(12-07-2020, 12:08 AM)mal234 Wrote:

(12-06-2020, 11:53 PM)flsprtsgod Wrote: No, once the trust is lost it's lost. And how can you say he didn't give him his full support? He benched Foles and put him back in mid-game. He went into this season with him as the undisputed starter. He kept him in when it was pretty clear something wasn't right. Then we find out that GM15 wasn't truthful about his physical condition? No, I really don't blame Marrone for staying away at that point, Gardner burned himself.

Gardner not disclosing his thumb injury is not the worst thing in the world, especially in a league where players play with injuries like cracked ribs. Players conceal injuries/try to play through them all of the time. Yet it's supposed to unforgivable when Gardner does it? I don't agree with that. I believe that Doug is using that, because for whatever reasons he's never bought in on Gardner, going all the way back to last year. And no I don't think that he has ever really given him his full support. Benching him very quickly after his first rough game last year, when he had the team at .500.(And ended up being the only QB that got wins for the Jags last year) And mentioning earlier this year that he would consider benching Gardner. And mind you this was before he knew about Gardner's thumb injury. Even though Gardner stats were decent and a big problem in the Jags losses was the defense giving up a lot of points. 

Even when the offensive played competitively. Heck, I posted a thread about that, that's somewhere on these forums, lol. Him talking about benching Gardner is probably one of the biggest reasons why Gardner concealed the injury in the first place. He knew his job was on the line and he didn't have the full support of his coach. If Gardner felt more comfortable about his job status, (even if just for this season) maybe he doesn't do that. Plus, he's young and competitive... I'm not saying it was the best decision, but I get why he did it. 

And Doug initially said he that he got it too. And that he wouldn't punish Gardner. But it looks like that's what he's doing. Gardner has been punished enough. He has sat out/will sit out as a healthy scratch for at least three games. That's enough. And I don't know of many coaches that would bench their best option at QB, if they were really trying to win games. Unless they did something really egregious, and I don't think that the thumb injury falls into that category. 

But Doug has decided to continue to make this move. And I wonder if it will end up backfiring in some manner. Just like benching Gardner last year, ended up doing. Either way, I hope the team ends up with a better coaching staff next year.