Gus Bradley in make-or-break season
By Daniel Lago
Shad Khan has shown plenty of patience with his new regime, but head coach Gus Bradley is under a lot of pressure to produce wins in 2016.
12 wins. That’s all Gus Bradley has to show for in terms of production after 3 full seasons as head coach of the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Most coaches get fired if they are only averaging 4 wins a season, but Bradley instead got a contract extension. Granted it’s only for one year and is mostly for show, but the patience being shown by the front office and the ownership is downright remarkable.
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We’ve heard most of the rationalizations for Bradley’s poor record – most of them revolving around the underwhelming talent on defense – but those excuses aren’t going to be valid heading into 2016. As Adam Schein over at NFL.com correctly points out,
for Gus Bradley.
"Jacksonville cleaned up this offseason. They are ready to show major improvement under a likeable Bradley, but likability only gets you so far.However, the Jags do have a few things going for them. They have a budding passing attack with Blake Bortles and the receiving tandem of Allen Robinson and Allen Hurns. They have new playmakers on defense — picking up uber-talented Jalen Ramsey and Myles Jack in the draft, signing Malik Jackson in free agency, and getting back their 2015 top draft pick, Dante Fowler Jr. They are the second-best team on paper in the AFC South.This all sounds great and definitely shows promise, but Bradley and Co. must show significant improvement from their 5-11 record one year ago. If he can’t, a new coach will likely be asked to right the ship."
Schein is right to point out how many people want Gus Bradley to succeed because he is such a likable guy, but that only buys you so much time. The massive improvement on the offensive side of the ball last year was encouraging, but it only further highlighted how disappointing the progress on defense has been over the course of the three years. With his “expertise” on defense, Bradley should’ve been able to adapt and put a better product on that side of the ball by now.
In 2016, Bradley needs to do just that or he’s likely gone.