Things are a bit boring in JagsLand until OTAs get started so I thought I'd seek opinions on what the Jags offense needs to put it over the top this season.
Despite all of the folks throwing around the notions of Bortles or Fournette "leading" the Jags to victories last season in a division title year, it was primarily a defensive effort that enabled the postseason opportunities.
Of the 10 regular season wins in 2017 - 8 of them came when the defense allowed 10 points or less by the opponent.
With that in perspective, I'd like you to focus on the various elements of the offense and choose one (or more) that you think are the best elements to bring the offensive performance closer to that of the defensive.
There are several options in the poll. Please feel free to list others or expound on your vote or non-vote.
(You may vote for two options.)
An outrage, I needed more votes for blank #2 or corn! Also, basically run blocking , QB accuracy, and receivers actually catching the ball. We do all that we can beat anyone.
Blake plays well. Jags win.
Blake plays poorly. Jags lose.
He needs more stretches like the 3 late in the season and less games like the SD and both Titans games.
Y'all do know that it was the offense that gave the defensive side of the ball the lead in order for them to be at their best too right?
(05-20-2018, 03:43 PM)Cleatwood Wrote: [ -> ]Blake plays well. Jags win.
Blake plays poorly. Jags lose.
He needs more stretches like the 3 late in the season and less games like the SD and both Titans games.
This. I feel like Blakes best game ever might be the one vs Seattle.
I'm hoping Blake will cash in on having continuity this offseason into the pre-season and then the season. He has had a bit of instability in multiple parts of his preparation as coaches and football operations sent mixed messages. I think the OLine was improved last year but more strides in the trenches will help push the team forward as we face that daunted 1st place schedule.
(05-20-2018, 04:21 PM)leopold332002 Wrote: [ -> ]Y'all do know that it was the offense that gave the defensive side of the ball the lead in order for them to be at their best too right?
You do realize that this team only won 3 games when the defense allowed more than 10 right?
(05-20-2018, 04:44 PM)Cleatwood Wrote: [ -> ] (05-20-2018, 04:21 PM)leopold332002 Wrote: [ -> ]Y'all do know that it was the offense that gave the defensive side of the ball the lead in order for them to be at their best too right?
You do realize that this team only won 3 games when the defense allowed more than 10 right?
I promise you I do realize that but same time it's not like the team were winning games with the scores of 10 to 7 every week. They were 5th in scoring offense and take out the occasional defensive scores which was 8 the offense was 11th in the league which is pretty good. I'm not saying the offense don't need to improve on some things but let's not act like it was an anchor to the team and the defense was winning despite their contribution on that side of the ball.
(05-20-2018, 05:02 PM)leopold332002 Wrote: [ -> ] (05-20-2018, 04:44 PM)Cleatwood Wrote: [ -> ]You do realize that this team only won 3 games when the defense allowed more than 10 right?
I promise you I do realize that but same time it's not like the team were winning games with the scores of 10 to 7 every week. They were 5th in scoring offense and take out the occasional defensive scores which was 8 the offense was 11th in the league which is pretty good. I'm not saying the offense don't need to improve on some things but let's not act like it was an anchor to the team and the defense was winning despite their contribution on that side of the ball.
The number of games that the defense played at a "championship level" vs the number of games that the offense played at a "championship level" was tilted pretty strongly toward the defensive unit being the more complete unit.
I fail to see a debate there.
This thread is about what the offense needs to do to catch up. It's not about defending Bortles or the offense. Nor is it about demonizing them.
The offense was capable and sometimes even great in 2017, but generally just too inconsistent and unable to put away games a few too many times.
If you have an opinion on how this offense could level up to match the defense, please express it.
(05-20-2018, 06:11 PM)NYC4jags Wrote: [ -> ] (05-20-2018, 05:02 PM)leopold332002 Wrote: [ -> ]I promise you I do realize that but same time it's not like the team were winning games with the scores of 10 to 7 every week. They were 5th in scoring offense and take out the occasional defensive scores which was 8 the offense was 11th in the league which is pretty good. I'm not saying the offense don't need to improve on some things but let's not act like it was an anchor to the team and the defense was winning despite their contribution on that side of the ball.
The number of games that the defense played at a "championship level" vs the number of games that the offense played at a "championship level" was tilted pretty strongly toward the defensive unit being the more complete unit.
I fail to see a debate there.
This thread is about what the offense needs to do to catch up. It's not about defending Bortles or the offense. Nor is it about demonizing them.
The offense was capable and sometimes even great in 2017, but generally just too inconsistent and unable to put away games a few too many times.
If you have an opinion on how this offense could level up to match the defense, please express it.
I guess you didn't read my last post because if so you would have seen me say that the offense has to improve on some things overall. I know I have a reputation of being a Blake Bortles apologist and that's fine because I made my bed on that situation. However, my reply wasn't about the offense being flawless but the offense overall wasn't a detriment to this team and as a result, we should be okay with it. I'm asking you and others not to just get defensive on anytime I make a comment on here and disregard the message itself because if y'all read my post objectively, you will see the rationale in my comments on this situation.
What I'm trying to say is that there's very few if not no teams in NFL history has a team where both sides of the ball was Elite. In addition, on most Super Bowl championship teams it was always one side that was Elite and the other side of ball was just good enough to maintain balance which is our current situation.
Bottom line is both sides of the ball don't have to be perfect for us to be NFL champions in the salary cap era. All I'm hoping for is we as a franchise just need to be playing good enough on both sides of the ball at the right time and we will accomplish our goal of being Super Bowl champs.
(05-20-2018, 07:17 PM)leopold332002 Wrote: [ -> ] (05-20-2018, 06:11 PM)NYC4jags Wrote: [ -> ]The number of games that the defense played at a "championship level" vs the number of games that the offense played at a "championship level" was tilted pretty strongly toward the defensive unit being the more complete unit.
I fail to see a debate there.
This thread is about what the offense needs to do to catch up. It's not about defending Bortles or the offense. Nor is it about demonizing them.
The offense was capable and sometimes even great in 2017, but generally just too inconsistent and unable to put away games a few too many times.
If you have an opinion on how this offense could level up to match the defense, please express it.
I guess you didn't read my last post because if so you would have seen me say that the offense has to improve on some things overall. I know I have a reputation of being a Blake Bortles apologist and that's fine because I made my bed on that situation. However, my reply wasn't about the offense being flawless but the offense overall wasn't a detriment to this team and as a result, we should be okay with it. I'm asking you and others not to just get defensive on anytime I make a comment on here and disregard the message itself because if y'all read my post objectively, you will see the rationale in my comments on this situation.
What I'm trying to say is that there's very few if not no teams in NFL history has a team where both sides of the ball was Elite. In addition, on most Super Bowl championship teams it was always one side that was Elite and the other side of ball was just good enough to maintain balance which is our current situation.
Bottom line is both sides of the ball don't have to be perfect for us to be NFL champions in the salary cap era. All I'm hoping for is we as a franchise just need to be playing good enough on both sides of the ball at the right time and we will accomplish our goal of being Super Bowl champs.
So, basically you have no opinion on improving the Jags' offense beyond "we should be okay with it."
I'm not okay with it, but I'm a bit of a perfectionist I guess.
(05-20-2018, 07:27 PM)NYC4jags Wrote: [ -> ] (05-20-2018, 07:17 PM)leopold332002 Wrote: [ -> ]I guess you didn't read my last post because if so you would have seen me say that the offense has to improve on some things overall. I know I have a reputation of being a Blake Bortles apologist and that's fine because I made my bed on that situation. However, my reply wasn't about the offense being flawless but the offense overall wasn't a detriment to this team and as a result, we should be okay with it. I'm asking you and others not to just get defensive on anytime I make a comment on here and disregard the message itself because if y'all read my post objectively, you will see the rationale in my comments on this situation.
What I'm trying to say is that there's very few if not no teams in NFL history has a team where both sides of the ball was Elite. In addition, on most Super Bowl championship teams it was always one side that was Elite and the other side of ball was just good enough to maintain balance which is our current situation.
Bottom line is both sides of the ball don't have to be perfect for us to be NFL champions in the salary cap era. All I'm hoping for is we as a franchise just need to be playing good enough on both sides of the ball at the right time and we will accomplish our goal of being Super Bowl champs.
So, basically you have no opinion on improving the Jags' offense beyond "we should be okay with it."
I'm not okay with it, but I'm a bit of a perfectionist I guess.
If you want my opinion on how we can improve the offense it goes by play calling first and then I truly hope that the offensive line is dominant enough where we can run the ball whenever we feel it necessary. I'm just saying the offense don't have to be elite like the defense for us to be NFL champions and long as the offense is not a detriment I think we would be fine.
(05-20-2018, 07:30 PM)leopold332002 Wrote: [ -> ] (05-20-2018, 07:27 PM)NYC4jags Wrote: [ -> ]So, basically you have no opinion on improving the Jags' offense beyond "we should be okay with it."
I'm not okay with it, but I'm a bit of a perfectionist I guess.
If you want my opinion on how we can improve the offense it goes by play calling first and then I truly hope that the offensive line is dominant enough where we can run the ball whenever we feel it necessary. I'm just saying the offense don't have to be elite like the defense for us to be NFL champions and long as the offense is not a detriment I think we would be fine.
Uh, yeah, I think the poll and original post were incredibly clear that this was the entire point of the thread.
(05-20-2018, 07:53 PM)NYC4jags Wrote: [ -> ] (05-20-2018, 07:30 PM)leopold332002 Wrote: [ -> ]If you want my opinion on how we can improve the offense it goes by play calling first and then I truly hope that the offensive line is dominant enough where we can run the ball whenever we feel it necessary. I'm just saying the offense don't have to be elite like the defense for us to be NFL champions and long as the offense is not a detriment I think we would be fine.
Uh, yeah, I think the poll and original post were incredibly clear that this was the entire point of the thread.
Well I hope my last reply had met your expectations but to be sarcastic towards me when it's not necessary can come across a certain way. I don't think that was the case with you because we cleared the air on that conversation before but I was just offering my opinion on the situation Jaguar related and I hope you and others can respect it if y'all don't agree with me.
(05-20-2018, 08:07 PM)leopold332002 Wrote: [ -> ] (05-20-2018, 07:53 PM)NYC4jags Wrote: [ -> ]Uh, yeah, I think the poll and original post were incredibly clear that this was the entire point of the thread.
Well I hope my last reply had met your expectations but to be sarcastic towards me when it's not necessary can come across a certain way. I don't think that was the case with you because we cleared the air on that conversation before but I was just offering my opinion on the situation Jaguar related and I hope you and others can respect it if y'all don't agree with me.
All opinions respected and welcome. Was just trying to get to the point. No offense intended.
Has to be QB play, right? I'm hoping that Bortles having a second year under the same system and coordinator for the first time in his career goes a long way towards strengthening that.
More creativity in the run game would lead to more success as a unit.
Its all about Bortles. Just like Brees, Brady, Rivers, and all the other QBs.
Its always about the most critical and important position in all of pro sports, the QB.
Bort needs to be just a little bit better this year. And I hope we get the same defensive effort as last year. I dont see Campbell having another stud year like 2017. But double digit sacks from Campbell, Yannick, and Fowler should do the trick.
And of course our leader, Telvin Smith.
(05-21-2018, 06:44 AM)JagFanatic24 Wrote: [ -> ]Its all about Bortles. Just like Brees, Brady, Rivers, and all the other QBs.
Its always about the most critical and important position in all of pro sports, the QB.
Bort needs to be just a little bit better this year. And I hope we get the same defensive effort as last year. I dont see Campbell having another stud year like 2017. But double digit sacks from Campbell, Yannick, and Fowler should do the trick.
And of course our leader, Telvin Smith.
I wouldn't even say better. Just consistent. Jets, Rams, Chargers, Cardinals, Titans x2, and heck even the Cleveland and Pitt games. Thats half the season. The defense is not going to score 8 TDs again next year so we need more consistency from the QB and the Oline. I'm not worried about play calling at all. I think they trust Blake more this upcoming season than they did last year which will allow them to open it up more. They have better weapons across the board too which will obviously help.
(05-20-2018, 06:11 PM)NYC4jags Wrote: [ -> ] (05-20-2018, 05:02 PM)leopold332002 Wrote: [ -> ]I promise you I do realize that but same time it's not like the team were winning games with the scores of 10 to 7 every week. They were 5th in scoring offense and take out the occasional defensive scores which was 8 the offense was 11th in the league which is pretty good. I'm not saying the offense don't need to improve on some things but let's not act like it was an anchor to the team and the defense was winning despite their contribution on that side of the ball.
The number of games that the defense played at a "championship level" vs the number of games that the offense played at a "championship level" was tilted pretty strongly toward the defensive unit being the more complete unit.
I fail to see a debate there.
This thread is about what the offense needs to do to catch up. It's not about defending Bortles or the offense. Nor is it about demonizing them.
The offense was capable and sometimes even great in 2017, but generally just too inconsistent and unable to put away games a few too many times.
If you have an opinion on how this offense could level up to match the defense, please express it.
I see three things needed for the offense to get closer to the defense in terms of effectiveness.
1. Bortles needs to continue the level of play he displayed lare last season. Generally speaking, during that stretch, Bortles took care of the ball, didn't force anything, and attacked downfield. With another year in this offense, Bortles should be able to continue.
2. The receivers need to step up. It was amazing Bortles was able to produce as he did given the loss of Robinson and the reliance of lowly drafted or undrafted rookies. But the youngsters played well. Despite starting only 6 games or so, Cole caught pases for over 700 yards. Westbrook played well too. Now both have been in the offense and league a full year. They added Chark, who should be able to stretch the field. But the biggest key might be ASJ. He has the physical ability to at least be a security blanket for Bortles over the middle, and likely more, if he is sober.
3. The O line must run block more consistently. Last year, the pass blocking gave Bortles very good protection. However, despite the team leading the league in rushing, there were games, most notably the AFC title game, where the run game struggled. Norwell should help in that area, but better run blocking will leave Bortles in better down and distance situations, not asking him to do the impossible. That translates to better performance from Bortles, and when needed, more control of games by Fournette.