(03-22-2022, 09:45 AM)JagFan81 Wrote: Its a very good question Bullseye and one i think people need to think about. The AFC took a step up again this year and its going to be a real fight pretty much every week. 

For me, i know in recent years the formula has been get a rookie QB then spend big on cap everywhere else on the roster while you have the rookie QB contract and hope you build a championship team. We havent been able to do that as the roster we had when we got Lawrence wasa dumpster fire and then we had Meyer waste a year. The one thing Pederson said that i liked most was this year was about improving the roster and improving the players we have and i think thats the path for us. I know its not exciting and may take another year or two to show those results but we arent a good draft or FA signing away from making a deep run.

I very much like the additions we made in FA and think the draft picks will improve us and Pederson and his system and coaches will improve us so i think there are things to be excited about. I felt so sorry for Lawrence at times last year as the kid was trying so damn hard and everything around him was conspiring against him. This is a fresh start with a HC who was a QB and i think we see more of the real Trevor Lawrence this year.

If the D can start getting stops and scoring points and getting turnovers we may shock a few teams and it will be good experience playing stronger teams to see where the bar we have to reach is now.

I totally agree that the AFC as a whole has taken a huge step up from top to bottom over the past few years.  Most teams have their QBs of the present, and most of them are in their early primes.    Sadly, I can't recall who on the board made this astute observation (apologies to that individual), but he stated our way of making the playoffs is to win the division.  If Trevor Lawrence makes the improvement this year thanks in part to Pederson's coaching and better personnel, it's possible that the games against division opponents will represent the games most likely to feature the Jaguars with an edge at QB.  Though he has performed decently in their system with Henry running the ball, I don't think the tacks really trust Tannehill.  Worse for them, their offensive line can't seem to pass block worth anything.  Although the Colts just traded for Matt Ryan and he is still viewed favorably around the league, the Colts still need a LT to protect him and receivers to which to throw.  Furthermore, he is...what...36-37 years old and coming off one of the worst seasons in his career.  He may be an improvement over last years' performance by Wentz, he still does not represent their long term answer at QB, and in another year or so, they'll be looking for his replacement.  Davis Mills was a pleasant surprise for the Texans, and the Texans have a bunch of picks over the next three seasons in the aftermath of the Watson trade.  But few actually think he'll be better than Trevor Lawrence being coached by Pederson, much less anywhere close to Watson.

That said, even with that possible roadmap, it wn't be easy under most reasonable expectations, even if our division has the worst QBs in the AFC.  Tennessee owns us until we prove otherwise, as Henry embarrasses us like no other RB has.  Houston isn't far behind, though at least on paper last year we had the better team.  We have had success against the Colts, but fron 1-53, they have the most talented roster in the division.

Bottom line, it's going to be an absolute fight for teams in the AFC to reach the playoffs because of all of the quality QBs.

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