The Jacksonville Jaguars

[WarDamJagFan]

No way there as many Miami fans there. There were alot but no more than Steelers or Browns fans in prior weeks. The difference was this game was not close so they may have been louder. It is kind of sad though that we get 10-15k opposing fans in our stadium every week.

I wouldn't consider that sad at all. Jacksonville is a transient city so there are going to be lots of people living here that aren't from here. If I'm not mistaken, I believe Sunday's attendance was the highest for the year with over 65K people. I'll take that every day. Our defense is playing at an absurd level right now, but our offense is just unfortunately full of rookies and second year players with little experience at their respective positions (Joekel, Sanders, Denard, etc). 

[thelakelander]

^Basically. That puts your defense in a tough position because, even on a bad day, all a decent team has to do is just keep things close and wait for your offense to throw up all over itself. At one point it was 199-4 in total offensive yardage gained. That typically means blow out, but the Jags were down by four, due to the mistakes of the young guys. Another year of high draft picks and a few key free agent pick ups and the Jags will be fine.

[WarDamJagFan]

Completely agree there.

[RattlerGator]

It was a very disappointing game by Blake -- but I also  agree, you can't get too mad at him because you can see the talent. He's going to be damn good. The defense played outstanding and this team, still a very young team, is showing that they're growing in the right direction.

As for the fans, there weren't nearly as many Dolphins fans at the game as there were Steelers fans a few weeks ago. I still can't get over how many Pittsburgh fans were in the stadium. But, there were a bunch of Dolphins fans there. As is expected. I grew up a Dolphins fan just like most of the kids in northeast Florida when I was growing up. They were the only pro team we had.

[RattlerGator]

This was an interesting tweet today from Albert Breer (NFL Network):

Most cap room:

1) JAX $22.95M;
2) CLE $18.94M;
3) PHI $16.30M;
4) NYJ $12.92M;
5) TEN $11.86M;
6) NE $10.33M;
7) CIN $8.97M;
( OAK $8.96M.

We can make major free agent moves in the offseason and this team will be significantly better next year.

[I-10east]

So far Jacksonville's home attendance has been outstanding for an one win team in one of the smallest NFL markets (without London's help). We are averaging 63,443 (22nd) a game, ahead of 10 teams (San Fran's numbers are not reported for some reason).

http://espn.go.com/nfl/attendance

[KenFSU]

This was an interesting tweet today from Albert Breer (NFL Network):

Most cap room:

1) JAX $22.95M;
2) CLE $18.94M;
3) PHI $16.30M;
4) NYJ $12.92M;
5) TEN $11.86M;
6) NE $10.33M;
7) CIN $8.97M;
( OAK $8.96M.

We can make major free agent moves in the offseason and this team will be significantly better next year.

I wouldn't hold your breath. The Jags have either led the league, or been very close to leading the league, in available cap space every year since 2010. Would love to see it, but until then, I'm skeptical.

[copperfiend]

Most teams tie up their salary cap with contracts given to players with expiring rookie deals. The Jaguars frankly have not had many players in the last decade worth re-signing. Since 2005, there are not many players drafted by this organization that have received a second contract. The only ones that come to mind are Marcedes Lewis, MJD, Uche Nwaneri and Mike Thomas. That is a stunning streak of ineptitude.

The team could have gone out and spent money the last two offseasons under Caldwell and signed other team's free agents to overpriced deals. Guys like Eric Decker and Jairus Byrd. But they decided to instead play their first and second year players. In the long term, I think they are better off for it. But it makes for some painful viewing experiences.

That salary cap number will start to shrink as soon as guys like Cyprien, Denard Robinson, Demetrius McCray, Telvin Smith and Allen Robinson get their second deals.

[RattlerGator]

I wouldn't hold your breath. The Jags have either led the league, or been very close to leading the league, in available cap space every year since 2010. Would love to see it, but until then, I'm skeptical.

I would think the performance of the defense this year would give you some hope and confidence. They used a good laser to significantly upgrade the defense and I have faith they'll do the same this offseason with targeted needs.

[Non-RedNeck Westsider]

I wouldn't hold your breath. The Jags have either led the league, or been very close to leading the league, in available cap space every year since 2010. Would love to see it, but until then, I'm skeptical.

When you're a young team trying to build through the draft, it's a good plan to maintain that cap space for when you start (hopefully) resigning your once rookies to their second contracts.

It's a good problem to have, not being able to resign all of your draft class, but it's also one you can plan for up until the time you're ready to make that push.  And even then, I seriously hope we don't have to go that route.  I'd like for 5-6 of the players from the last 2 drafts to be playing at a pro-bowl caliber level when their contracts are due. 

Why spend it all now on a high-priced free agent who may or may not work out and then be hogtied to their cap number when Joekel and Cyp are looking for new contracts?

Edit:

TL;DR - What copperfiend said.    I didn't see his until after I posted.

[WarDamJagFan]

I wouldn't hold your breath. The Jags have either led the league, or been very close to leading the league, in available cap space every year since 2010. Would love to see it, but until then, I'm skeptical.

3 of those years are from the previous regime. And the previous posters made quality points regarding needed cap space for resigning draft picks. Our cap space has been large due to awful, just awful drafting in the past. Caldwell and Co. stated numerous times when they started this journey that they would not throw big money out to FAs in the beginning, and that the long term success of this team must be addressed through quality drafting. So far, so good - ESPECIALLY in the later round picks - Denard, Telvin Smith, Bowanko, McCray, Josh Evans (has greatly improved through the season).  Those are 5-7th rounders playing very quality football early in their careers. Great sign of things to come.

[blizz01]

Any thoughts on Frank Frangie calling the games this year?  I do miss Brian Sexton, but Frank's certainly improved since the first couple of games in my opinion.

[pierre]

Any thoughts on Frank Frangie calling the games this year?  I do miss Brian Sexton, but Frank's certainly improved since the first couple of games in my opinion.

I normallly am either at the game or watching on TV. But the few times I have heard him calling a game, it has been bad. During the Chargers game, I was driving during part of the game and I honestly thought he was one of the worst NFL play by play guys I have ever heard. When the team scored a TD, his call sounded like forced excitement. It was awkward. I was not a huge Sexton fan but this is a clear downgrade.

[Bridges]

Any thoughts on Frank Frangie calling the games this year?  I do miss Brian Sexton, but Frank's certainly improved since the first couple of games in my opinion.

I normallly am either at the game or watching on TV. But the few times I have heard him calling a game, it has been bad. During the Chargers game, I was driving during part of the game and I honestly thought he was one of the worst NFL play by play guys I have ever heard. When the team scored a TD, his call sounded like forced excitement. It was awkward. I was not a huge Sexton fan but this is a clear downgrade.

Agree completely.  It sounds like a high school game.  Lags is fantastic.  But Frangie is atrocious.

[Non-RedNeck Westsider]

While we're on the topic of gameday announcers.... I am appalled at the quality of the in-game broadcast.  The guy is horrible.  Every time I heard, completion to "Denard" Robinson after the ball was thrown to "Allen" Robinson, all I could do was shake my head in disgust.  This happened about 3-4 times during the game.

There's been many other mis-fires, from calling out the wrong down, to the wrong player, to even, "And that's another Jaguars first down." after Bortles threw an interception.   

The guy is just bad.