Quote:I'm not a Gus defender, but I think this statement is unfair.  His first two years, we couldn't expect much and I feel like every fan I spoke with agreed with that, so those were not "*absolutely zero excuses"* years.  Those first two years were overflowing with excuses. 

 

This year was the first one where we expected the Jags were supposed to turn the corner (though personally I expected 6-10), so if anything next year would be the second zero excuses year.

I didn't say anything about the first 2 being zero excuse years. Anybody with a little bit of sense knows this team was complete garbage when they took over and they completely tore the team apart for a rebuild. I'm not too concerned about what they did those first two years.

 

Before this season started, I figured a 6-10 record while not being completely blown out in 1/2 of the games, would keep Gus' job. After the way this season played out and how we were handed such an easy schedule, full of injured teams and back up QBs. 6 wins should have been very easy to achieve.

 

I like Gus, but this team just cannot get out of it's own way. It's something different every week it seems, but we almost never fail to screw it up somehow. There's only so much blame to go around before there's only 1 thing left to point at. Coaching, as we all know and we all hear about after a loss. I know it isn't all Gus and it's unfair to pile all of the blame on him, but guys have come and gone from this roster, yet the same stupid mistakes seem to keep happening.

 

They preach patience and say Gus is safe for another year. Obviously they aren't going to throw him under the bus, so we'll have to wait until the end of the season to see if they really mean it. Personally, I believe they do. We can see blatant signs of this team improving and this team is not void of talent like a lot of people might think.

 

Last year people wanted Fisch gone because it was clear he was in over his head at the NFL level. Boom, Fisch fired and in comes Olson. Our Offense actually looks like a real Offense now (most of the time anyways). This season its the Defense and Babich's head everybody wants. If they do indeed tend to keep Gus, I think Gus will make the decision to either go after a new DC in the off season, or take over the DC himself.

 

Personally, I'd like to see him take full control of the Defense himself, since he's suppose to be a Defensive guru or something like that. But at the same time, can he be a HC and run the D at the same time? We've seen some of his blunders while just trying to manage the game as the HC.

 

I agree with you saying that this current season should have been the no excuses year, seeing as it's year 3. Some of the things that costed us games this year, he absolutely had no control over though. Myers missing multiple game winning kicks against the colts and this past week against the tacks instantly come to mind. Nobody expected Wiz to try and play long snapper and try to snap the ball 4 rows into the crowd.

 

My whole point with saying that next year would be his official zero excuses year, because it would be exactly that. It's not going to matter next year if it's him screwing up, or the players. Every coach gets to a certain point where you better win, no matter what, or else. If Gus gets another year, which again, I think they'll stay true to him for one more year. This team better really be pushing for the Division title and playoffs. And not in the running because the Division leader only has 4-5 wins again like this season.

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