The Jacksonville Jaguars

[johnnyliar]

Yeahhhhhhh, no one said anything about going to the Super Bowl.

Your correct.  That person just that the Jags had playoff potential this year and are a "lock" for the playoffs next year.  For this team, that's pretty much as likely as winning the next 12 Super Bowls while also producing the league MVP each season.

Anyway, until January, I am done with this thread. Sorry, my teal-colored glasses are at the optometrist's and that you're all so thin-skinned that literally true statements about how bad this team blows get your panties all in a wad.

Is it January already?

[Non-RedNeck Westsider]

I agree a lot with RG on the subject of the Jags, I'm just not quite as vocal about it. 

Also a nugget from PFT today that you wouldn't think about when you think 'Jaguars'

The Jaguars are the first team to have two wide receivers with at least 600 receiving yards and six touchdowns through the first eight games of the season since the 2007 Patriots, but one of those wideouts isn't guaranteed to be in the lineup this Sunday.

We were the dominant team against the Jets and choked with the game on the line.  We dominated early defensively, but let a team get back in it, but closed with the game on the line against the Bills. That shows me a team that's inconsistent.  But overall, even though it's painful to watch sometimes, I like what I'm seeing on the field.

[Bridges]

Also, something overlooked by many in the doom and gloom crowd -- coming into this season, the Jaguars purposefully laid low and kept salary cap space. Good strategery! Now, they have *the* most cap space in the NFL:

http://www.businessinsider.com/nfl-salary-cap-space-free-agency-2015-3

They are going to be able to be *very* active in the free agent market this offseason and now that Blake is proving himself, players will likely be much more willing to agree to terms and come to Big Duval for a chance to win in the playoffs.

Our team is going to be much better next year. Patience, Jaguar fans, patience.

Haha.  Ok.  Let's toss out that "winning free agency" rarely turns into "winning on the field".  But the Jags had one of the lowest salary caps last offseason, and still barely spent.  Good teams lock up good players, and let old players go. 

You think that this season is somehow proving we are a place to come in free agency?  Sometimes I am astounded by the things I hear our fans say.  Most free agents are looking for a payday.  But there are those that are looking to win.  And I mean the super bowl not the division...cause they're in the down swing of their career and have maybe 1-2 seasons left. 

But, ok, let's say there are people banging down the door to come play for a team that will likely finish 4-12 at best.  And let's just assume that winning in free agency always means winning on the field.  Let's look at the "big" free agent signings of this administration.  Specifically the 2014 offseason when we were heralded as making great moves:
Dekoda Watson
Ziggy Hood
Red Bryant
Zane Beadles
Chris Clemons. 

Only 3 or on the team as of today, and only 1 of them is an average at best player (the kind on the downswing of their career looking for one final payout)

Sometimes, I really am shocked by this fan base. 

[Non-RedNeck Westsider]

...But the Jags had one of the lowest salary caps last offseason, and still barely spent.

My hope is that since we're building from the draft, this money is being set aside so that we can afford to retain our base talent as their rookie contracts start to come up.  It takes a metric assload of cash on hand when signing bonuses come due.  And they come due when the contract is signed.

Caldwell's first draft class plays their year 4 next season.  I expect the ones we keep will start getting extended towards the end of the season and this offseason.  We'll sign a few more FAs this OS, probably ones coming off of their rookie contracts, but I'm not so sure that 'active' is the word I'd use either. 

[RattlerGator]

Sometimes, I really am shocked by this fan base.

So am I, Bridges. Especially the doom and gloom types that attempt to cherry-pick info and present it negatively. Or, did you suddenly (rather than conveniently) forget 2015 ? ? ?

• March 12, 2015:   Signed TE Julius Thomas to a five-year contract and OT Jermey Parnell, CB Davon House, LB Dan Skuta and S Sergio Brown.


• March 19, 2015   Claimed RB Bernard Pierce off waivers from Baltimore.

All have played and all have contributed significantly, either as starters or good, experienced depth. Others were courted but decided to go elsewhere or remain with their existing team. That's the way it goes. When you're trying to build a program that can last for a series of years, rather than a boom-and-bust cycle of up and then down yo-yo years, you have to be prudent with free agency. Some fans get that, some fans get their panties in a bunch and freak.

Yes, we're losing this year. Yes, we've blown multiple winnable games. This year is about Blake, though, and Blake looks damn good. Next year we start, as designed by the Caldwell / Bradley plan, seriously competing for the playoffs and some extended playoff runs.

Dems be da fax, man, dems be da fax!

[I-10east]

Good gracious...No one is talking about that wild finish with Elvis DumBervil giving the Jags new life, ultimately resulting in a win?? Jason Myers saved his job kicking that 53 yard winning kick. Go Jags!!!

[jaxjaguar]

I'm still trying to recover from the shock!

[RattlerGator]

Jaguars !!! Duuuuvaalll !!!

1-0 record in the 2nd half of the season. Blake played poorly and we still won; that's real progress. Bring on them Titans.

I'm glad for the kid kicker but I was cussin' his azz out earlier in the game.

[thelakelander]

What I miss? Unfortunately, I had to work today.

[ProjectMaximus]

What I miss? Unfortunately, I had to work today.

Basically all the rotten luck the Jags have gotten in their several close losses was expunged today.
-Blake Bortles had a pretty awful game
-Jags got bailed by a few questionable ref calls, though I agreed with them 
-Myers missed a go-ahead chip shot 20-something yard field goal late in the game
-Nick Marshall recovered a muffed punt deep in Ravens territory which I found ironic as he probably really empathized with the Ravens returner. 
-With ~.1 seconds left in the game the Jags snap the ball at midfield hoping for a hail mary touchdown...instead Bortles slips and falls untouched, then gets back up and promptly gets spun around by the facemask by a hapless Elvis Dumervil. The subsequent 15-yd penalty puts the Jags at the Ravens 35.
-Myers redeems himself with a 53-yd game winner on the untimed final play.

[thelakelander]

WOW!

[I-10east]

IMO this trend of going for two point conversions with an entire QUARTER to play is bad coaching. It's being greedy, overaggressive, and chasing points. Once you do it, you have to keep on doing it, vs the nearly guarantee of an extra point. I saw this tactic fail in JAX at BAL and AZ at SEA. You can even sympathise if your team is this high powered nearly unstoppable offensive, but EVERY team does this just to tie 20-20 with a whole quarter to play. People always think on TPCs tying, but they never account for field goals winning, which would throw that 'even Steven' crap off course very quickly. My mindset is to go for TPCs when you absolutely need them. 

[Josh]

IMO this trend of going for two point conversions with an entire QUARTER to play is bad coaching. It's being greedy, overaggressive, and chasing points. Once you do it, you have to keep on doing it, vs the nearly guarantee of an extra point. I saw this tactic fail in JAX at BAL and AZ at SEA. You can even sympathise if your team is this high powered nearly unstoppable offensive, but EVERY team does this just to tie 20-20 with a whole quarter to play. People always think on TPCs tying, but they never account for field goals winning, which would throw that 'even Steven' crap off course very quickly. My mindset is to go for TPCs when you absolutely need them.

Both team's decisions to go for 2 yesterday made perfect sense whether it was the 1st quarter or the 4th given the score differentials.

[ProjectMaximus]

^I disagree, Josh. I don't think differentials matter in the first half. I do think going for two was fine when it happened yesterday.

[pierre]

Nice to get a W on the road, no matter how fortunate it was. And the schedule sets up nicely. Two 2 win teams at home the next two weeks. And then Tennessee on the road. You have to take advantage of that.