Can It Be Fixed?
We, as Jaguar fans, have probably already moved into that “acceptance” phase of excepting the death of the season. If you haven’t by now, I expect that you’ll be pretty heart broken as the rest of the season plays out.
We know what our problems are:
Our quarterback looks scared.
Our running backs can’t get going.
Our offensive line gets more than enough holding calls in one game.
Our receivers can’t make the big plays.
Our pass rush is nonexistent against any capable offensive line.
We can’t stop them on third and short.
We can’t stop them on third and long.
Smart quarterbacks pick us apart.
We allow for the big plays.
Even our special teams faltered during the Vikings game.
Fred Taylor said in a post-game interview that the Jaguars were a bad team with good players. This year never got started. The Jaguars never found their grove. It is unfortunate because the rest of the NFL, especially the Tennessee Titans, found their grove quickly. Even the Patriots missed the miss step when Tom Brady went down. The Jaguars were left behind the rest of the NFL with only a 4-7 record to their name.
We know all that.
But can it be fixed?
Del Rio tried to answer this question.
"“What I recognize is there’s not going to be any quick fix,” Del Rio said of the team’s problems that turned into five turnovers, two missed field goals and plenty of other mistakes in the 30-12 loss. “What I recognize is that it is going to take a commitment; it’s going to take resolve. I have the resolve and a firm commitment to make sure we’re getting this thing turned in the right direction as we close out this year and look to build for next year. We’re going to keep doing the right things for the right reasons, ultimately knowing that it’s going to get better.”"
You know you can count the season out when the head coach starts to talk about “closing out this year” and “looking to build for next year”.
The Jaguars were very aggressive this year in their off season activities. They traded away half their draft from defensive ends Derrick Harvey and Quentin Groves. They took chances on Jerry Porter and Troy Williamson. They let go Marcus Stroud. You would be hard pressed to say that these moves benefited the Jaguars much this season. Maybe they will be difference makers next season, though. Sometimes it takes a transitory year to get a player used to the team. We can’t count these moves out. You have to give it another year with the way injuries came into play. I can’t help but hope for the best from these players.
Will the Jaguars be as aggressive this year? That would be very hard for them to do. They don’t have nearly the resources they had last year. However, I do think we’ll see some aggression. It just won’t come from the traditional forms of free agency and the draft. There will be some blood letting. There will be a lot of players traded away, a lot of players cut. The front office may get a face lift. Coaches and coordinators switched around, let go.
Jack Del Rio said:
"“There is no time frame in terms of making those decisions now, the ones that’ll impact next year,” Del Rio said. “Those are decisions that you make in the offseason. You learn a lot about people when there are tough times. It gives you a good view into a player’s make-up, character, commitment, toughness. So we’ll have a watchful eye.”"
Think of it like a dying plant. You nip off the decaying parts to save the rest of it. Or, what is left of it.
If I were some one like Mike Pete or Paul Spicer, I would be worried:
"“It’s a replacement league,” [Jack Del Rio] said."