That said, it's still a winnable game if the Jags offense picks up where it left off and the defense plays like this is week 7 and not week one. 

But that's a tall order defensively. 

 

 

Even if the defense is not fully jelled, they may still have an advantage in so much that the Packers won't have any tape on the new defense.

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'02

Even if the defense is not fully jelled, they may still have an advantage in so much that the Packers won't have any tape on the new defense.

 

Very true. Pretty hard to gameplan for almost 11 new starters on defense

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Here we gooooooo!!!!!

 

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                                                        ______________    "Must achieve this much to succeed."

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“An empty vessel makes the loudest sound, so they that have the least wit are the greatest babblers.”. - Plato

Very true. Pretty hard to gameplan for almost 11 new starters on defense

 

I'd say "sort-of" true.  They'll essentially be running the same scheme they've run since Bradley got here.  It'll just be tweaked by Wash calling the coverages.  The secondary will look a little different, but it won't be a challenge to game plan against IMO.  

 

I'm optimistic that Malik and BigSen will get some interior pressure that forces Rodgers to move around more than he wants to, but until I see this re-vamped defense make some stops on third down....  I'm gonna' have to lean toward Rodgers and company having a pretty large advantage over this Jags defensive group. 

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I think if the offense comes out blazing like it should, it will help mitigate the early mistakes out defense is going to make the first half of the season... if all goes well this is a 10-6 team division title and playoffs.... 

 

however if the offense is struggling early then yes i agree the first 4 games are looking like 1-3,0-4

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We got a good enough defense to make up for a struggling offense.

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I'm not at all conceding the home opener where players accustomed to cold, dry weather have to come to Florida in early September. Looking at the schedule, I'm banking on a 3-1 start en route to a division title.

To coin an old phrase, "I love you man!"  

 

My thoughts exactly.

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Original Season Ticket Holder - Retired  1995 - 2020


At some point you just have to let go of what you thought should happen and live in what is happening.
 

I'm not at all conceding the home opener where players accustomed to cold, dry weather have to come to Florida in early September. Looking at the schedule, I'm banking on a 3-1 start en route to a division title.

 

I hope you're right. If we look back at September later on this year and we've beaten teams like Green Bay and Baltimore, who should be fighting for play-off spots in 2016. We may have a fighting chance. 

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"What do I know of cultured ways, the gilt, the craft and the lie? I, who was born in a naked land and bred in the open sky. The subtle tongue, the sophist guile, they fail when the broadswords sing; Rush in and die, dogs - I was a man before I was a king."

It's not uncommon for temps to be in the high 80's and low 90's where the Packers train.  

The humidity is the only real difference - and if you are counting on humidity to gain some advantage over a team of  really good football players (half of whom played college ball in high humidity) then you are really grasping at straws. 

 

That said, it's still a winnable game if the Jags offense picks up where it left off and the defense plays like this is week 7 and not week one. 

But that's a tall order defensively. 

Green Bay's lows will dip into the 40s this coming week.

 

Just because where you live occasionally gets into the 90s doesn't mean you are acclimated to a climate that is in the 90s every single day.

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We got a good enough defense to make up for a struggling offense.

Go home JagFan, you're drunk.

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“An empty vessel makes the loudest sound, so they that have the least wit are the greatest babblers.”. - Plato

We got a good enough defense to make up for a struggling offense.

Oh really??? Tell me where do u hide that time traveling machine?

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Defenses don't take long to gel. They are read and react. The new talent should be seen right away.

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Defenses don't take long to gel. They are read and react. The new talent should be seen right away.

 

That's a fair point to a degree. It's still a domino effect in my eyes though. If your front four is weak, then your linebackers can be exposed. If your front seven in general is weak or one group has to overcome the weakness of the other, that's where you see a lot of mental lapses. The secondary will obviously suffer the most though. I feel like we've added a lot of talent on every aspect of defense. But the only player that we can for sure count on in my opinion is Telvin Smith. He's the only player that's stood out the most over the last two seasons. Still have to see Fowler Jr. do it. Still have to see Jackson and Marks do it. Still have to see Jack, Ramsey and the rest of the rookie class do it. When I look at Telvin Smith I don't have that fear or worry. I know he's going to play sideline to sideline and more than likely make the other guys look bad for missing an assignment that he had to recover for and save face. 

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"What do I know of cultured ways, the gilt, the craft and the lie? I, who was born in a naked land and bred in the open sky. The subtle tongue, the sophist guile, they fail when the broadswords sing; Rush in and die, dogs - I was a man before I was a king."

Counting on rookies to produce at key positions doesn't make me think "playoffs."


There's also the matter of which Tashaun Gipson shows up in September, but I'm less concerned about that one.


This team may struggle early in the season on defense.

What rookies? Myles Jack will be an OTTO this year if we're lucky.. and Jalen will probably move all around the secondary and will likely be a nickle or fill in for Prince or Davon if one of them are hurt. DE is the only key spot with a lot of youth in a 'key' position. Even then, the interior line will demand doubles, so you will get to see the DEs get 1 on 1s. I am tired of the excuses for this team. Its time to put up some wins and a lot of them. There are no more excuses. 

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I wish I could feel like the team is ready to compete, but I get the feeling that while the on the field talent is there, the head coach's office is essentially empty, and until it's filled with real talent the team will still continue to struggle.

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I wish I could feel like the team is ready to compete, but I get the feeling that while the on the field talent is there, the head coach's office is essentially empty, and until it's filled with real talent the team will still continue to struggle.

I really do not like Gus, but that doesn't change the fact that I want him to take the next step. Going off what we have seen so far, I think its fair to say he can, but will he? I honestly feel like head coach is the biggest question mark for the Jaguars now over LT and who fills Linder's spot at G. 

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Last week on Jaguars' Thursday, they had GM Dave Caldwell on as a special guest.

 

He said for the first time, they (He and Bradley) feel like they have "a fighting chance."

 

Interesting phrasing to say the least.  It speaks volumes as to not only where the roster has been, but that phrasing helps to set the benchmarks for expectations.

 

I think playoff contention is a realistic expectation for this team at this stage.

I like your optimism Bullseye, but thinking that we're a playoff caliber team this season may be overreaching. For myself, I'll be pleasantly satisfied if we can reach the 8-8 bench mark this season. If we can't make 8-8 then it's time for a change at the HC position. I think being legitimate playoff contenders is a more realistic goal for 2017 than this season. We've got excellent new talent (at least on paper) but they are nevertheless rookies and I for one don't want to raise my expectations too high as a result.

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I really do not like Gus, but that doesn't change the fact that I want him to take the next step. Going off what we have seen so far, I think its fair to say he can, but will he? I honestly feel like head coach is the biggest question mark for the Jaguars now over LT and who fills Linder's spot at G. 

 

I really want him to take the next step, too, but what are you talking about when you say it's fair to say he can from what we've seen? So far we've seen nothing good out of the guy at all. He's been a complete loser and hasn't shown any ability to coach up the half of the team that he's supposed to have an intimate knowledge of. He's so incompetent he couldn't even tell that Jedd Fisch was complete garbage as an OC. I really feel like he got lucky hitting on Olsen at OC.

 

If we see something definitively positive from Gus this year it will be the first time we've seen that.

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I wish I could feel like the team is ready to compete, but I get the feeling that while the on the field talent is there, the head coach's office is essentially empty, and until it's filled with real talent the team will still continue to struggle.

 

Often, after reading one of your posts, I have this mental image of your father accusing your mother of infidelity.....

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Sitich...

 

I can understand your concern and skepticism.

 

But consider:

 

1.  Before adding Malik Jackson, Tayshaun Gipson, Prince Amukumara, Ivory, Ramsey, Jack, Ngakoue, Day, et al, last year's team was close to going 8-8 as is.  The first Indy game was lost by our kicker.  The Tampa game was lost by horrific punt cover teams and a freak fumble by Grant that managed to lose 19 yards before being recovered at the 1.  The Jets game was winnable, along with two others lost basically because we couldn't manage a shotgun snap.  We had the lead going into the 4th quarter against Houston in the first game.  If we just split those games listed above, we go 8-8.

 

2.  This year, our offense will have schematic continuity, experience, and talent for the first time since JDR and Koetter.  I think that will make a difference in Bortles decision making.

 

3.  Most of the guys we added, to say nothing of having a healthy Fowler, substantially upgrades the position they play from last year.  Jackson is better than Marks still fresh off the ACL and certainly better than Alualu.  Gipson may well be the best FS this team has had since Deon Grant.  Amukumara at 3rd CB is better and more consistent than Colvin, when healthy.  Ivory was one of the AFC's leading rushers last year.  Even if you assume Yeldon is better and starts, the bottom line is this year, our 2nd team RB will be at least as good as our starter last year.  If Ramsey and Jack are who we think they are and healthy, can you think of any of their Jaguars predecessors who were better or more athletic? 

 

Is my outlook optimistic?  Perhaps.  But not without basis.

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Worst to 1st.  Curse Reversed!