The Jaguars: Now What?

[Shwaz]

They're tied record wise but lose in the head to head categories.

[Charleston native]

Being an emotional leader doesn't correlate to winning games. Look at the Patriots. They won 18 games last season lost 1 player and their now 3rd place in the AFC East behind the Dolphins. Do you think everyone in NE wants Bellichick gone? Is everyone questioning his leadership.

These players are not in college anymore... this is a job to them with an unbelievable salary. If you want to continue getting paid you'll play good, if you want to be one of the "great ones" you'll play great and find that with in themselves.

We'll continue to disagree here. First, the Pats and Jags are completely different teams in their player makeup and overall strategy. Second, the Pats are still in contention despite the loss of Brady for the season. Of course no one in Boston is going to even look into firing Bellicheat (sp. intentional), because despite losing stars, the team is still winning. JDR with the Jags either does not know how to motivate or inspire his players to win when their stars are injured, or he does not know how to recruit depth within the player roster.

Let's put it this way...if Weaver was not the owner, JDR's job would be in jeopardy right now. Those aren't just my words; several Sporting News analysts have made that observation as well.

Sorry, Shwaz, I think we'll have to agree to disagree on this one.

[Shwaz]

Analysts are retarded and just try to stir contoversy.

How about we use the Chargers for example then?

SD made it to the AFC Championship, knocked off the Colts and were getting better every game.

LT got a little dinged up and Shwan Merriman was lost for the season and they're all but mathematically out of playoff contention.

When dealing with injuries you need more than motivated players, you need depth and talent. The offensive line plug-ins are not the answer and that is killing every side of the ball. The field is shortened, the running game gets stuffed and the defense spends a mjority of the game on the field.


Just answer this... Last year when Del Rio's contract was coming to an end did you want to see him resigned long term?

When Garrard put up record points and 3 interceptions weren't we all hoping for a new contract to lock him up?

[Charleston native]

I'm starting to think Garrard had a fluke season. The last truly talented QB the Jags have had was Mark Brunell...he had a better winning percentage than Garrard as well as a better passer rating, and let's be honest, he had more of the intangible's of being a QB: field general, poise, and motivator. I was impressed with Garrard last year, but I'm not going to make a final decision on him, yet.

As for Del Rio, how many winning seasons has he had in comparison to losing seasons? Last year may indeed have been an impetus for keeping him, but now we're starting to see that the coach is rather inconsistent. Considering this fact, if Del Rio was with most other teams, they would be threatening his job, at least privately.

Despite Del Rio's faults, I'm sure Detroit would gladly take him. He is a better coach and leader than others in the league.

[BridgeTroll]

Or the Packers for that matter... WTF happened?  Lose in OT in the NFC championship game to be 5-8 now?  Dont tell me because of Favre being gone.  Rodgers has performed as well or better.  The rest of the team is virtually identical.

Players have to play well.  You can teach, prod, pull, cajole... and motivate but if they do not play well...

You lose.

[Shwaz]

Players have to play well.  You can teach, prod, pull, cajole... and motivate but if they do not play well...

You lose.

EXACTLY!


It's a shame the pain of losing completely blindsides people and they need someome to shoulder total blame... all paths lead to head coach and QB.

[Charleston native]

Look, I'm not placing sole blame on Del Rio or Garrard, but you have to look at the stats and facts which show that there may be some inconsistency. I'm not being blindsided, but I am seeing some glaring differences with previous Jag seasons.

Sheesh, up here in Charlotte, John Fox has had more success with the Panthers, and last year there were rumblings about his job security.

There are many people to blame within the Jags organization, but you cannot deny responsibility from the head coach just because he's the head coach.

It seems to me that many of you are OK with the Jags' mediocrity. I would expect more from these guys (the majority of the team), and they are not doing their job.

[Shwaz]

Look, I'm not placing sole blame on Del Rio or Garrard, but you have to look at the stats and facts which show that there may be some inconsistency. I'm not being blindsided, but I am seeing some glaring differences with previous Jag seasons.

Sheesh, up here in Charlotte, John Fox has had more success with the Panthers, and last year there were rumblings about his job security.

There are many people to blame within the Jags organization, but you cannot deny responsibility from the head coach just because he's the head coach.

It seems to me that many of you are OK with the Jags' mediocrity. I would expect more from these guys (the majority of the team), and they are not doing their job.

You are the prime example of spoiled contradiction.

Charlotte wanted John Fox gone because of inconsistency. Now they sit atop of their division and all your analysts power rankings. Don't you see that if the knee jerk spoiled baby fans had their way the Panthers would be "rebuilding “with a new staff and nowhere near playoff bound?!

The Panthers are a great example in that they were picked by Sports Illustrated a few years ago and crowned SB champs before the season even started and didn't come close to .500 that year.

Who is to blame with-in the Jags organization? All you talk about is Garrard and Del Rio.

Shack Harris?

Dirk Koetter?

Gregg Williams?

Personnel decisions?


Go back and look through the Jags draft history round for round and it's a tie between Harris/ Del Rio & Coughlin. They both had just as many good picks as bad picks.

You’re not sold on Garrard? He doesn’t have poise? He put the team on his back in Pittsburg last year and that will go down in Jags folklore. He spends the season on his back in turf but you never said anything about poor offensive line play.

You can expect to win every game if you want... your just setting yourself up for disappointment.

[Charleston native]

Good argument, there, Shwaz. Very impressive. BTW, I'm not a huge fan of analysts, but I was using their information to support my argument. Believe me, I do not count their opinion as law.

I just expected the Jags to build on what they did last year, and this season has me suspecting that last year was a fluke. If they can it turnaround next year, I'll stand corrected. However, I'm still not impressed with the product long term. If you could compare the Jag teams during the Coughlin era and Del Rio era, I think the team was better under Coughlin. Granted, I have mentioned Garrard and Del Rio the most, but you can also place the blame on that porous O-line. The secondary has not made the plays, and the D-line has allowed teams to pick them apart. There is plenty of blame to go around.

This is what I'm really trying to say: under Del Rio, I don't know if he is capable of building a consistent Super Bowl contender. This season may be a fluke, after all, and I may be jumping the shark here. The Jags next year may be the Panthers this year. Who knows? However, if the Jags go for another 1-2 seasons with similar results, I suspect that more fans will be calling for his head.

I guess the bottomline is: how long should fans (of any team) wait for a head coach to make a true contender?

[Shwaz]

I guess the bottomline is: how long should fans (of any team) wait for a head coach to make a true contender?

It's like Weaver said at the end of the Coughlin era "Doing the same thing over and over again with the same results is the definition if insanity"

Del Rio has gone up & down since 2003. This will be his second losing season and it was completely unexpected.

Here's his career stats

JAX 2003 5 11 0 .313   3rd in AFC South - - - -
JAX 2004 9  7  0  .563 2nd in AFC South - - - -
JAX 2005 12 4 0 . 750  2nd in AFC South 0 1 .000 Lost to New England Patriots in AFC Wild-Card Game.
JAX 2006 8 8 0   .500  3rd in AFC South - - - -
JAX 2007 11 5 0 .688   2nd in AFC South 1 1 .500 Lost to New England Patriots in AFC Divisional Game.
JAX 2008 4 9 0   .333 TBD - - - -

Coughlin had 3 losing seasons in a row and sent the team into salary cap troubles to say the least. He shot himself in the foot with the jack of all trades mentality.

JDR took the team from said financial problems and had them over .500 one season later.

[Coolyfett]

I guess the bottomline is: how long should fans (of any team) wait for a head coach to make a true contender?

After a winning season? 2 years. If a coach has 2 losing seasons after a winning one then the 3rd season he is on the hot seat. Coughlin had 3 losing seasons after the 1999 season.

[Coolyfett]

Another thing. 2003-2006 were Leftwich years, the year 2005 Leftwich was hurt most of the season and Garrard won a lot of games. Leftwich was put back in for the New England playoff game. We Lost.

[Shwaz]

Coughlin had 3 losing seasons after the 1999 season.

Coughlin was also the GM and offensive coordinator. He spent $$$ like madman to buy a SB team and  mortgaged the future of the team. He made extremely bad personnel moves towards the end and had guys no longer in the league collecting millions.

Since then spending has slowed and the team was rebuilt. Leftwich showed promise and stories of his Marshall days were enough to move Brunnell out of town.

The 2 best records under Del Rio was mostly Garrard at the helm.

We have a nucleus to build on.

On a side note I think Gregg Williams will be gone after the season as he was only signed for 1 year and hasn’t made any real improvements to the defense.

[Charleston native]

This is all good information, and believe it or not guys, I can agree with you about keeping JDR and Garrard a while longer. I guess I'm just frustrated with this season. Also, you have to consider my experience with my #1 team, the Dolphins. The team badly needed a leadership and culture change in order for it to be as good as it is now. Sparano with Parcells as GM has been TREMENDOUSLY better than Cameron's or Saban's leadership.

Just out of curiosity, does Coughlin have the same power of GM and offensive coordinator in NY?

[copperfiend]

No.  He is just the head coach.