What’s Next: Building a Foundation

While some of us have given up hope on the playoffs, the super bowl, and contention for the AFC South crown, there are still things to hope for in Jacksonville.  Entering the second half of the season, the only chance the Jags have at making the playoffs is if they somehow manage to win eight straight and finish 10-6 (maybe good enough for a wildcard?) but the odds of this occurring are slimmer than a Hollywood starlet.  So, what can we look forward to?

Without the playoffs or the AFC South crown, there’s little else to hope for than good football out of the Jaguars.  The defense is a joy to watch and keeps the team close.  But that’s only half the game.  When I’m watching the Jaguars, I don’t just want to watch TnT dominate the interior line.  I want to watch the offense respond and stimulate the game.  I want to see Mike Thomas stretch out and bail out Blaine Gabbert.

Will this happen?  Maybe.

But what if it does?

It’s about time this team started to show us what it’s got.  It’s time for them to start showing the coaches why they should be around next season.  It’s time to build a foundation for the future.  And it’s about time for the players to show why they should be a part of that foundation.

The Jags could lose every game for the rest of the season (even to the Colts), but if they play everyone close, put up points, look solid, or string together a couple of wins to end the season…well, hell, I’d be willing to want to watch more.  Maybe the pundits and regular Joes would too.  Over the offseason, it won’t be about a team that fought for a division crown in 2010 but imploded in 2011.  It’ll be about a team that struggled mightily but showed signs of life.  Signs of progress.  Signs of making the next year a real competition.

I want that bad.  So, in the final eight games, it’s about time we started to see what the guys on this roster can do to keep themselves here.  It’s time for some rigorous evaluation of the roster.  Only through thorough analysis and development will this team be competitive in 2012.  It’s time to start building that foundation.

And I’m fine looking forward to that.

– Luke N. Sims