(06-18-2022, 08:24 PM)TheLeadCommander Wrote: (06-18-2022, 06:43 PM)RicoTx Wrote: So we want to know how units are playing before even a pre-season game is played and there are several new starters. Makes sense to me.
Makes complete sense it's discussed every year...You must be new to the game Huh?
(06-18-2022, 08:24 PM)RCGP Wrote: Lawrence beat Wentz in the last game they both played so...
So Lawrence is better based on that Gotcha...
So if I understand you...
you expect fans of a team that has had one (1) winning season in the last fourteen (14)-none since 2017-with the worst record in the league the past two seasons, and four head coaches in the last three years (Marrone, Meyer, Bevell, now Pederson) to give you lengthy and intelligent discourse on where we're better than any other team before Pederson has had any chance beyond OTAs to implement the new schemes?
Are you
that desperate to feel good about the Commanders?
The most any of us could do at this point is speculate about what our strengths might be, much less what they might be as compared to Washington.
Trevor Lawrence was widely thought be most observers to be the best QB prospect to come along since Andrrew Luck. The complete nightmare that was the situation he found himself last year appears to have been mitigated to some degree. He is no longer a rookie. He is not playing under quite possibly the worst head coach in NFL history and certainly the worst since Rich Kotite and Gus Bradley and replaced by a Super bowl winning coach in Doug Pederson, who was a former NFL QB who has a history of success developing quality QBs and offenses. We appear to have better skill players than we had last year. Travis Etienne appears to be healthy, and if he remains healthy, he'll add an element of explosiveness to the offense. We should be better at TE than we were before with Evan Engram who actually once made a Pro Bowl while he played in your division, and he'll play in a scheme installed by Pederson, who has proven effective in utilizing TEs in the past. Last year, our most explosive WR was arguably Agnew, who was a DB and kick returner in Detroit before coming here. His hands and routes were suspect before he suffered a season ending hip injury. Our best WR was Marvin Jones, who was 32 last year and historically has been a #2 WR at best. Former busts we got from other teams off the street in mid-season like LaQuon Treadwell and Tavon Austin got tons of playing time last year, and the results were not pretty. We now have Christian Kirk and Zay Jones.. While neither are world beaters, they should be more consistent than the group we had last year. Our offensive line has been horrid since 2018. We signed your former G Scherff this offseason, lost our longtime C in Brandon Linder, and we have a competition at RT between a guy who has proven to be lousy at pass protection and a guy who has two starts after missing most of the last two college seasons of his career due to injury and Covid.
I believe potentially, our defense has the chance to be a real strength for this team. It's our second year running a 3-4, but our first under first year Def coord Mike Caldwell, who came from Tampa. We already had Josh Allen, who is a good edge rusher. We added 5 LBs to him-2 vets and 3 rookies. Vets, Foye Oluakon (ILB) (Atlanta) and Arden Key (LV Edge) should add some instinctiveness inside and upgrade depth (key over Chaisson outside). But I'm most excited about the rookies, even with the apprehension about #1 overall pick Travon Walker. It seems throughout his career, LB Myles Jack had no shortage of athleticism for us, but did not play very instinctively most oif the time. The closest parallel I could draw for your team is Jamon Davis last year. I think Devin Lloyd and Chad Muma are athletic and instinctive.
Our secondary could also be pretty good. Our second round pick last year started slowly but sarted playing very well from midseason on. Don't think he'll go through the rookie struggles he did last year. I think one of our safeties will be upgraded from last year, as as Andre Cisco should take over for Wingard.
Does this mean any of these units are better than their contemporaries on Washington, or does that mean they are capable of winning their matchups against the Washington offense? Way way way too soon to say. Keep in mind, all of these guys were picked by Trent Baalke, a guy who has very little confidence among Jaguars fans. Most wanted him gone at the end of last season.
I get you may be thirsty for some quality football discussion. I am too. But at this early stage of the season (we haven't even opened training camp), you are asking the impossible of posters here. We have no idea how well this coaching staff will be able to develop players-even assuming Baalke signed the right guys. Compared to Washington, who has had coaching and schematic continuity for a few years, the Jaguars offer nothing of the sort. There's no baseline for us to begin to compare. We can't even attend training camp this year because we're getting new facilities perhaps the one good thing Urban Meyer may have done for this team. In aggregate, you won't find a similar dynamic anywhere else in the league.
If you truly want to have a more detailed discussion from us, come back here after the preseason. Even that would be difficult, but under the circumstances, it's the best any of us can do. Until then, I suggest you watch the preseason like the rest of us. NFL Network has a few training camp reports. The Jaguars will play in the Hall of Fame game on August 4. It will be a nationally televised game. But be forewarned the usual preseason caveats apply, in addition to the stuff outlined above.
If you want to be able to thump your chest about Washington's superiority under THESE circumstances, do it elsewhere. Don't wast our time.
Worst to 1st. Curse Reversed!
