{"id":5744,"date":"2019-01-18T12:10:09","date_gmt":"2019-01-18T12:10:09","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/jags4life.com\/?p=5744"},"modified":"2019-01-18T14:33:27","modified_gmt":"2019-01-18T14:33:27","slug":"o-zone-people-are-people-2-2-2-2-3-2-3-3-3-2-2-2-6","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/jags4life.com\/index.php\/2019\/01\/18\/o-zone-people-are-people-2-2-2-2-3-2-3-3-3-2-2-2-6\/","title":{"rendered":"O-Zone: Tow time"},"content":{"rendered":"
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JACKSONVILLE \u2013 Let\u2019s get to it \u2026<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Tim from Fernandina Beach, FL<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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John: What is it about the quarterback position that makes it so hard to predict success in the NFL? Plenty of guys have the stats and measurables but crash and burn in the NFL. What say ye, oh great one?<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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It is the experience of the \u201cgreat one\u201d that it\u2019s difficult to predict success at most NFL positions, with running back and most defensive positions perhaps a little easier than most other offensive positions. If projecting success was easy, teams wouldn\u2019t miss so often in Round One. Quarterback indeed is difficult to project, but it receives more scrutiny \u2013 so we hear about misses at that position more than other positions. As for why scouting the position in particular is difficult, it\u2019s primarily because it\u2019s the most difficult position in sports to play \u2013 and because the college and professional games are dramatically different. The NFL is so much faster, with defensive players so much bigger, stronger and faster than college, that it in many ways is a different sport. Quarterbacks can be successful in college throwing to wide-open receivers; a quarterback who depends on receivers to be wide open rarely will be successful in the NFL. The pass rushes are faster and the coverages are more complex. It\u2019s the same game in name, but from a quarterback\u2019s perspective it\u2019s so different that it\u2019s hard to predict next-level success\/failure based on what he did in college.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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John from Jacksonville<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Why not hire Fred Taylor as an assistant running backs coach? Fred knows all about maximum effort on the field and how to take care of his body off the field. I have the greatest respect for Fred as a pro\u2019s pro.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Former Jaguars running back Fred Taylor indeed is a pro\u2019s pro \u2013 and although he never has coached, I see no reason he wouldn\u2019t be good at it. But I\u2019ve never gotten the idea from Taylor that he\u2019s all that interested in being an assistant coach. Coaching is a lot of long hours, long months and long years. Not every ex-player wants to do it.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Ken from Atlantic Beach, FL<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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I was always a big fan of Paul Poslusnzy. He was a great player and big influence both on and off the field. Even when injured he had big impact from the sidelines on his fellow players. Is there any buzz of him possibly coaching somewhere? I think he would be a great at it.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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I think former Jaguars middle linebacker Paul Posluszny eventually will go into coaching. He said following retirement he might eventually consider it. I wasn\u2019t surprised he didn\u2019t get into it immediately because players often take a year \u2013 or a few \u2013 before getting back into the year-round grind of coaching.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Matt from North Jax<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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What do you think about the Jaguars making a trade for Cleveland quarterback Tyrod Taylor? He got a raw deal in Cleveland under Hue Jackson, but I think he would be pretty good in Jacksonville. Maybe not as a franchise quarterback, but as a bridge quarterback for a year or two.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Taylor is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent at the start of the 2019 NFL League Year, so a trade wouldn\u2019t be necessary. I like the idea of Taylor as a bridge quarterback. The question would be cost. He made $16 million in salary and bonuses this past season from Cleveland. That\u2019s a touch high, but that\u2019s kind of the going rate for OK NFL quarterbacks these days.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Tannen from The Jacksonville<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Hey O, I can’t help but feel that we are a quarterback a way from getting this thing done. I don’t know why we spend so much time with Blake when their is so much talent around the league. If I look at the teams in the league I think there are 5+ better qbs so why are we wasting time with Blake? why don’t we trade a pick or 2 for a better qb? why don’t we tell everyone that Blake is playing really well at home and trade him for a better guy? The only reason to stick with a guy this long is because they want people to think they don\u2019t waste money on his jersey, but its still a waste lol.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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I get emails like this sometimes.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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KC from Ukiah, CA<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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John, I have heard Tony Khan referred to as “the metrics guy” in the front office. Do you happen to know how much of a data-driven decision it was to draft Blake Bortles? And was he Dave Caldwell’s guy, or was it more of a group consensus?<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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The Jaguars use \u201canalytics\u201d in most of their decision-making, so data played a part in the evaluation of Bortles. Caldwell was the general manager at the time of Bortles\u2019 drafting, so I suppose he was more Caldwell\u2019s \u201cguy\u201d than he was anyone else\u2019s.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Mike from Lansing, MI<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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What is the status of the kicking game for 2019?<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Jaguars kicker Josh Lambo is an unrestricted free agent and punter Logan Cooke next season will enter the second year of his four-year rookie contract. I expect both to return next season.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Howard from Homestead but currently in Mexico City<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Why isn\u2019t Mexico City talked about as the destination for an NFL team? Largest city in North America. More millionaires than every NFL market except LA, San Francisco, and New York. Central time zone. Lower federal taxes. A top-notch stadium could be built just for a team for a fraction of the cost. Could the NFL reconsider the Chargers-in-Los Angeles fiasco?<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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I imagine Mexico City at some point will be strongly considered as a possible destination, though I don\u2019t get the sense such talk is imminent \u2013 and yes, I imagine at some point relatively soon the Chargers\u2019 situation in Los Angeles will be under serious discussion.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Daniel from Eagan, MN<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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What do you think about the situation with the defense? I know that these young players on the defense have been playing very well, but you can\u2019t dismiss the fact that it wasn\u2019t \u201cunbreakable\u201d as previously thought (giving up 40 against Cowboys.) Is there going to be a change or will they keep progressing and getting back up to be that \u201cbig talk\u201d defense?<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Few defenses in the NFL are unbreakable under the current rules. While the Jaguars\u2019 defense had a couple of games in 2018 in which it played below expectations, for the most part it played well \u2013 and it was certainly among the NFL\u2019s better defenses. I expect the Jaguars will have some changes in defensive personnel in the offseason, but I expect the unit to remain a very good defense.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Marlin from Newberry, FL<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Does Bortles have any trade value? Is it possible we might get something for him? Seems like we will be eating the signing bonus whether he is released or traded.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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The Jaguars likely will try to trade Bortles this offseason. It\u2019s unlikely they get much interest, not only because of his on-field play but because of the contract the other team would be acquiring in the deal.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Art from Drexel Hill, PA<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Why do people want a starting quarterback that another team said wasn’t good enough to start for them? Did NFL teams start getting rid of championship quality quarterbacks?<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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People want backup quarterbacks from other teams because one man\u2019s trash often is another man\u2019s treasure. But there are instances of backups on teams being good enough to start \u2013 and play at a high level \u2013 for other teams. It\u2019s comparatively rare because there really aren\u2019t 32 quality starting<\/em> quarterbacks, but it does happen.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Mason from Palm Bay, FL<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Your snide, condescending comments in response to anyone who ever asks a question about coaching are laughable. You’re basically suggesting that all coaches are the same and they have no impact on the outcome. I understand fans gonna fan (always want to hire\/fire coaches), but try to put some thought into your answers sometimes. Not all of us are ignorant.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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First, I never said all<\/em> of you were ignorant. Second, I don\u2019t believe all NFL coaches are the same \u2013 \u00a0nor do I believe that quality coaching doesn\u2019t matter. But I do believe fans, media and owners far more often than not dramatically<\/em> overemphasize coach\u2019s importance \u2013 and I absolutely believe the yearly coaching carousel and Annual Black Monday carnage is ridiculous and usually without reason. As for your main gripe, I do often answer questions by saying \u201cIt\u2019s always coaching in the NFL.\u201d There obviously is some condescension and sarcasm in the answer. The answer is not meant to say that coaching never is an issue. It\u2019s not meant to say that NFL coaches aren\u2019t good football men who are doing their job for a reason. It is meant to say that it\u2019s not the overriding issue nearly as often as fans believe, and that the tendency to turn coaches into stars one season \u2013 or even one week \u2013 and tear them down and fire them the next season or week is perhaps the most absurd and misunderstood aspect of the NFL.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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David from Jamestown, NY<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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So, I\u2019ve been reading with interest about this company line that you are apparently forced to tow? Is it heavy? Does it require a tow truck or do you just throw it over your shoulder and tow it by hand?<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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It\u2019s always the company line in the NFL. Always. #towtheline<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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