Jacksonville Jaguars Fan Forums

If Bortles is a hit and he becomes a top tier QB then this team will go places

Quote:5 of those 8 games were division opponent matchups, which are the same "bottomfeeders" they'll face 6 times this year.    The Jags also had to play the NFC West and the AFC West on the schedule last year, the two toughest divisions in the NFL.   6 of the 8 teams in those divisons finished over .500, including 5 playoff teams.     Including the Superbowl Winner, and the likely 2nd best team in the NFL.  That also includes the 10-6 Cardinals who couldn't get into the playoffs.   The Jags were hardly "fortunate" last year.  

 

I don't know how much better the AFC North and NFC East are going to be from this year to last, but they only had 2 out o the 8 teams combined finish over .500.   I would be pretty shocked if the Jaguars schedule is nearly as hard next year.  

 

The jaguars were fotunate to win 4 games, not fortunate overall.

 

Also going .500 in the part of the season when you play all the weak teams isn't an indication of a swing in the team's ability was my point. When the Jaguars played the colts at the end of the season they still got blown out, just like at the beginning of the season.

Quote:The jaguars were fotunate to win 4 games, not fortunate overall.

 

Also going .500 in the part of the season when you play all the weak teams isn't an indication of a swing in the team's ability was my point. When the Jaguars played the colts at the end of the season they still got blown out, just like at the beginning of the season.

 

I don't really get that.  Where they lucky in those games they won?  I think they won them by earning the victories and by sticking with the coaching staff's vision.  If anything, that 8 game stretch at the beginning of the year was really the bad luck in the sense that they had a huge turnover and were learning their third system in as many years.  This year, with an improved roster, not starting from scratch in terms of the system for a change, and a weaker schedule you have to expect they'll improve on win total and will probably be much more competitive overall.  Luck should not be a factor, no pun intended.

Quote:I don't really get that.  Where they lucky in those games they won?  I think they won them by earning the victories and by sticking with the coaching staff's vision.  If anything, that 8 game stretch at the beginning of the year was really the bad luck in the sense that they had a huge turnover and were learning their third system in as many years.  This year, with an improved roster, not starting from scratch in terms of the system for a change, and a weaker schedule you have to expect they'll improve on win total and will probably be much more competitive overall.  Luck should not be a factor, no pun intended.

 

If the Jaguars played the titans and texans the first two weeks when the Jaguars were swooning and those two teams were playing better and it's likely the Jaguars are shorter two wins.

 

The Jaguars had a bit of fortune in the second half of the season the way things shook out, including Joe Haden going completely brain dead to allow Cecil Shorts to come WIDE open.

 

It wasn't an overall fortunate season, but they had a little luck with the way that stretch worked out. Which brings me back to the main point, going .500 in the second half of the season wasn't some indication of the team getting noticeably better. That's why when the Jaguars lined up against the colts they looked like it was back in the first half of the season.

Quote:The jaguars were fotunate to win 4 games, not fortunate overall.

 

Also going .500 in the part of the season when you play all the weak teams isn't an indication of a swing in the team's ability was my point. When the Jaguars played the colts at the end of the season they still got blown out, just like at the beginning of the season.

 

One could equally say say the facing 6 playoff teams in the first 8 games, including both Superbowl participants and 3 out of the 4 teams in the Conference Champonships, while the team was learning a brand new system under a brand new staff led to a skewed vision of how bad they were in the first half.  

 

As Parcells says,  you are what the record says you are. 

 

 

 

Quote:The Jaguars had a bit of fortune in the second half of the season the way things shook out, including Joe Haden going completely brain dead to allow Cecil Shorts to come WIDE open.

Oh God, we're not going to play THAT game, are we?     The one where none of our victories were of our own merit?   

 

Quote:One could equally say say the facing 6 playoff teams in the first 8 games, including both Superbowl participants and 3 out of the 4 Conference Champonship Contenders, while the team was learning a brand new system under a brand new staff led to a skewed vision of how bad they were in the first half.  

 

As Parcells says,  you are what the record says you are. 

 

If the Jaguars had made a good game of it against the colts at the end of the season that sort of sentiment might carry some weight, but the Jaguars weren't even competing in that game. The final score of 30 to 10 was much closer than the game actually was. It was 27-3 in the third quarter when the colts went into laughing and partying about the playoffs on the field mode and let Henne do his 4th quarter of a blowout stat padding act.

Quote:If the Jaguars had made a good game of it against the colts at the end of the season that sort of sentiment might carry some weight, but the Jaguars weren't even competing in that game. The final score of 30 to 10 was much closer than the game actually was. It was 27-3 in the third quarter when the colts went into laughing and partying about the playoffs on the field mode and let Henne do his 4th quarter of a blowout stat padding act.

 

Yes, I know I usually evalaute  teams entirely based on a sample size of 1 game.  Particularly in Week 17 matchups.  

Quote:Yes, I know I usually evalaute  teams entirely based on a sample size of 1 game.  Particularly in Week 17 matchups.  

 

Not like we need to, they lost to the titans and Bills in the weeks leading up to it, too.

 

Point is if you want some sunshine pumped about last season's results you won't find me doing the pumping.

 

I look forward to what the team will be with Caldwell building the roster, but the Jaguars were a BAD team last year, and sweeping the team with the #1 pick in the draft won't fool me out of understanding that.

Quote:If the Jaguars played the titans and texans the first two weeks when the Jaguars were swooning and those two teams were playing better and it's likely the Jaguars are shorter two wins.

 

The Jaguars had a bit of fortune in the second half of the season the way things shook out, including Joe Haden going completely brain dead to allow Cecil Shorts to come WIDE open.

 

It wasn't an overall fortunate season, but they had a little luck with the way that stretch worked out. Which brings me back to the main point, going .500 in the second half of the season wasn't some indication of the team getting noticeably better. That's why when the Jaguars lined up against the colts they looked like it was back in the first half of the season.

 

Except I think the Jags did get better later in the season.  Other than the fact that it makes sense that as time goes by, players get more comfortable with a new system, and coaches get more familiar with the players, it passes the "eye test".  Even the losses were more competitive although going strictly by the scores it might not seem that way.  Watch the games, and you realize the point spreads when they were big in the second half of the season had to do with stretches of a series or two where the Jags gave up big plays.  Overall the Jags were competitive.  Now, with better players, another year to be comfortable with the season, you'll see them be more competitive and win more games.  It's a group that doesn't give up, that was proven in the second half of last year when they could have called it quits, they didn't.

Quote:I don't think we will ever be in the same category as GB or Pit but i do believe we are on our way to great things.

I see the Jags being more like a Patriots if we have success. Not as well liked nationally as the Packers or Steelers, but huge regionally.

Quote:I see the Jags being more like a Patriots if we have success. Not as well liked nationally as the Packers or Steelers, but huge regionally.

 

Yeah, the posts discussing wins and losses are getting away from the core point which has more to do with the fan base then what record the team has.

Quote: 


The Jaguars had a bit of fortune in the second half of the season the way things shook out, including Joe Haden going completely brain dead to allow Cecil Shorts to come WIDE open.

 

 

I'm not even much of a Cecil fan, but c'mon thats not fair. Cecil destroyed Haden on that play, and should be given proper credit. I don't care what excuse you want to tag for Haden messing up, Shorts beat him at a very important point of that game. No excuses. Cecil roasted him. 

Quote:I'm not even much of a Cecil fan, but c'mon thats not fair. Cecil destroyed Haden on that play, and should be given proper credit. I don't care what excuse you want to tag for Haden messing up, Shorts beat him at a very important point of that game. No excuses. Cecil roasted him. 

 

It was totally Haden's mistake. At a crucial point of the game he let a guy get completely away from him hoping for an INT instead of playing to win the game.

 

It's great that Shorts hauled in the pass, but that was totally on Haden.

Quote:It was totally Haden's mistake. At a crucial point of the game he let a guy get completely away from him hoping for an INT instead of playing to win the game.

 

It's great that Shorts hauled in the pass, but that was totally on Haden.

 

I'm starting to think you've got an agenda.  Just watched it, that was a great play from the QB and the receiver.

Quote:It was totally Haden's mistake. At a crucial point of the game he let a guy get completely away from him hoping for an INT instead of playing to win the game.

 

It's great that Shorts hauled in the pass, but that was totally on Haden.

 

Guess what? On scoring plays theres a winner and a loser. No excuses. Shorts destroyed him. End of story. 

 

Quote:I'm starting to think you've got an agenda.  Just watched it, that was a great play from the QB and the receiver.

 

Agreed. 

Quote:Yeah, the posts discussing wins and losses are getting away from the core point which has more to do with the fan base then what record the team has.

 

Agreed.

 

The fan base has been looking for an opportunity to become energized about this team for the past several years.  They are finally starting to see the kind of things that they want to get on board for, and there are still a few stalwarts who want to dig their heels in and dismiss anything positive involving this team.  It's almost like battered spouse syndrome.

 

Quote:I'm starting to think you've got an agenda.  Just watched it, that was a great play from the QB and the receiver.

 

Ya think?

Quote:That doesn't seem to be stopping people here from thinking the Jaguars will be better than last season, and we don't have JJ Watt and Clowney.

I think both teams will be better but I'm not expecting playoffs for either team. The texans have a better shot then us this year but I still think it's slim.

Quote:I'm starting to think you've got an agenda.  Just watched it, that was a great play from the QB and the receiver.

 

Here's the URL so anyone who cares to can look at it. http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-game-highl...down-catch

 

It's great that the Jaguars had the guts to try to win the game, but Hayden absolutely bit hard for no reason. The humorous part is at that point in the game and season Shorts was utterly ineffective and if Hayden had just played the pass defense instead of thinking he could get an INT he wouldn't have had a problem. Shorts was so slow and hobbled at that point of the season that he still barely got away.

 

In any case what was the argument about? That the Jaguars weren't fortunate to win that game? With the way Josh Gordon went off it was very fortunate for the Jaguars to squeak one out.

Quote:Huge strides?  I think we're headed in the right direction, and we are starting to get the attention of those outside of the market that the fan base here isn't nearly as bad as they've portrayed it to be over the years.  I think we actually have a very loyal core fan base that simply needed time to mature to the point where those who had other loyalties when the team was awarded to the city have been replaced by the kids who grew up in a world where there was always Jaguars football, for better or for worse.

 

The problem here has always been the perception more than the reality.  The kinds of fluctuations we've seen with ticket sales and such are the same cyclical things other markets have seen.  It is just more pronounced here because of the market size, and because of that, the big shots in the mainstream media look at Jacksonville as an afterthought.  They act almost amazed that the fans could possibly be excited about the Jaguars when the reality is the fans have always been here waiting for something to get excited about. 

 

We've been through a pretty tough stretch.  Things have improved, and should continue to do so.  Eventually, blurbs like this about the fan base will simply go away.

 

To be fair to national perspective though, we had 6,200 at a rookie mini camp which has never been done and blew away the training camp record.  So I do think there is something to this maturing which you said going on.  I can feel the energy.  It is weird, you just can tell things are different this year with excitement.  

Quote:To be fair to national perspective though, we had 6,200 at a rookie mini camp which has never been done and blew away the training camp record.  So I do think there is something to this maturing which you said going on.  I can feel the energy.  It is weird, you just can tell things are different this year with excitement.  

 

People aren't stupid...they can feel things are finally going in the right direction. Its reflective in the above numbers. 

 

If they can follow up this offseason with another one like it next year? The buzz is going to be even more.