robinson as WR1? That guy can play!

John: I think we’re a ways from this – mainly because Robinson has shown since pretty much his rookie year that he can be consistent, productive and healthy over the long haul. Lee is starting to do that, but he hasn’t quite reached Robinson’s level of reliability. But the good news for Lee and the Jaguars is there’s every indication he’s still improving at a rapid pace. Considering his ability and his current level of play, that makes Lee’s future as bright as any player on the roster.

Neal from New York:

I don’t understand why no one is talking about . The guy has been playing lights-out the last few weeks and has done exactly what we brought him in to do. He was definitely worth the big contract. Do you think he earned a long-term contract and is on the team next year? Thanks.

John: I would try to re-sign Prince Amukamara for exactly the reasons you cite. Whether the Jaguars will do this or not only time will tell. At 2-8 very little about the coming offseason is yet certain.

Jason from North Pole, AK:

If I held your hands to the fire and asked you if sees playing time at all this season what would you say?

John: Ow.

Pages: 12

O-Zone: Shocker

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

JACKSONVILLE – Let’s get to it …

Chris from Los Angeles, CA:

O, man … they are roasting us right now. , Gus Bradley – and now Shad Khan is being accused of keeping Yes Men around. I don’t think he became a billionaire by employing Yes Men. This is BB’s fault. He has to know he’s killing the entire team. I saw a gentlemen point out that our last two coaches were called bad when losing. Now, both coaches have winning teams that improve every week. The point, again: it’s the players. And more focused, it’s BB. He is a literal Franchise Killer. He should have the decency to step down as the “Man” because he knows he’s the reason the record is as bad as it is. His teammates are fed up with his performances. is in tears because he doesn’t like losing. So you lose Ramsey’s desire to play here – and what now? He needs to do the right thing. He needs to step down before he ruins the careers of others.

John: Whoa, whoa, whoa, Chris!!! Slow down. Take a breath. Now, another … Good? Good. Look, this is a really disappointing season. The Jaguars are 2-8 when much more was expected. Because it’s usual for a coach to have coached this long with so little success, it’s drawing national attention. But whatever is said about the Jaguars, “Yes Men” had nothing to do with it. Khan has stuck with this because he believed in the plan and because he believed the Jaguars’ situation four years ago was dire enough that the building process needed an unusual amount of time; Khan believed that the Jaguars were far enough away at that point that it was going to take an unusual approach – i.e., drafting and developing without any early emphasis on free agency – to climb out of the hole that existed at the time. The idea was that the Jaguars would struggle for a while then reap the rewards of the growing process – theoretically beginning around this season. That hasn’t happened – and as you suggest, struggling quarterback play is part of the reason. But while what’s going on is frustrating, it’s not as if hope for the future is gone. This team has been competitive. Turnovers and missed opportunities are the major difference between 2-8 and much better. The end of the season will come in about five weeks; at that time, Khan will begin the steps toward figuring the franchise’s future direction. But until then, Bortles is not going to step down as quarterback and no one’s going to take Jalen Ramsey’s desire to play away. Ramsey will be fine – and the Jaguars in time will be fine, too.

James from Upper Marlboro, MD:

I have not lost faith in the Jaguars. I do, though, have reservations about David Caldwell. Many people blame Gus Bradley for Blake Bortles, but didn’t Caldwell pick Bortles – or was that a group consensus pick?

John: Caldwell has final say over draft selections.

Tony from Atlanta, GA:

Since this rebuild has been a total failure, do you think a team will ever do it the way the Jags did? It’s a reason a rebuild like this wasn’t tried before.

John: As difficult as this season has been, it’s premature to call the Jaguars’ building process a total failure. No, the Jaguars aren’t winning enough, but the roster is stronger than four years ago – and if the roster grows into a contending team in the coming years, the approach the Jaguars took could be viewed far differently than is currently the case. As far as other teams following the approach … we’ll see. Each team follows its own path based on its own circumstances.

Pete from Jacksonville:

I am tired of hearing that Bradley’s first two or now three years should be discounted because the roster was poor. We were posting historically bad numbers and performances over and over. He NEVER gets his team no matter the roster to play better than the sum of the parts and without mistakes. A competent coach would have stolen more wins, surprised a few times, and lost way more close ones. We will never get to .500 with him as head coach.

John: OK.

Jerell from Columbia, SC:

What’s this nonsense that the Jags still believe Blake is the guy of the future????? I hope Shad Khan cleans house. That way new general manager and head coach won’t hitch their wagon to THE PICK MAGNET – aka, Blake “The Pick Six” Bortles.

John: There remains belief within the Jaguars’ organization that the team can win with Bortles and that he can improve his mechanical issues, decision-making and accuracy. I don’t know what the direction of the Jaguars’ franchise will be after the season. I am fairly certain that whatever the direction one of the first postseason orders of business will be to figure the direction of the quarterback position. I believe Bortles will be part of that position going forward. Exactly in what capacity, I do not know.

Tom from Orlando, FL:

A wise man once said, “Never forget what you are. The rest of the world will not. Wear it like armor, and it can never be used to hurt you.” This is how I feel about the Jaguars now. I embrace the fact that they are terrible. I wear my jersey in public and laugh along with people when they make fun of my team. It hurts less, and is the only way to hold onto my sanity when this was supposed to be the year we could be proud to be Jaguar fans again. We just need a pathetic nickname like The Bungles now.

John: It has been a tough year.

Justin from Jacksonville:

I may be in the minority here. In fact, I’m pretty sure I am. But I say give Bortles another offseason to work on his game. I just feel like we haven’t seen what this man is capable of just yet.

John: I think Bortles will get the opportunity to work on his fundamentals and mechanics this offseason, and I think he will get the opportunity at least to compete for the Jaguars’ starting-quarterback position moving forward.

Scott from Fernandina Beach, FL:

Hi, John. People seem to be down on , especially after last week’s fumble, but he took a hard, direct hit directly on his ball-carrying arm. Even if he had both arms on the ball that hit could still have caused a fumble. Fumbles aren’t always caused by careless running backs.

John: People do seem a bit down on Chris Ivory – but I don’t get the sense observers are down on Ivory specifically as much as they are frustrated with all things Jaguars. I get the feeling that Ivory’s fumble issues this season have been more coincidental than a matter of him being fumble-prone – and I’d be surprised if his fumbling continues. We’ll see.

Charlie from Fort Mill, SC:

Hey John, Krimma?

John: Soon.

John from Centreville:

I understand how easy it is to blame the head coach for everything going wrong with the franchise right now, but if you could go back to the beginning of the year and swap Gus Bradley for Bill Belichick – or swap Blake Bortles for Tom Brady (assuming no suspension) – which move would have the biggest effect on the Jags’ record right now? I’m not trying to absolve Gus of his responsibility for our record nor am I blaming Blake for all of our ills, but it’s probably an easy choice for most people. Having said that, if Tom Brady had been our quarterback for the last four years, I would wager that nobody would be talking about firing Gus Bradley right now. Your thoughts?

John: Tom Brady is one of the elite quarterbacks in NFL history. It’s not a commentary on the worth of Blake Bortles to say that if you put Brady on pretty much any NFL roster the team would be better for his presence.

Scott from Atlantic Beach, FL:

When I watch Russell Wilson, Dak Prescott, Kirk Cousins, Sam Bradford, Matt Stafford, etc., etc., they look so smooth and throw accurate passes. Then, I look at Bortles. The Jaguars organization really thinks Bortles can still be the future? That seems absurd to me, am I wrong?

John: We’ll see.

Stephen from Jacksonville:

It’s hard to watch NFL football because all it does is remind me of how far behind the Jaguars are. How far behind they are from average NFL football. Shameful/painful.

John: The Jaguars are a long way from being an elite, Super Bowl-contending team. They are not far away at all from being an average NFL team. They are, in fact, a play or two and a few fewer turnovers from being exactly that.

Don from Ponte Vedra Beach, FL:

The Jags are going to win the remaining games and win the division and shock the world! Go Jags!

John: #DTW … wait … who’s going to do what?

Pages: 12

O-Zone: Black Friday cheer

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

JACKSONVILLE – Black Friday O-Zone.

Let’s get to it …

Ray from North Augusta, SC:

Since has been a starter for several weeks now, I haven’t heard his number called much for big plays. Is he just not in the correct position to be noticed or is he just not ready yet to make a big splash like we were hoping?

John: Myles Jack is an NFL rookie playing a position in the Jaguars’ defense – Otto linebacker – that gets limited snaps compared to other positions. He is sharing that position with veteran , meaning Jack gets about half of the aforementioned comparatively limited snaps. He has shown flashes. He is very talented. He is very fast. The play he made running down Lamar Miller of Houston two weeks ago was as impressive a display of speed as you will see from an NFL linebacker. It’s not uncommon for talented players to be relatively quiet as rookies. Seasons such as the one cornerback is having as a rookie are rare. Jack will be fine and he will be fine very soon.

Steve from Woodbine, GA:

John, how can you not laugh at this point? It’s like watching the follies every week! CMON, MAN!!!

John: Hrumph.

Daniel from Jax Since Day One:

I like Gus a lot, and I’m going to be sad to see him leave. His first three years were very tough, but the definition of success during those first three years would be for this fourth year not to be dominated by errors all over the field like we have. The fact is, we’ve got better players and lots of talent, but no results. We have not gotten better every day. The goal may be valid, but the execution of the plan to achieve that goal has completely failed. Ultimately, the buck has to stop somewhere.

John: Yes, 2-8 in the fourth season of a building process is by any measure not good enough. Because of that, blame falls on the head coach. That’s not to say there are not things beyond his control, but that’s where blame falls. Many, many teams make errors. Winning teams typically overcome those errors – usually at least in part by getting better quarterback play than the Jaguars have gotten this season. But the buck doesn’t completely stop at the quarterback as often as it does at the head coach. That’s how it is.

Dan from Fort Dodge, IA:

Scouts should be on hand for the Iowa-Nebraska game. Desmond King and a few power runners.

John: OK.

Logan from Wichita, KS:

I am thankful that the Jaguars’ season is almost over. I will be so damn happy when I can say “I am thankful the Jaguars are above .500 at this point in the season.” Go Jags!

John: I am never thankful for the end of football season. Once football season is over we wait until the next football season to watch more football. That wait is a long one.

Keith from Palatka, FL:

You said recently concerning , “There is every possibility that they will need to bring in competition for him in the offseason. And if they do that, that competition needs to real.” Could you elaborate on that? The upcoming draft is weak at quarterback, and Tony Romo will probably want to go to a contending team and – is old. The only viable option seems to be Jimmy Garoppolo and Dave doesn’t like to part with draft choices. I think you are spot on that Blake needs real competition. I just don’t know who or how that would happen. Any ideas?

John: Nothing specific yet. Stay tuned.

Aaron from Chantilly:

I am thankful we have a team and that we have a talented roster after years of disgraceful performances. It feels like if we just had decent play out of quarterback we wouldn’t stink so bad, and that is a lot better than we have been in a long time!!

John: If you’re thankful that the roster is better and the Jaguars appear closer to being good than they have been in a while … yeah, it’s reasonable to be thankful for that. It’s not a particularly popular point of view right now, but that doesn’t make it unreasonable.

Mike from Section 238:

People that don’t understand giving Blake every chance are missing the point: the 20 teams that have starting quality quarterbacks significantly better won’t give them up; and spending another first-round pick on a quarterback that hasn’t graded out means we’re missing out on a game-changing pass rusher or offensive tackle for another year. Why wouldn’t we give him every possible chance to be even a mid-tier quarterback? Sure, bring in legitimate competition, but there’s no reason whatsoever to kick him to the curb during his rookie contract.

John: True that.

Chris from Houston, TX:

It seems in the last couple of weeks of the season the interests of the coaching staff and the Jaguars organization will inevitably diverge. The coaching staff’s goal will be to win at any cost. But, if this team has only two or three wins heading into the final few weeks of the season, the team would likely benefit by playing less-experienced players to better evaluate them going forward (e.g., , , , , etc.) – not to mention draft position.

John: I can easily see the Jaguars playing a few younger players in the final weeks of the season. In many cases, this will happen naturally as players get injured. I could also see a scenario in which the Jaguars play a player such as Josh Wells because injuries have precluded him from playing in recent seasons. They won’t do it to enhance draft position, though. The Jaguars will play to win.

William from Jacksonville:

Do you think we will ever see Marcedes on the field again?

John: Yes. I believe will play for the Jaguars again.

John from Jacksonville:

I agree with Bortles regarding a lot of good stuff overshadowed by the losses. When referencing that Bortles has accounted for 16 of the team’s 22 giveaways, I think it’s somewhat misleading as probably half of them were a combination of either tipped balls, fluke plays, or last-minute Hail Mary passes. The receivers get good money to catch the ball even if it’s thrown a little off. Bortles will never admit this because he is a leader, but the eye test does. Do you agree?

John: It’s perhaps somewhat misleading, but not overly so. Yes, a few of Bortles’ 16 giveaways have been fluky and some have come on tips. But the better a quarterback’s accuracy and decision-making, the fewer times fluky things seem to happen. Still, you are correct on a very important front. Everyone on the Jaguars – Bortles included but hardly just him – could be playing better. He’s not the only culprit.

Daniel from Urbandale, IA:

Setting aside Gus Bradley’s win-loss record as a head coach, I find it hard to trust someone who has fired two offensive coordinators and two defensive coordinators in four years. Who wants to come work for this guy? Shad has been exceedingly patient in letting Gus Bradley finish out the season; can’t understand why Gus couldn’t at least do the same for Olson.

John: I wasn’t a big fan of the Olson move, either. I didn’t honestly see a lot that he was doing wrong that couldn’t have been improved by better play from the players. That said, the emphasis on the run game that Bradley and offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett envisioned when Bradley made the coordinator change seems to have happened – and the Jaguars at the very least have improved offensively since the change. Bradley, by the way, has fired three coordinators: Jedd Fisch and Olson on offense and defensive coordinator Bob Babich. Bradley’s reasoning behind the Olson move was pretty simple. Something had to change offensively and nothing else had worked. It’s not an ideal reason for a coaching change, but that was the crux of it.

Joe from Hall of Fame City, OH:

OK, I get it losing suuuuuucks! I’m not sure what team most people are watching, but I see a team that for the last three games has crept closer to winning. Nobody ever said it was easy to win. Every Sunday we huddle around the game and cheer for the Jags. I’ll never stop cheering, because we as fans need –no, must – let the team know we are behind them. So here’s to the Jaguars, from at least one of the faithful. You guys are going to #SHOCKDANATION – and yes, you heard it here first …

John: #DTWD

Pages: 12

O-Zone: No Pie Zone

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

JACKSONVILLE – Thanksgiving Day O-Zone.

Let’s get to it …

Tom from Charleston, SC:

You have stated over and over that we need to give more time – that he needs to have a fair period to be analyzed and evaluated. He has had several years to prove himself. How much longer do you think he deserves before we move on? Please don’t throw last year’s stats at us again; we all know that garbage time stats are not real-game stats.

John: I rarely include last season’s statistics in the discussion regarding Bortles, mainly because I wrote often throughout this past offseason and early this season that I didn’t think last year’s statistics – or necessarily his performance last season – made him a great or even a very good quarterback. I believed at the time that he had the potential to be a good quarterback and that he needed to make a pretty significant jump in decision-making and efficiency this season to keep moving toward being a good quarterback. He obviously hasn’t done that … hence, the daily discussion here and everywhere else in JaguarsLand regarding his future. I believe Bortles will get at least six more games – the rest of this season – and that’s as it should be because he should get a chance to work through his issues. He also does enough good things to merit that. What will happen after this season, I honestly do not know.

Nick from London, England:

I’d like to see a Venn diagram of people who shout loudly for big money to be spent on high-profile free agents in the spring and people who complain high-profile free-agency signings aren’t worth what they were paid in the winter. I suspect there would be a pretty large overlap. Are you any good with Venn diagrams, John?

John: I am not, but I make up for it by not being good at much else, either.

James from Elizabeth, NJ:

The season is lost. Why not give Chad a chance?

John: Because Blake Bortles is the starting quarterback and the belief is he needs to work through his issues – and because the Jaguars believe he’s the best option.

George from Jacksonville :

I tried to come up with a good question, but I got nuthin. I hope everyone has a nice Thanksgiving!

John: And you as well.

Mike from Atlanta, GA:

Yeah, John: if only Gus Bradley had not created a culture where losing is fine, the Jaguars would be on a 38-game winning streak right now. Now, all of those professional athletes think they are being paid millions of dollars just to show up. If only they had another head coach, the players would understand that they are there to win games. Free advice for Mr. Khan: Don’t hire coaches who are bad and like losing. Hire coaches who are good and like winning.

John: OK.

Armando from Vacaville, CA:

Had James Stewart remained a Jaguar do you think he would’ve been better than Fred Taylor? I mean, five touchdowns in a game is no easy feat – nor is scoring 30 points. Shame he went on to the Lions and got his shoulder destroyed by Bills’ Coy Wire, who coincidentally was coached under our future defensive coordinator Gregg Williams.

John: This is no knock on James Stewart, who was a first-round selection by the Jaguars in the 1995 NFL Draft and who twice rushed for more than 1,000 yards with the Lions. But he was not better than Fred Taylor. He is far from alone in this.

Matt from Fort Worth, TX:

Can we use the first three picks next year on O-line?

John: A team can select whatever positions in the draft it sees fit.

Christopher from Yulee, FL:

I keep hearing about Bortles and his problems. But I hardly ever hear anyone discuss our offensive-line play and lack of a running game attributed to that. We, generally speaking, cannot run the ball against most of the league’s base defenses. This has a domino effect. It’s just not Bortles; none of our tight ends and receivers are producing at the same level, either. Could this be due to our sheer inability to manufacture a consistent run game, the differences in adjusted coverages and basically a year of film on the offense and a lack of adjustment? The last two seasons, we have gone into the season “fine” with our offensive line. We are not fine. Minus Linder, and possibly Cann, the rest of the line needs to be upgraded significantly. If I had to focus anywhere in free agency and the draft, O-Line would be it. Thoughts?

John: There are certainly spots on the offensive line that could be addressed, and the Jaguars need to run the ball better. I don’t think it’s accurate to attribute the majority of the struggles of Bortles and the Jaguars’ passing game to that.

Ed from Ponte Vedra, FL:

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

John: True that.

Chris from Jacksonville:

In all your years of covering the NFL, have you ever seen worse special-teams play? It is beyond ridiculous at this point.

John: The Jaguars have had at least one major play go against them on special teams each of the last five games. No, I do not recall covering a team that has had a stretch like that.

William from Miami, FL:

Seattle had an elite defense when Gus Bradley was the defensive coordinator. He leaves to become the head coach here and Seattle continues to have an elite defense while our defense is bottom five in points allowed the last four years. Maybe Gus Bradley isn’t a defensive guru after all.

John: Maybe, but the Jaguars’ defense is ranked seventh in the NFL in total yards this season and it’s hard to say that it’s not playing well more often not. That’s not guru status, but maybe it shows the people running the defense know at least something about what they’re doing.

Bill from Jacksonville:

“I don’t know that he’s taken a step back…In some of the categories we look at, he’s improved.” Gus Bradley on Blake’s play in 2017. Welp! We’ve done it, John. We’ve reached peak delusion. The HC either won’t admit or can’t see that Bortles is clearly worse than last year. How can you continue to defend Bradley’s ridiculous comments? This isn’t some out of context quote; he legit thinks Bortles is better this year than in 2015. I’m so done with this man. Thanks! Go Jags…I guess. (sigh)

John: Gus Bradley is defending his quarterback. I get that many readers are “all in” when criticizing all things Bradley, but when compiling a list of head-coaching sins, this one’s pretty low.

John from Jacksonville:

Years ago, fans bashed Jack Del Rio for being a bad coach. I don’t think they can say the same thing now. Now, fans are bashing David Caldwell and Gus Bradley. Caldwell has been reported in NFL circles as having great drafts and some quality free-agent signings. Bradley’s ability to head coach effectively is in question because Jacksonville was his first assignment in this capacity and – even with a better talented team – we continue to lose. I think a more experienced coach would have generated better results more quickly (especially this season) but much is contributed to these players working together to the point of starting to win. Once that occurs, the problems will quickly go away. The question is how much longer? We are losing close games against good teams now and need to find that edge to build confidence in how to start winning them. We have been better than some of these good teams, which doesn’t make us a bad team, except for that final most important “L” at the end of the game.

John: The NFL is a complex business, one in which you draw hard, fast conclusions about single things at your own peril. Was Jack Del Rio a bad head coach? Mike Mularkey? People thought so, and I read the countless emails saying as much. Is Gus Bradley a bad head coach? People think so, and I currently read the countless emails on a daily basis saying as much. Winning is the only answer in the NFL, and it cures everything. Losing means everything is awful. That’s well-known before anyone gets into coaching, and that’s the business in which they operate.

Paul from Gainesville:

Happy Thanksgiving to the Great O and his kith and kin! May the bird be tasty, and the pie … oh, wait …

John: There shall be no pie.

Pages: 12

O-Zone: No time for laughs

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

JACKSONVILLE – Let’s get to it …

Justin from Jacksonville:

John, tearing up at the end of Sunday’s game gives me hope for the future of our team. The pain of losing a regular-season game – even during a hopeless season – was written all over his face. If every player on our team were that emotionally invested every week we would be great. Thank you Jalen for giving us fans something to brag about this season. #RamseyIsland

John: Jaguars rookie cornerback Jalen Ramsey without question is a player around whom this franchise can build. I have no doubt he is on his way to being a core player, a franchise player, a foundation piece – and a lot of other things this and any other NFL franchise very much needs. His ability/level of play are part of that, but his passion and dedication appear also to be off the charts – and that indeed is a big part of what makes him a foundation piece as well. I don’t think for a minute that Ramsey is alone on this team in his desire to win. Losing hurts many of these guys – and many players who play with passion don’t necessarily show it in the way Ramsey does. But could the Jaguars use a lot more players with Ramsey’s mental makeup? Certainly.

Noel from St. Augustine, FL:

Hey O! … I’m so sick and tired of being sick and tired of!

John: I hear you.

Otto from Ponte Vedra Beach, FL:

John, Shad Khan has done a lot of great things for the Jags and Jacksonville in general. However, he is not a “football guy.” It seems to me we are in need of a President of Football Operations – a conduit between general manager, coach and owner. A knowledgeable NFL person who Mr. Khan can go to and trust completely about football decisions. Many teams have such a person. Whether it be Coughlin or someone else we should have somebody with years of experience in that position. What are your thoughts?

John: I’m not philosophically opposed to such a move, but with a few exceptions most NFL owners are not “football guys” – and NFL front offices operate at various levels of success using various structures. Some teams have presidents who are also general managers. Others have general managers who don’t have the title of president, but who essentially oversee all football operations. At some point most owners must trust football decisions to someone – whatever title that person may hold.

Jason from Jacksonville:

Nobody was a bigger fan of than I, but O – it’s time to admit it’s bad at quarterback. What would our record be with just decent play at quarterback? I would debate that there are 25 or more in the league that would have helped us to at least a 5-5 record. Actually, I can name 15 that we would be 7-3 if we had them leading our offense. Time to find a new quarterback. We have a ton of talent, just need a decent quarterback.

John: I’m not debating the Jaguars would be better this season with better quarterback play. I’ve written and said as much many, many times in recent weeks – and actually have written and said as much since San Diego in Week 2. I have written this because I am a huge believer that quarterback play in the NFL often is the great un-equalizer, meaning most teams are relatively equal and quarterback play shifts the needle one way or the other over the course of a season. At the same time, none of that means the Jaguars need to give up on Blake Bortles. They must analyze him and determine if he can improve. There is every possibility that they will need to bring in competition for him in the offseason. And if they do that, that competition needs to real. But he has shown enough and done enough good things that he should have a chance to make the offseason improvement the team believes he can make.

Steve from Hudson, FL:

Will the loss of force us to use an extra tackle on short yardage? We are going to miss Lewis blocking.

John: Perhaps. Yes.

Herbert from MidState Office Supply Accountz Receevablez:

Is there anything Gus Bradley could do to lose his job before the end of the season? Anything at all??

John: While I have said repeatedly I don’t believe Jaguars Owner Shad Khan wants to make a midseason coaching change, I did wonder after the loss to Tennessee if he might change his mind. That was the sort of loss that theoretically could cause an owner to change an approach. If he didn’t make a midseason change after that game, I don’t see a scenario in which he would.

Steve from Denver, CO:

O, you seem to downplay how valuable a good coach is. How about the new coaches in Philly and Miami? Not to mention the improvement of San Francisco 49ers by Jim Harbaugh a few years ago. Why has Singletary not been hired as a head coach since he left his heart in San Francisco?

John: I have been accused of underplaying the value of a head coach, and it is true I generally lean toward players mattering far more than coaches. I also generally believe a head coach’s job is far more about establishing a culture and being a chief executive officer than the details – and in many, many cases I think the head coach is blamed for way, way too many things. There are exceptions and Harbaugh seems to be one. Are Adam Gase of Miami and Doug Pederson such exceptions? We’re 10 games into their NFL careers. I’ll wait and see. My thoughts when it comes to Gus Bradley never have been that he’s a great head coach. He has not proven that to be the case. I have said that the circumstances he has faced here, particularly in the first three years of his tenure, were such that it would have been difficult for any head coach to be successful.

David from Broward County:

O-Man, there are many problems/issues hurting the Jags this year. Poor quarterback play is at the top of the list. Very big is the so-called culture of the Gus Bradley-led coaching staff, an undisciplined losing culture that in effect says losing is OK as long as there is improvement. This culture has been a very big negative for this team. There is another issue that really hasn’t been discussed at all and that is the failure of Dave Caldwell to deliver a strong offensive line and running game to his young quarterback. Overall, Caldwell has done a good job upgrading talent, but the lack of a strong running game and top-notch offensive line is a big failure. Bortles would be much better off now, regression or not, if the offensive line and running game was better. What do you think?

John: I think to say that Bradley and the coaching staff ever have taught that losing is OK is to misunderstand Bradley’s approach, but that’s fine: the Jaguars have lost enough that people are understandably going to see it that way. That’s the narrative, and losing has solidified it. As far as the offensive line … no, it hasn’t been a dominant run-blocking unit – although it has improved as a pass-blocking unit this season. The Jaguars would be better off if it was a better run-blocking unit. It’s not. Is it fair to blame Caldwell for that? He’s the general manager, so yes. At the same time, the Jaguars had a mammoth rebuild four years ago. Caldwell has hit on a lot. It’s difficult to hit on everything.

Louie from Jacksonville:

This is several years now that the Jags have been horrible. This year is the worst, by far. The Jags spent a lot of money on players this year. Are they worth what we paid? I don’t think so. and were great in Denver; they come here and do very little. As a longtime fan, I think we need to clean house. We need a quarterback and a better offensive line. What do you think?

John: I think Bortles needs to play a lot better than he has to date, and I think I can’t say for sure if that will happen – but I think he has to be given a chance because he did enough last season to merit that. I think you have a point that Julius Thomas has not been productive enough this season and I think you’re far from alone in being way, way off the mark about Malik Jackson. As far being worth what they were paid … I guess I think people may as well stop thinking this way. If you want your team to participate in high-profile, front-line free agency you’re going to experience disappointment far more often than not. With rare, rare exceptions they can’t and won’t “be worth what they’re paid.” It has been the nature of free agency for more than two decades and I doubt it will change.

Rob from Section 122:

Playoffs? Playoffs? Hahhahahhah! All I do now is laugh during games. It’s all I can do. Sure can’t enjoy it, but being upset hurts. So, I just laughed throughout the game. … Hahaha. …

John: I didn’t laugh Sunday.

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O-Zone: Always a chance

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

JACKSONVILLE – One more day to Look-Ahead Wednesday. And so on and so on and so on …

Let’s get to it …

Mikey from Jacksonville:

While there hasn’t been much to write home about this season, I will admit has impressed me. Early in his career, it seemed he couldn’t get on the field due to injuries – and I was done thinking about him. I’m glad the team wasn’t as impatient as I would have been.

John: The Jaguars were never going to release Marqise Lee. While many people – Lee most prominent among them – were frustrated during the past two seasons by his inability to stay healthy, there was no reason to question his desire or talent. It was the talent, of course, that made keeping him easy. Lee is a phenomenally gifted receiver. We have seen that in recent weeks, and we saw it again Sunday as he made two highlight-reel catches of rare athleticism and body control. When you have that sort of talent on the roster, keeping it is a very easy decision.

Paulo from Salvadore, Brazil:

Hi O, love your work. The worst thing about being fan of a struggling team is that I don´t cheer anymore. I know the team will find a way to lose. Even in the victories, I didn’t cheer because I expected some mistakes that will cost the game. The victories only happen because the time expired first. Does this feeling happen to the players during the game? Can we get some winning to change that perception?

John: Your feelings are natural and stem from being a human being. When you watch a team lose as much as the Jaguars have lost in recent seasons, it’s natural to wonder what’s coming next. And yes … because they are human beings, players feel those feelings, too. I have sensed for the most part this season that the Jaguars have played through those feelings and stayed motivated, but it would be natural for it to be an issue with hopes of a winning record now extinguished so early in the season. As far as winning changing the perception … yes, winning cures all. It’s better than losing – a lot better, actually.

Benjamin from Jacksonville:

A lot of fans are grumbling about Gus Bradley and calling for him to be fired, which is completely understandable. What concerns me is the clamor for Dave Caldwell to be fired as well. While it is true that he appears to have missed on the two highest-profile personnel decisions in the head coach and quarterback, the rest of the roster has talent all over. In your opinion, are those two “sins” so egregious as to warrant losing his job or do you believe he has added enough talent to the roster as a whole to get another shot with another head coach and quarterback?

John: I don’t know how Shad Khan feels about the future of General Manager David Caldwell – just as I don’t know how he feels about the future of Head Coach Gus Bradley. The reason I don’t know these things is very few people if any outside of Khan knows how he feels about these things, and Khan may not yet have made decisions in either area. Six games remain in this season. That’s enough games that it would be reasonable for Khan to still be watching/evaluating. I have said often and I still believe that Caldwell should be retained. I believe he has improved the roster, and I believe the talent for the most part is enough to win. Quarterback is an exception right now, because right now is not playing well enough for the Jaguars to win. That doesn’t mean he can’t improve enough to win, but it does mean it’s not happening right now. What all of that will mean at the end of the season I don’t know.

Bryan from Tampa, FL:

Do you think this team is in danger of entering quarterback purgatory? The defense is extremely young, but already playing well. The wide receivers are in place and the running game may be a player or two away. Special-teams play tends to fluctuate from year to year. By purgatory, I mean building a roster strong enough to win six-to-eight games with poor quarterback play that prevents you from drafting high enough to take an elite quarterback prospect. Teams like the Rams, Bills and Texans are recent examples.

John: The Jaguars are 2-8, so they have to do some pretty significant winning the rest of the season to reach your definition of purgatory. As far as purgatory, I guess I have a tough time defining it. I do think teams that have poor quarterback play do whatever they can to get better quarterback play, and teams that have good quarterback play thank the heavens for their good fortune.

Tony from Jacksonville:

I’ve always felt that good teams find ways to win, and bad teams find ways to lose. By that definition, we are a consistently bad team. When you have the talent, and many games you are actually outperforming the opponent, could it be that simple? Make plays, not mistakes, when the game is on the line. Is there such a thing as a “winning mindset” – and if so, how does a team develop it?

John: Win.

JT from Jacksonville:

It’s getting to the point that we can expect Blake Bortles to throw a ridiculous interception each game. This is not the sign of a good starting quarterback in the NFL.

John: I was going to answer this with a simple, “That’s right,” but it deserves more than that. This indeed is the bottom line on Bortles tight now. He is doing enough good things to move the Jaguars’ offense at times. His play on two touchdown drives Sunday was good – and he has had other such moments. He is completing a good percentage of his passes and he is throwing for a good amount of yards. But as you say, there are too many games when one mistake turns the game. He has 16 turnovers this season and has thrown two interceptions that have been returned for touchdowns in the last two weeks. Those sorts of plays lose games – as evidenced by the results of the last two games.

Sebastian from Mexico:

MJ could play nickel. Why not put him there when was injured in place of ?

John: is a rookie linebacker who has learned all three linebacker roles this season. His coverage skills are very, very good for a rookie linebacker, but to ask him to play nickel would be a big, big ask.

Robert from Fort Bliss:

We have to draft a new quarterback. The sooner we realize this, the better. Blake Bortles will never lead us to the Promised Land. The line gave him plenty of time and good throwing lanes. He plain and simple can’t get it done.

John: There are more than a few fans who feel this way, and Bortles has struggled enough this season that the sentiment is understandable. I don’t know the direction after the season when it comes to quarterback because I don’t yet know the direction the franchise will go in a lot of areas. There remains a belief that Bortles can right this ship. How long he will have to do that I do not know.

Diegus from Duval:

Do you see any chance of the Jaguars exporting a trade for a quarterback such as Tony Romo or someone of his caliber? Also, needs to go: he has fumbled the ball too much! Offense should be our main focus in the draft: not more defensive players. We need a Leonard Fournette-type of playmaker and we should draft an offensive lineman in the second round.

John: Wow. Many takes and questions in a few sentences. I’ll swing at a few. One, I don’t know how many quarterbacks the caliber of Tony Romo will be available in the offseason, but I’m guessing not many and I think it’s doubtful he will be traded to Jacksonville – if the Jaguars would seek such a trade at all. Two, yeah … Chris Ivory’s fumble was costly Sunday – and I think offensive line will be a focus in the draft. As far as Leonard Fournette … while it’s too early to get deep into draft talk, I’ll be surprised if the Jaguars go running back in the first round – but that’s only because I’m always surprised these days when teams go running back in the first round.

Bill from Folkston, GA:

Hey, John: I was just looking at the remaining schedule and have a question for you. In all honesty, without a major improvement in many areas, do you think we have a chance of winning any more games this season?

John: Absolutely. The Jaguars have lost three consecutive games to contending teams with winning records. They have had a legitimate chance to win all three of those games. I see no reason they should have a legitimate chance to win all of their remaining six games. Whether they will indeed win any of them I frankly haven’t the foggiest idea.

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O-Zone: The plain truth

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

JACKSONVILLE – Another week, another …

Well, you get the idea.

Let’s get to it …

David from Duval:

There’s just one thing holding this team back from being really good. We give up non-offensive touchdowns and never get any.

John: The Jaguars at 2-8 are making enough mistakes that it would be disingenuous to say that it’s one thing keeping them from winning. They’re making too many mistakes in too many areas, and quarterback is still too far from efficient. Those things make winning difficult. But the non-offensive-touchdowns part? The special-teams part? The fact that the Jaguars don’t get big plays from their own defense and special teams? None of those things help. They actually hurt. A lot.

Steve from Hudson, FL:

I can see the effort. How long before we see wins?

John: At least six more days.

Cole from Jacksonville:

Blake Bortles is not the answer. I’ll be watching Deshaun Watson more closely the next few games because it looks like we will have a good chance to draft who we want at No. 1 or No. 2 in the draft. The defense looks good, though; playing with a lot of heart. That’s all.

John: I have no idea if the Jaguars will seek a quarterback in the offseason. There are a lot of moving parts in that equation, and with six weeks remaining in the season, I expect the parts to keep moving for a few more weeks. As far as the defense … yes, the unit has played pretty well for a lot of the season. The entire team actually played with a lot of heart Sunday. But the Jaguars made too many mistakes and did too many of the same things they have done too often this season. As a result, they lost a fifth consecutive game. When that happens, no one wants to talk about heart – nor should they.

Cody from Boston, MA:

Do you think we will see Bortles be more of a mobile quarterback? Make him run some running-back drills in practice and make him into a watered-down Cam Newton. He is a big guy and he can run. Plus, that will give another thing the opposing teams must worry about. High risk, high reward?

John: I do not think the Jaguars will turn Blake Bortles into a watered-down Cam Newton. I also do not think Blake Bortles will be participating in running-back drills any time soon.

Todd from Oklahoma City, OK:

I wouldn’t describe blowing a fourth-quarter lead as gutsy on the Jaguars’ behalf.

John: OK. Agree to disagree.

Dave from Duval:

I know Gus has to be the most frustrated. These guys just won’t play smart, sound football for him. It’s almost as if they are trying to get him gone.

John: Nah, they’re not trying to get him gone. But the way they’re playing, the odds grow by the week that that will be the end result. I honestly don’t know how to judge the lack of discipline the Jaguars are showing this season. It’s surprising because while the Jaguars struggled in Bradley’s first three seasons, they weren’t a highly-penalized team for the most part – and they didn’t have the absolutely inexcusable, mind-blowing mistakes they’re committing this season. Some of that’s coaching because discipline falls on coaching. Some of it is players, because NFL players should know how to avoid most of the mistakes the Jaguars keep making. Whatever it is, it has become one of the themes defining the Jaguars’ season – and having your season defined by a lack of discipline is not good thing in the NFL.

Andy from Whimple, England:

Words fail me as far as the team and results. But respect, admiration and prayers to . You deserved more from today.

John: True that.

Jake Town from Jacksonville:

I see the frustration on the face of our defense and it makes me worry that next year they won’t care. They know the team sucks, so why bother playing? We are stuck as the second-worst team in the NFL forever.

John: Nah. It is indeed bad now. No one would tell you different – and when you’re in the midst of a bad season, it seems as if it will never end. But this, too, shall pass. It’s taking a lot longer than it should, but it shall pass.

Tim from Dejaview Land:

Have we seen the script of this game before? Yes, pretty much every week except the blowout weeks. Offsides!!!! Sheesh!

John: The Jaguars are 2-8, and five of the losses indeed are strikingly, numbingly, frustratingly similar. The Jaguars could have and perhaps should have won five games this season – Green Bay, Baltimore, Kansas City, Houston and Detroit. Sloppy, undisciplined play and struggles at the quarterback position largely have caused that not to happen. That’s a formula for losing in the NFL – and the Jaguars have that formula down far too well.

Richard from Nottingham, UK:

Can we bench him yet? He has directly cost us the last two games. There has got to be another way, Zone … there’s just gotta!

John: I guess a concerning thing is that while I sort of think you’re talking about Blake Bortles I don’t know for sure.

Daniel since Day One from Jax:

Bradley’s philosophy of “get better every day and the wins will come” sounds good but has failed. It always reminds me of the participation trophies. It just seems there’s not enough emphasis on competition with the other team. Then, when the players lose with the pressure on, they can’t handle it and start self-destructing. How many penalties with the ball not even in play? Way too many to be considered a well-coached team.

John: Bradley’s not the only coach who preaches the philosophy of get-better-every-day-and-the-victories-will-come … but because of the record, I understand fans’ irritation. I don’t believe Bradley’s get-better-every-day philosophy is a bad one, but something isn’t working in a big way with this team. When that’s the case, the head coach is the first one blamed.

Jerell from Columbia, SC:

Why do the Jags run out of the gun so much? I hate that!!!

John: You’re not going to believe this, Jerell, but … I agree.

Marco from Lima, Peru:

We do have a defense for the future. We just need a lower/mid-tier guy playing at quarterback to have a decent production on the field. Can’t we just trade for that?

John: Is the solution that simple? No. Do the Jaguars need to get better play at quarterback – be it Blake Bortles improving or some other avenue? Yeah.

Tres from Lake Butler, FL:

Players are breaking emotionally at this point. This is atrocious at this point. What is there to be positive about anymore? There are no moral victories.

John: No, it’s not a good situation.

Sen’Derrick from the Defensive Line Room:

I guess that’ll teach ’em to cut my playing time. Go Jags!

John: I’m reasonably sure this isn’t really from Marks. Either way, Marks didn’t jump offside Sunday on purpose. None of the mistakes getting made are happening on purpose. But too many of them are avoidable, and Marks’ offsides penalty with 2:34 remaining in the fourth quarter Sunday was an absolute killer. Maybe the Jaguars get the stop there or maybe they don’t. Maybe they go score after getting the stop or maybe they don’t. But offside on fourth-and-2 from the Jaguars 46 was up there with the most damaging mistakes of the season. Way up there.

CC from Duval:

Do you know how I know it’s Sunday around 4:30 p.m? Because I have that empty feeling inside that once again a player made a boneheaded play at a crucial time in the game that cost the opportunity to win a game. Sorry for the rant. Rooting for the Jags is really hurting me as you can tell.

John: I get it.

Rob from Pittsburgh, PA:

I blame the beard, but seriously – don’t really care week-to-week anymore. All of us fans are #DTWD but the emotional investment is done for a while. I still follow the games and results but don’t even get bothered any more since about the sixth loss. The only daily Jags I do anymore is the O-Zone … so thanks for at least keeping THAT going for us. It helps the fans whether you – or us – realize or not.

John: Thanks for reading – and your feelings are understandable. This has been a brutal season. Expectations not only haven’t been met – they haven’t been close to being met. The Jaguars have found creative, maddening ways to lose so often that many readers are indeed disinterested. And you know what? I get it. It’s not the fans’ job to be emotionally invested. It’s the team’s job to make certain fans are emotionally invested. Right now the team – the players, the coaching staff and so on – isn’t doing enough to make that happen. That stinks, but that’s true.

Roger from Jacksonville:

You just can’t make so many stupid mistakes and expect to win in the NFL.

John: No, you cannot.

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