Jacksonville Jaguars: Football season is here – well, sort of.

The Jacksonville Jaguars football season has begun with anticipation for the regular season.

As I sat in Baltimore last week for the Jaguars game against the Ravens, I have to admit I was struggling to find any good takeaways. As a fan and a lover of this franchise, sitting with my Ravens Nation family, as the token one in teal, I have a pretty tough skin.

But Week 1 of the preseason was ugly.

Yet isn’t that what we should expect when they were playing some of their starters against our third-stringers? It isn’t even a fair comparison.  And still, no one likes a shutout, even if it is only a preseason game. As a good Jaguar fan, I took it on the chin and flew home excited about facing off with the Philadelphia Eagles here at home.

I watched an entirely different team on the field against the Eagles. Maybe because they were at home, maybe because they had taken a beating in Baltimore and had faced up to the loss. Either way, the Eagles ignited some hope in me that maybe, just maybe, the Jaguars have some depth at some of these positions.

Quarterback Gardner Minshew looked a lot more comfortable. He was read plays. He was confident, at least much more than he had been in Baltimore.

Head coach Doug Marrone’s strategy in the preseason (resting starters to avoid injuries) this year has had a lot of fans scratching their heads and complaining. I know I was in Baltimore, but after the Eagles game, I do feel better about it. I like it actually.

We need all of our players in top shape and if the starters are getting plenty of reps and building relationships during practice, then these past two weeks have given these new players an amazing opportunity.

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Minshew has been beside quarterback Nick Foles every moment that he wasn’t on the field. Rookie Josh Allen is doing the same thing with Calais Campbell. Jalen Ramsey celebrated Tae Hayes’ interception in Baltimore. All perfect examples of teamwork – something that we really didn’t see last year.

These veterans are mentoring, coaching, and investing in the team. This is what gives me hope with this franchise for this season and those to come.

In these past two weeks we have already seen some pretty significant injuries in the league. Our goal is to go into the 2019 season with a healthy roster. If we stand a chance this season, we need Foles and his offensive line at full strength and ready. I would much rather see that against the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 1 than in games that really have no weight on our season.

Marrone’s decision to keep Foles off of the field until the offensive is strong and healthy is admirable.

Yes, I want more than five wins from the Jaguars this season, but these past two weeks are no indication of what we will really look like when the regular season starts. So for now, I will just enjoy the memories of visiting Baltimore and walking into TIAA again.

As I came through Gate 2 the drumline was playing and something in my soul started to dance. Football season is coming, but for us Jaguar fans it doesn’t really start until we face the Chiefs in September.