Quote:I've seen any number of predictions for a 3 or 4 win season around here. Given that our schedule is marginally weaker than last year, that would have to be considered a major disappointment.
The only problem I see is that while the overall schedule may be weaker the weakness of individual weeks will be closer to the mean than last year when the Jaguars faced a lot of good to great teams and also got lucky enough to face the worst team in the league twice.
I don't think the Jaguars will be that fortunate this year so the wins they do get will be of a higher quality but they should still find more success overall if the team is building as well as they seem to be.
Quote:The only problem I see is that while the overall schedule may be weaker the weakness of individual weeks will be closer to the mean than last year when the Jaguars faced a lot of good to great teams and also got lucky enough to face the worst team in the league twice.
I don't think the Jaguars will be that fortunate this year so the wins they do get will be of a higher quality but they should still find more success overall if the team is building as well as they seem to be.
They also played the strongest division in the NFC last year. You could make an argument that this year they play the weakest.
Quote:They also played the strongest division in the NFC last year. You could make an argument that this year they play the weakest.
Which is what I meant when I said they played a lot of good to great teams then some dregs. This year they probably won't play so many great teams, but they also won't have the fortune of facing the floundering houston and cleveland teams.
Quote:Which is what I meant when I said they played a lot of good to great teams then some dregs. This year they probably won't play so many great teams, but they also won't have the fortune of facing the floundering houston and cleveland teams.
Is Houston really that much better than last year?
Quote:Is Houston really that much better than last year?
It's hard to say how much better they will be, but they are more like the Chiefs than the Jaguars are. They have a legitimate best at his position player (Watt) at a crucial position and a lot of really good players at other positions. It's likely they'll bounce back to at least be a mediocre team this season instead of a team that was obviously just waiting for their coach to be fired.
Quote:The first 8 games were nearly historically bad from a performance standpoint. For the Jags it was a perfect storm of new playbooks, young players, and an early QB carousel. The second half of the season was a clearer indicator of what this team really is. Some people are under an illusion that winning 4 out of 5 games in the second half last year was some kind of fluke. It wasn't, it was a factor of the players understanding of the new system and the coaches understanding the weaknesses and strengths of the roster coming together. What happened in the second half of the year is more indicative of what we'll see in 2014.
^ I agree with this as far as the combo of new playbooks, QB issue and young players etc. It takes a couple of seasons to implement the new philosophy(s) and acquire the right personal or to get everyone on the same page, which showed in the 2nd half of the season. Getting Joekel back and healthy is also something to look forward to as well. Gotta love the 2 WR's they drafted this year....they had a good draft. It will be nice watching them build this team....and watching the young talent develop.
Quote:This thing is going to explode at some point. Other teams would be wise to stay out of the demolition area.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YMKriXeqU14
Isn't that more of an implosion? I hope that's not what you meant.
Quote:Is Houston really that much better than last year?
Nope. They got their own Henne at QB.
It can happen. The AFC South is no longer dominated by a Manning-led clots team. The tinhorns and tacks are honestly in rebuild mode. Luck is one of the most promising QB's in the NFL right now but he doesn't scare me like Peyton did. I am not expecting us to be in the play-offs this year but flirting with .500 is not far fetched.
There's some comparisons of KC and our Jags but there's a big difference as well. KC had the proven talent to where many of their starters went out for the season due to injuries. Andy Reid chose to coach this team specifically for the reasoning of it not being an complete rebuild. All he had to do was tweek the roster more to his liking and point them within the right direction.
Much different from the Jaguars but I do have confidence that our turnaround will compare to others...
NH3...
Quote:Isn't that more of an implosion? I hope that's not what you meant.
Implosion is minimization of the debris pile caused by a series of precise - wait for it - explosions. But the flying debris was really the point.
Quote:Exactly. Is it really a big story if the Jaguars win 6 or have great fortune and win 7 games this year? I'd say no. No one sees a 2 or 3 game improvement as that significant and it's really pushing it to imagine this team can go even .500 with Henne at the helm.
I will go no record the Jaguars will go .500 this season! Save the post Oki so you can through it in my face at the end of the season. Just get ready to admit when your wrong when the Jags are 8 and 8. I'll remind you if necessary!
It's really hard for me to picture a big turnaround with Henne at the helm.
Could they win more games then last year? Absolutely, since all they technically have to win is 5 games next season.
I guess you could even say a record of 4-11-1 would be a better record then 2013's 4-12, but nobody would be happy about that kind of improvement would they?
Simply put, if the Jags are to challenge for biggest turnaround season, they will have to get better play at the QB position. They will need to average more ppg then last season and improve that TD to INT ratio.
Is it possible with Henne? Yes it IS possible.
Is it likely to happen with Henne? Well it IS possible.
Now the final question: Do YOU believe it will happen with Henne at the helm? Believing it and seeing are 2 different things.
Quote:It's really hard for me to picture a big turnaround with Henne at the helm.
Could they win more games then last year? Absolutely, since all they technically have to win is 5 games next season.
I guess you could even say a record of 4-11-1 would be a better record then 2013's 4-12, but nobody would be happy about that kind of improvement would they?
Simply put, if the Jags are to challenge for biggest turnaround season, they will have to get better play at the QB position. They will need to average more ppg then last season and improve that TD to INT ratio.
Is it possible with Henne? Yes it IS possible.
Is it likely to happen with Henne? Well it IS possible.
Now the final question: Do YOU believe it will happen with Henne at the helm? Believing it and seeing are 2 different things.
You're making a very common assumption that the QB is almost solely responsible for the won/loss record. QBs clearly are the most important aspect of the passing game (outside of coaching) but we've seen teams with average QB that are capable of being successful.
Some people are really ignorant. It is not all on the QB.
Joe Montana, Steve Young, Dan Marino, Tom Brady, or any other HOF or soon to be HOF Qb's have struggled with a weak cast. The better defense wins more superbowls than the better offense. It's a team sport and the QB is one piece of that puzzle.
Don't know about this year...but the Jags situation reminds me of what Bum Phillips once said.....
"One year ago, we knocked on the door. This year, we beat on the door. Next year, we're going to kick the dang thing(not exact) in."
Give us three years.
People always say that x position s a big piece of the puzzle. I disagree. As an avid chess player I would make this comparison.
QBs are queens... you can win without one but the rest of your game had better be perfect.
WR/DB are bishops for their ability to launch a long range strike. Not critical for victory but important.
RB/LB are knights for their ability to lull the opposition to sleep then sneak a big strike in.
TE/S are your rooks for their utility in both close and long range (run and pass).
Linemen are your pawns, they rarely score but ask any chess player to win without them and they'll say no way. Possibly the most critical piece.
Special teams are your king, useful in some spots but you can't rely on only them.
Just my two cents, I think it fits better than a puzzle analogy.
Quote:It's really hard for me to picture a big turnaround with Henne at the helm.
Could they win more games then last year? Absolutely, since all they technically have to win is 5 games next season.
I guess you could even say a record of 4-11-1 would be a better record then 2013's 4-12, but nobody would be happy about that kind of improvement would they?
Simply put, if the Jags are to challenge for biggest turnaround season, they will have to get better play at the QB position. They will need to average more ppg then last season and improve that TD to INT ratio.
Is it possible with Henne? Yes it IS possible.
Is it likely to happen with Henne? Well it IS possible.
Now the final question: Do YOU believe it will happen with Henne at the helm? Believing it and seeing are 2 different things.
We all know that Henne isn't the answer at the QB position. He's Hibitual w/respect to INT/TD ratio. His career stats proves it w/o question. Regardless the entire team will have to perform at an high level to accomplish an 8-8 2014 season. W/the offseason acquisitions, I'm optimistic of the end results.
Time Will Tell...
NH3...