(10-16-2017, 06:12 PM)Bullseye Wrote: Perhaps out of eagerness to move on from a disappointing loss, perhaps just to pass the time, here are some thoughts that crossed my mind.

1.  I'm not going full blown advocacy here, but I am asking the question:  should Henne be this team's QB?  I ask because when Bortles was named the starter, his mobility to avoid the rush was cited as the main justification for naming him the starter.  However, this past game notwithstanding, protection hasn't been a problem.  Bortles has been sacked ten (10) times in six (6)
games.  Prior to yesterday, Bortles had been sacked once a game.  Assuming the game yesterday represents an aberration, this will be one of the best years in team history in terms of QB sacks allowed.  His penalties yesterday aside, we seem to have a good pass blocking LT in Robinson.  If you assume that the concern about protection has been alleviated, does Henne's ability to attack downfield overcome Bortles' mobility at this point?

Absolutely not. We saw in the Ravens game when Henne came in for a couple snaps that he was instantly overwhelmed. It doesn't matter that Henne has a nicer deep strike because he's too scared to use it.

2.  Calais Campbell has to be the best immediate impact free agent this team has signed this side of Keenan McCardell.  He is on a pace to shatter this team's single season sack record, long held by Tony Brackens.  He is currently second in the league in sacks with 8, a half sack behind the leader, and seemingly has been a great leader in the locker room and a mentor to Fowler and Ngakoue..  Not bad for a 30 year old.  We can't undo the Hugh Douglas fiasco, but Campbell makes you think you CAN get significant help in free agency.

Campbell's presence lifts the entire DL to a much higher level. There's no reason he should not make the Pro Bowl.

3.  As frustrating and maddening as this team's up one week, down the next consistent inconsistency, we're still likely in a 3 way tie for first place by the end of the night.  In my estimation, that's much better than the numbness and apathy that comes with the 0-6 territory this team has too frequently trod over the past few seasons.  Make no mistake, this team can do better than it has thus far, and I will be disappointed if they don't do better as the season wears on, but it has proven it has done far worse.

Looking at what appears to be an extremely easy schedule, I feel like we're in good shape and are on the verge of finally stacking wins together. Hopefully they're realizing that after a win, they still need to find new ways to do things because the next opponent is studying that tape intensely. We have to get over the mindset of "it worked last week."

4.  While I think Ngakoue had some nice pressures, he disappeared yesterday.  Hopefully he won't appear on any milk cartons after the Indy game, instead making huge impact the way he has earlier in the season.

I'm not worried about Ngakoue just yet. Andrew Whitworth has been doing this a long, long time and understands how to combat every DE trick and move.

5.  Speaking of Indy, there are some who do not expect Luck to return until later in the season.  Others believe he may come back sooner.  Luck has been reportedly running the scout team this week, and there was talk he would make his debut week

I've been hearing for weeks now that he'll make his debut vs the Jaguars.

6.  Considering the Jaguars' offensive struggles and the defense's inability to stop the run, I think if he's healthy, starting Luck against the Jaguars would might not be a bad idea for Indy.  Because the Jaguars offense is so limited, we likely will not score a lot of points, absent turnovers.  Because the team can't stop the run, Luck may not be under a lot of pressure to shoulder the burden by himself (no pun intended).  Combined, there may not be much pressure on him to pull off the impossible.  Now should the Colts fall behind, or if his arm shows to be significantly weaker than it was and he throws a pick or two, look out!

Hopefully he's rusty as can be, or in not, that the Jaguars defense makes him look as rusty as can be.

7.  Watching Myers kick gives me far greater appreciation for Hollis and Scobee.  Hell, he almost makes me appreciate Hayden freaking Epstien.

Epstien is pushing it.

8.  Last year it was Chris Ivery.  This year it is Linder.  What are these mystery illnesses afflicting key members of our team?

Good question. I wish they'd be more open about what's going on. When I first saw "illness" I never guessed it would cost Linder two games.

9.  A couple of weeks ago, FT compared this defense to the Manning era Colts.  Since he made that comparison, it seems frighteningly accurate.  If this team gets a lead, it can rush the passer.  Like those Colts defenses, this team can not stop the run.  But with the exception of a healthy Bob Sanders, our secondary is far superior to that secondary and forces far more turnovers.  For that matter, our LBs are much better against the pass.

If we're facing a weaker OL, the Jaguars are likely winning. But when we fact a team with a great OL like the Titans, suddenly we're not getting to the passer and we're getting run on easiliy. The Jets and Rams failed to hold off our pass rushers or pass the ball effectively, but they were controlling our DL in the run game. At times the Jets were straight mauling our DL.

10.  While the crowd size was disappointing, there is hope in that the team, while inconsistent, is improving, and there were lots of kids there.  However, the team will have to pull off some wins at home to capture the next generation of Jaguars fans.

Jags need a true hometown hero to step up.

11.  This past offseason/preseason, I was advocating the team retain Allen Robinson and Marqise Lee in free agency at the cost of potentially losing Telvin Smith and Aaron Colvin.  I thought they (Robinson and Lee) were part of a group that represented a team strength, and considering Westbrook's off field concerns, it would be prudent to hedge our bets against him flaming out.  However, as this season has unfolded, based upon the level of play and the impact if the players involved, I am now inclined to keep Telvin Smith and Aaron Colvin and let Marqise Lee walk.  Lee has had minimal impact this year, while Smith and Colvin is part of a pass defense that looks special.

Do we have to let someone walk?

12.  I still have the nagging sense we should have taken advantage of the talent and depth in this past draft's TE class.  It would be nice to have someone faster than Lewis and more reliable than Koyack and O'Shaughnesy to be a security blanket and command coverage over the middle.

We all know the injury to ARob was HUGE and that it's taking it's toll, but so the injury to Michael Rivera.