Jacksonville Jaguars Mailbag: Answering Your Biggest Bye Week Questions

Jacksonville Jaguars Mailbag: Answering Your Biggest Bye Week Questions

Here come. [Music] Ladies and gentlemen, welcome once again to the Duvall dive. Of course, I am Kyle Nash, the student of the game, and I’m Travis Holmes with Bcatcountry.com. Of course, you’re listening to this thing on the Believe Podcast Network. Gentlemen, ladies, Duvall devout, Duvall Divers, welcome in. I know it’s the bye, but we weren’t going to leave you hanging. And listen, I love those giving us flowers for it. Carlos Reyes in the comments early on, thanks for content during the bye-week. We would not leave you hanging, Preston. Come on. I know it’s a long week and a half. We were not going to leave you hanging there, too. No, I will give you credit. I don’t know who Robbie is, but I see you in there opening the comment stream before the show starts and all about that live from you guys. Um, Radius, I see you in the comments here. We’re going to touch on a question you sent in. We’re not going to quote it directly, Radius, but you did mention something about firstear staff in uh the offensive coordinator Kevin Udiski, in the uh in in your questions. It’s going to be wrapped up as part of a lot of the stuff we’re doing here. But, uh, if you saw the thumbnail, I want to lead with this before we overanalyze and and and and get completely nuts. Uh, the the general theme of this episode, Travis, such as uh, as it is, is we got a lot of questions. Um, of course, we got a lot of Trevor questions. No surprises. We got a lot of Travis Hunter questions. Of course, we did because Travis Hunter is awesome. We got a lot of questions about the first year coaching staff. And so I thought the best move was to address all of that here with all of you tonight live. The part where we have seen good, bad, ugly, otherwise, not a whole lot of ugly to be honest, but um as the Duvall devout lose their collective minds, this team’s already better. Just like the thumbnail, this team’s already better. Travis, I want to remind the Duval develop. No, no, no. You set the bar high. You don’t want to just be better than a four- win team, brother. I hear you. Yeah. Especially when you’re in the awkward position of having to Photoshop yourself in a Seattle outfit, even though trash is being talked on you by Rams, staff, whatever. Shout out to Aaron Coelli, entire dragon. Um, but yeah, understand I I’m going to do audience participation with just you, Travis. Travis, what’s the Jags record right now? I believe they are four and three if my eyes serve me correctly. Four and three. So they have won precisely one game more then they’ve lost. Correct. Correct. At four and three. Four and three. Seven games. There’s 10 left. All they have to do in the weaker part of the schedule is win just two more games. then they losing the rest of the time. I know I’m channeling my inner Cam Newton. I just don’t have a hat as crazy as him. But can somebody tell me why that’s so damn impossible in your minds? Well, I think the I think it just I don’t think it’s impossible in most people’s minds. I think the fact of the matter is Well, keep going. I’m sorry. I’m just I’m passionate about that part. Go ahead. I I don’t think that that I don’t think that I think the bar has been raised and I actually give folks credit for raising the bar, right? Because let’s be real. How about that? Yeah, let’s be real about it. The Jacksonville Jaguar fans have for a very long time throughout their history just been like, “Hey man, just give me just stop embarrassing me. Just don’t embarrass me in front of my family and friends.” Like, it’s been to a point where it’s been to a point where just you hit your mute. So, I’m going to land a plane with this. Okay, here’s the thing. I get that there’s the raised stakes, but six and four is all you need for the playoffs and people panicking. Yep. I don’t understand. Oh, no. No. And sorry, I muted my muted myself. Unplugged the mic. Um, man, preacher, too. Oh, snap. The Jaguar fan base has been beat up over a history of like these teams just not not playing to the level that they deserve. Like, let’s just be real about that. Like, if you know anything about the history, you have the 2017 season and you’re like, “Oh, yeah, we’re up here.” And then it just crashes the next season. Or you have 2022 and then it just crashes the or I mean, hell, the first half of 2023 and then it just crashed at the end of the season. So, I can understand folks having that PTSD and the past two weeks give you that negative uh taste that like that that negative vibe of all right, we thought we were really really good in those first four games and these last two weeks have felt like a gut punch and they just want and and they’re just nervous about what this is because the bar has absolutely been raised from just saying, “All right, guys, just just be, you know, one game below 500, be an eight- win g eight win team to, oh no, I think this is a truly a playoff roster. I think we can actually do some damage. And folks got excited after that Chiefs victory and that that gut punch again was just something serious and I fully understand it. But I also give those same folks respect for raising the bar because I think the bar does deserve to be raised based on the performances we saw early on. Understood about the raised bar point. But Travis, tell me something. When we started the year, what was the magic adjective that was used for my hot take? I believe it was crackheadiest. Crackheadiest. Thank you. My crackheadiest Jake was that the Jags can make the playoffs. And now even after two losses, which in the Seattle game, if you want to make the argument of self-inflicted worms, I sure would. Yep. I get why that one was frustrating. The Rams, man, listen, we were worried some things went wrong. And I think you said it best in the instant reaction. Literally every damn one of them did. Hey, you’re not going to go 16-0. Granted, I would have also preferred not to watch a 35 to7 football game. So would the rest of Duval develop. Man, I get you on that. Yeah, but now I say again, all you need is six and four to be assured a playoff spot. And now that’s not good enough. This is why I need to tell everybody to take a break. But I think that’s why it’s not good enough is because again that bar being raised is just saying squeaking into the playoffs. It’s just 10 wins is squeak into the playoffs. Really? It depends on how you squeak into I mean it depends on how you get into the playoffs because again right now you’re looking up at a Colts team that’s five and one. Um and I know I know they’re a weak five and one. We’ve discussed that if they’re an everybody would be crying how they were ranked. I get you. If you’re looking at the end of the at the rest of the schedule, the Colts have a top seven, you know, strongest schedule in the league, while the Jaguars have literally the second easiest remaining schedule in the NFL. So, from that perspective, yes, I absolutely am with you that that 5-1 is probably a mirage for sorry, six-1 is probably a mirage for the Indianapolis Colts. Um, and they’ll land a little bit closer to to realism. Um, but also the Jaguars just overall, it’s not about the record. It’s truly about how it looked. If they would have lost against the Rams by six points, you know, whatever, and it was a and it looked a little bit better as far as the red zone was concerned, you’d be happy. Um, if it same thing with the Seahawks, if it was a closeish game, but it just didn’t look how it’s supposed to look as far as the O line is concerned. And I can understand why that is such a very, you know, a serious thing for folks to kind of carry right now. Run game hasn’t been there recently. Like all those issues that we kind of know are there. It I understand why folks might have some questions because they may not be the team that we thought they were based on the first four weeks of the season. Understood. And and what I’m saying is everything you said is accurate and valid. And keep in mind all you do divers, all you do devout. This isn’t me knocking you. Mhm. The word fanatic is preceded by fan which is why you call you get called that. I understand but where it is that I have to remind people to think long term and I want to ask you this question when it talks about the raised standard. Okay. If both the Colts and the Jaguars finish with the affforementioned six and four and the Colts hold on to win the division and the Jags make the wild card with 10 wins, you’re going to tell me that’s a disappointment. I think folks will take a step back at the end of the season and look at it obviously not as a disappointment. But I think in the but in the moment in the moment you got to be honest about what this is. It’s like in the moment folks going to be cursing. Like in the moment folks going not going to be happy because that’s kind of how this works. Like even when the Jaguars lost against the Kansas City Chiefs um in the playoffs in 2022, folks were disappointed in the moment because they thought that there was a chance that they should have won if you know what I mean. Like when you when you see victory right there and you’re and you can taste it and then you lose it, obviously there’s going to be some disappointment, but then you take a step back a week later and like, “Yeah, that was a good season. I I am I’m hopeful for the future and that’s fine. I’m saying you you you I love how you put it for all the preaching and stuff I did and who knows maybe the algorithm will pick it up when we make shorts. But you just said it succinctly and correctly there. It’s an in the- moment reaction for a noncon for a pair, excuse me, of non-conference games that will not impact playoff race or tie break. I shouldn’t say playoff race, that’s inaccurate. It will not in fact in fact playoff race or tiebreak. Sorry, I did it again. Playoff tiebreak. I know what you mean. I know what you mean. I know you know, but I got to say it right for the divers, man. I got you. Like I don’t know why I’m channeling Cam Newton so hard. I almost called you Peggy. What’s going on? No, I’m kidding. Um, I just I feel like I I’m I am here to basically make the point that you just made so succinctly is that it’s a 17 game season. You’re coming off the buy. All you need is that win on the on not the coming Sunday, but the following Sunday, and y’all going to feel better. That’s that’s just where I’m at. I think so. And I think I’m and and I think I think it’s a fair assessment. I mean, at the end of the day, it’s a fair place to land. uh that the Jacksonville Jaguars are obviously in a better situation and I respect all the Duval Devout for actually raising those expectations and still being like I want more because you don’t know when the next I mean hell the Cincinnati Bengals fan base thought that they were going to be in Super Bowl every Super Bowl from here on out after that what after that what what season was that the 2021 season I believe it’s long enough to ask the question that’s what it is yeah they probably thought they were going to be in every Super Bowl from that point on so when you see a weaker accurate. Pretty much a weaker all the dominant quote unquote dominant teams across the NFL look a little bit suspect right now. Like whether you’re talking about the Kansas City Chiefs, whether you’re talking about the Baltimore Ravens, Philadelphia Eagles, etc. Especially in this AFC side that you’re looking at it like, dude, this opportunity is wide the hell open. I can understand why folks are just like, no, no, no. This needs to be the time. I know what you said in the offseason, James. I know what you said in the offseason, Liam. This this this is obviously early and we’re sorry for putting these high expectations on you right now, but also this is the time. Look at the opportunity that’s in front of you if you were just a little bit more ready or a little bit more prepared or a little bit just better roster and you can’t control that. But I you get what I’m saying? Like I get why fans might have raised the expectations just a little bit because the opportunity is available if you can just find a way to just be a little bit better than we thought you were going to be this offseason. I think so. Yeah, man. These questions, Travis. Cool. Um, let’s see. So, we’ll start out if you don’t mind. Let’s let’s let’s just knock out Zena since he gave us like 80,000 questions. Um, we appreciate you, Zena, in the Jaguars Discord, man. Um, I won’t get into all of them because again, he gave us like five. Um, like he was asking, “Was Strange more important than we thought?” Of course he was. I mean, he was leading the team in success, right? What you mean we thought? I made him the player of the week in game one. What do you mean more we what you what’s this wee jazz? He’s in the genius. What do you want? But we will get into the the main question that we wanted to get into that didn’t duplicate other questions because again we will have multiple of some of these questions that we’re going to knock out for you guys on uh Fridays uh or Saturdays. Yeah, I see him bring this. We’ll talk about BTC later for sure. a lot of firsttime coaches showing the good and the bad, but are they no longer overcoming the bad? U so basically he’s asking about whether or not the first year coaches and all, you know, the energy that they’re bringing in and the u the the new way of thinking with a lot of these things. Are they now finally unable to kind of scheme open these guys? Are they just struggling to put the guys in the right positions? Are they struggling in those situational moments or is there just something else going on? That’s kind of the way that I internalize that question. Did you did you get something else from that? I Yeah. And and that’s the general beat I think we’re at. And again, I’m going to go It’s a good question, Zenith. I’m not dissing you, but I would remind you the the the the Seahawks game. I don’t think Liam Cohen was prepared for his line to fall completely apart. I’ll lead with that. Okay. Okay. I also think it’s not fair to ask this question of a first year head coach the week after facing Shawn McVey. That’s just not fair. Okay. Can we can we set the bar? The dude beat Andy Reid three games ago. Can we just remember that happened? Okay. He beat Kyle Shanahan four weeks ago. It’s not like there’s there’s not So, I get it. The question I think being asked is does the other side have enough tape? I don’t think we’ll really know that moving forward. And let me Does the other side have enough tape? So I dig dig more into that if you don’t mind. Just so I can make sure. Have they seen enough to start scheming against it is the question, right? If Liam Cohen and the Jags face Shawn McVey in week one, it may still be bad because McVey knows Liam Cohen. That’s the exception, right? Understood. Understood. But anybody else, you don’t know what they’re doing. Now, here’s here’s my thing. I don’t think other coaches, I’m going air quote this, down the line will be able to do the same things because you can scheme the Jags all you want if you don’t have the talent to execute that could hide if you have enough tape. So that I think those two things don’t necessarily align. So Right. So this so the Jaguars obviously played against a team and we talked about this and I mean because it was two weeks in a row. two weeks in a row that they they faced two teams that were top six in the league as far as their the number of times that they stunt their stunt rate um on the defense. So, if we’re just talking we’re just talking the struggles of the Jacksonville Jaguars offensive line um and their pass operation at this point. Like if you’re talking about that, you’re t you’re facing two teams who are dominant on the defensive front with multiple guys that you have to block and they also happen to stunt a lot. Most teams in the NFL obviously aren’t that. Again, these are top two top six teams. Two teams that are great at pressuring the quarterback, great at sacking the quarterback. And that was going to be a problem for a Jacksonville Jaguars offensive line who is slowly like they’ve tried to flip it quickly this offseason, but they were also very injured. And I think both forget that part of the equation because we don’t really we don’t really talk about injuries and uh how how guys might be hobbled and all of this stuff, but let’s see. Um Anton Harrison had a few injuries going in, you know, throughout the season. like he left multiple games injured at one point or another. Uh you had Patrick McCari, he had a back injury in the preseason. Uh he was on the injury report also with a knee injury throughout the season. Robert Hayes had a hamstring issue, came back after missing the game there. Uh so he’s probably not 100%. You have to assume that, right? Your rookie was center, right? Let’s call it what it is. Ezra Cleveland have had an ankor injury after being leapt over by Fred Warner uh late in that the last play of the San Francisco game. like Walker Little is the only healthy guy that was available there and he hadn’t been playing very well for at least half of the games in the season. So even I mean even Chuma Adoka who’s like your swing guy, he dealt with a knee injury and you know uh during that se that that stretch right there. Like I’m just saying like there’s a rough stretch of defensive fronts when you have a O line who you brought up to me. Hey man, that’s a very un like that’s a very hobbled offensive line. I believe it was the week of the Seattle game and I’m like, “Oh, I didn’t even think about that.” Like these guys might not be 100%. And they’re trying to be a run first team. That’s a very good time for a by-week to like whereas whereas Seattle to your point whereas Seattle got healthier faster than we thought when we were talking to Bo, shouts to Bo um as well. So I think in that Seattle game it was a bit of like both things going wrong at the same time right in that instance. Over and above it was a bus. Yeah, it was a true buzz saw. And now we saw how the Seattle Seahawks looked the week following and it’s like, oh yeah, maybe the Jaguars did go up against a buzz saw because they are they’re looking pretty dang dominant. And like I’m talking like historic numbers as far as their passing efficiency, as far as their defense is concerned. like u so overall yes the Jaguars didn’t look great these last two weeks and yes the Jaguars have a lot of questions that have to be answered but also I don’t know if they’re necessarily as bad as folks are thinking just because that recency bias and that’s all I’m trying to get at that’s what a wise man told me never make never make crazy decisions in the moment that’s it you got it man I I I love that you said that earlier too that might even be hell if I had known we were going that direction I would have made the uh the thumbnail in the moment. So to answer Zena’s question, I don’t think that the Jaguars are necessarily being out schemed all the time. I do think that they have struggled situationally and some of those situations like if you’re talk we can break it down offense versus defense. Offensively, some of those situations absolutely are going to be the coach. I mean Liam Cohen even said it on the Jaguars extras um that you know, hey man, I didn’t call the greatest play on that fourth and seven play. there’s no one open uh or you know and Laquent Allen tried to uh take the blame for it respectfully great I mean great on him and Liam’s like no I didn’t get I didn’t give you my best play that’s on me every time every day on me too right if you remember from the instant reaction show I commented on how Quinn ran past the block that I think he should he saw it too and he said it I respect that you said that but no it was awesome I gotta get I got give you better. And I’m I respect the coach that’s willing to say, “Hey man, I didn’t give you my best play there.” Hey man, that’s dope because those guys in the locker room also see the same tape and they understand it too. Like these are ball knowers talking to balln knowowers and they’re coming to agreement that all right man that might not have been the best. That’s right. Yeah, that might not be the best, but I can also give you better on my end too and we can meet together and know that you’re in the foxhole with me. Like I think that that’s going to always gain that guy Liam Cohen respect from that locker room. every every day of the week. Um, but overall, so yeah, Liam’s Liam wasn’t perfect, but also the play on the field also wasn’t perfect. Like those guys obviously still have to execute. So I don’t see a situation where I’m thinking like the scheme is failing them offensively. Like they’re getting guys open. Like we have one of the plays like where I was like, dude, Liam schemed open an explosive play in the passing game and they just didn’t capitalize. Like if you remember the Travis Hunter, we’ll call it a screen. It’s not really a screen, but it’s more of a drag that was schemed open in all the ways of being a screen a screen where you have uh Hunter Long out in front already blocking because he knows this is a screen to Travis Hunter that’s going to be what I don’t know a 50 yard 60 yard kind of play where he if he hits that alley he’s gone. Especially Yeah. to your point he’s got men in front too. Who is that at the top? Uh oh yeah that’s Inian downfield who’d be able to block for him too. I mean, come on, man. Leading the way. And the ball gets tipped and that play doesn’t work. And we look at that in the sense like it it was tipped at the line of scrimmage. So, I get why it didn’t happen. But also, it’s kind of one of those things where it’s just it’s not being executed, but that’s not the scheme. The scheme is there. The when they run the screens and they miss the blocks or the balls thrown on the back shoulder instead of the front shoulder, so the guy has to kind of gather it. And the the the same play still works in other organizations. It still works for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers or the Minnesota Vikings. It’s just not working because there’s small things where the execution’s off. Maybe he’s not throwing it between the guy. That’s how the guy gets the tip of the ball. The offensive linemen aren’t getting the guys, the defensive lineman, hands down. That’s also a part of their role. Like, everyone’s missing these small things. That’s just making it so that it’s that much harder. But I don’t see that as a scheme thing consistently. I just see it as Yeah, guys are just missing it. It’s no more a scheme thing than the drop passes argument than being behind the sticks with penalties. Yeah, I mean this is what they’re throwing out in the in the in the comments, too. Like, what is it? Um, yeah, social ali here. Good to see you guys. Uh, uh, let’s see. I don’t think there have been issues with guys getting open to your point, as you just shown, Travis, you showed didn’t tell. Um, accuracy, penalties, and drops have been the issue. You know, that’s that’s what we mentioned there. You don’t have to Radius’s point, just full for full disclosure, I think he’s right here. You don’t have to scheme against a five-yard swing pass thrown to the ground in front of the receiver instead of things. Trevor has missed some. Of course, Radius, we we won’t let him off the hook. Yeah, Trevor’s Trevor’s short yardage and long yard and long throws and we’ll get into we have we have enough questions for our whole Trevor Lawrence podcast still coming. Yeah, don’t worry at this point. So, but so Trevor Yeah. has it has his pros and cons and has his ups and his downs and the whole Trevor’s Trevor versus the wide receivers conversation. Lord, it’s not a versus but that’s just to just to just cut that out. It’s not a Trevor versus the receivers. It’s Trevor and the receivers to be very very clear. Um as far as why this passing operation is not working. I think this leans into another one of the questions we have out on the board tonight. Travis, why don’t you throw that bad boy up? All right. Um I don’t even know which one we’re looking at, honestly. Um so let’s see. We got the defensive. Oh yeah, there we go. Always always the Jags on X. asked do well one do we have a kicking problem which I mean Jesus I mean I think we you got to have to say the answer is the answer is yes I well I was trying to be nice and I was going to say likely cuz I want to give the man one week after the by-week to be like all right let’s see if you reset let’s you know I mean you can that’s fair you know that’s fair you got the old Nintendo cartridge you blew your air in it and you and it’s like all right now that’s that’s what the by-week is all right we reset this bad boy and let’s see who you are coming back from the buy, Cam Lo. Um, but more likely than not, yeah, I think we probably do have a kicking problem. So, hopefully we he proves me wrong and comes out comes through after the buy and makes the vast majority of his kicks, if not all of them. I I mean, I’m hurt more than you because I’ve been standing my entire rear end off of this guy the past what year and a half. So yeah, I’m a little ticked, but to your point and again landing the play nicely, Travis Holmes after the fight impact different. It’s a mental practice kicking, not a physical one. That’s it. That’s it. Carlos Reyes says, “Sadly, yes, little is not cutting it. Where did all his confidence go?” But I mean, it’s it’s a kicking. It’s a kicker. Uh they’re normally like they have they’re streaky in that way. They’re the kickers are a lot like Ryan Fitz Magic. Like it’s going to be it’s normally one of those things unless you get a great one where they’re just like very consistent and they’re and they’re Brady and you just know they’re a machine. You know exactly what you’re getting. That’s when you get Justin Tucker u you know prime Justin Tucker. Um something like that. But overall the second part of this question Automatica Grammatica you know. Yeah. Yeah works. Yeah. You know those guys who you know by name and they’re still kickers. Uh, and the second part of always the Jacks is and is the passing game failure on Liam Cohen, Trevor Lawrence, the receivers, or all three? And well, I mean, that’s an that’s a very easy answer, I guess, because you it’s always going to be all three. This is it’s a team sport. Come on. Like, well, and to your point, so you you said the answer better, but I’m going to add this confidence. Why isn’t there an all four? O line the Jag. You’re done right the O line. When the Jags have struggled, who else has struggled, right? Sure. No, it’s necessary. I mean, all of them have issues. All of them have problems and it’s never going to be one thing because if it’s one thing, then that makes it a very easy solution that you should just be getting rid of that one thing. So, overall, Liam, we talked about the fact I don’t think Liam’s consistently struggled anywhere as far as the scheme is concerned. I think he’s actually been reasonably good. Um maybe even better than reasonably good. I think they just been not executing on the field as far as Trevor Lawrence making making the easy stuff seem easy. Um and especially in the short game and the screen game as far as that’s concerned. I also think the receivers haven’t been great at blocking in the in the screen game. Also, not talking running back screens, I’m talking wide receiver screens. I don’t think they’ve been very stout in that way also. Um so there’s a little bit going on there. There’s a little bit going on in as far as the throwing. There’s a little bit going on as far as the O line. Um, but if I have to put it on 50% probably going to be on the quarterback. I can’t BS that, but the other 50% is like or the other 40% I should say that’s not the O line is probably going on the wide receivers. Uh, because you can’t lead the league in drops and not be like, well, obviously you’re a big part of the problem. Uh Trevor Lawrence has been problematic, but the wide receiver drops are like up here problematic. Like that’s you can’t be top of the league and I and I say you’re not a big problem. So I think it’s both of those guys just got to get right. Um Trevor’s got to get more accurate to not make the make the routine plays be harder to come down with. And these guys got to catch the ball to help with Trevor’s confidence to keep him moving along also. And and let’s be clear, the O line’s biggest sin. Although the the the stunt thing is real. We had that conversation last week with Marcus Ogden. What a show that was, by the way. But it’s also the penalties first and foremost with the O line. Sure. Yeah. They I don’t think they didn’t have a significant a number of pre- snap penalties in this pass game. I talked about that with Hacker After Dark on Tent XL. Um that was it’s also to RJ Saunders by the way who’s doing magic coverage uh there too as well. Let’s give him RJ. No, I mean but cuz he was like well I mean this penalty thing’s got to stop with these pre- snap penalties. And I was like but look at this last game. It actually wasn’t specifically the pre-napot penalties. Most of those penalties they had in this game were either defensive uh defensive penalties or actual penalties during the play like holding penalties on the O line. Maybe they’ll have an illegal man downfield on one, you know, one occasion, something like that. Uh, but for the most part, they weren’t the pre- snap brand like the false starts or the illegal formation kind of penalties that we’re used to seeing. It was a different brand. Yeah, I I count illegal downfield with a false start and things like that. It won’t in the books, but like this is this to me, this is like you counting a turnover on downs as a turnover. You’re correct. Keep doing it. um for me and it’s probably not as correct cuz technically it’s not pre-staff. I get it. But because illegal man downfield is a timing and mental error, I lump those in and I shouldn’t. Yeah. But I put them together. Yeah. They still they’re still committing the mental errors and things of that nature. But my guess my overall point was it’s not something that I would cons that I would c categorize as these guys don’t necessarily know how to line up and get the playoff. It’s just more of a all right, you got to get this timing right. And it’s still a practice item, but I get why these things can change depending on how you’re bumped off of your, you know, timing or but the defensive lineman kind of just bumps you a little too far inside and now you’re already three yards different than you think then you got to do the gymnastics of, you know, is it inside, head on, outside, whatever, you know, all that. That that kind of stuff. That’s all I’m getting at is like I I I viewed it differently as like in the if you have penalties in the game at least it’s not the same thing and I think that’s small improvement. Um but nevertheless the team’s got to still be better with penalties overall or you’re not going to beat most teams and they’ve had too many games where they’ve had either double digits or very near double digit penalties. So to that overall point they got to get ahead of the sticks somehow someway. What’s next Travis? All right so we’re already talking about the coaching. Robbie Santis on X says, “According to the stats, the Jaguars are around 30 30th or 32nd in the league in pressures and sacks. Uh, do you think this is more of a personnel issue or has the league already caught up to our defensive coordinators preer pressure packaging? Goodness gracious, Travis. Uh, tongue twister.” All right. First of all, if you’re going to call people out on the air that they’re on X, you can’t be tongue tying things like that. I’m making puns. I’m sorry. My bad. But so I think and do well I mean let me ask you do you think that the league has caught up to Liam Cohen on all well he’s mean he’s talking about defense. We saw Anthony Campanelli and that big fangio system. Remember we’re talking about first first year coaches and staff on this episode. So of course Campanelli needed to get his turn. I agree. Um, I think a factor we’re leaving out, and by the way, I let him off the hook in Seattle. I’m not with the Rams. Okay, John Matthew Stafford had breakfasts, lunches, meals to eat. He’s even sharing food with his old lineman for goodness sake. He’s back there so long, right? Okay, that’s fair. He had he had time. He had way too much. So, if you’re mad about the Rams game, I am right there with you. But that was also with that was also with Trarevon Walker playing just I believe it was 18 snaps. You’re beating me there. But I like that you said it. You beat me there. I just wanted the last two weeks he Yeah, he wasn’t he wasn’t he hasn’t been healthy yet. Well, last two weeks he didn’t even he didn’t even play against KC. So, when did the past three? I’m so confused. I’m I’m I’m lost weight. He didn’t play against KC. He didn’t play KC. if he came back against Seattle. Yeah. Yeah. So 16 So 16 16 snaps and 18 snaps uh in the past two weeks and no game against KC. And yeah, that’s a fair point. Point number one. Point number two, Devin Lloyd didn’t play against the Rams, which that shouldn’t matter, but it I think it did. Point number three, and this is where the numbers begin to lie to you a little bit, Travis. I made this point, especially in the 49er game. Y, you pounded it hard leading into week one. The Jags defense was playing contain those weeks. Now, they did a horrible job containing Bryce Young. Let’s be clear, right? But the Jags were in containment mode against the Ner. The Niners got some big catches. One of them was like, what was it? Uh um P Pers. Yeah. Yeah. Pearson. Pearson. Piercell. Thank you. like falling on the ground and catching stuff. I ain’t going to get mad about that, but you know, it’s the pressures may not have been as high as that game, but I still feel like they made um Brock Pury uncomfortable. They made Jake Jake Browning uncomfortable and took Burrow out of the game. I get it. That’s they just messed up on the explosive with with Browning whenever they went man. That was their problem in that individual game. and they tried to help themselves with the Tyson Campbell trade to shore up a little of those a few of those quarterback issues that they were having. Yeah. Yeah. Right. I and I I think I’m not going to say it’s figured out on film as the question poses. I think there’s been other challenges other I agree with you. Yeah. It’s the same scheme as the Philadelphia Eagles theio scheme that we all that most teams said that they wanted. like it’s very similar and the no one’s really complaining about the Eagles. The Eagles are 28th in the league in sacks. Jaguars are 32nd in sacks and they’re three apart from each other. And again, that’s with Tron Walker not playing in two and a half three of the games basically. Uh if you want to look at pressures, it’s it’s very similar where the Eagles are 13th in the league and the Jaguars are 16th. Like they’re really within shooting range of being the same defense. I don’t think folks have figured it out. I think both they just have different personnel than the Jaguars have, maybe even better personnel than the Jaguars have. So, it’s resulting in their the Jaguars having their struggles. I mean, you know, the Jaguars have to have dominant quarterbacks to play in that scheme and we didn’t know who the quarterbacks are going to be at the start of the season. Travis Hunter snaps are still kind of increasing up slowly, you know, as time goes on. So, that’s part of the equation. They just got Greg Newsome like and he’s his snaps are still trying to get up like he hasn’t even played a good a full game of snaps just yet. Um you got that happening. Hunter just played 14 what was it? 14 snaps in the second half of like no snaps in the first half. Let’s be clear you mentioned the 14 the bigger stat is the zero in the first half right where they actually where the Rams got the 21 to zero lead right like that’s the biggest part about that but that’s the game plan for Travis Hunter. already knew that was going to be a slow process to get him wrapped up towards the end of the first season. Um, but all that just all that to say, I don’t think folks have figured it out. I just think that’s just where that’s the defense. That’s where they are. Like we already talked about it. They’re tied 31st for eight sacks. Shout out Dan Griffith, but these stats, he’s always got a great stats on the socials. Um, they’re 32nd in in sack percentage, which is sack rate. uh 30th uh 30% pressure rate, which is 27th in the league, and a 24.5 non-B blicks pressure rate, which is 28th in the league. And I’ve often said that that was the biggest issue for me was the fact that they weren’t able to get home whenever they didn’t pressure. Um like they’re near the bottom of the league when whenever they’re not like sending a defensive uh defensive back or a linebacker or something like that. That was my biggest issue with the defense, but it’s the same issue that the Eagles have. Um, so you say you want that defense when you’re in run contain, you’re not blitzing. Yeah. So when you say you want that defense, well, that’s kind of what that defense, you know, encap encapsulates. Like that’s just part of it, unfortunately. But if the Jags were five and two instead of four and three, we don’t care. People Yeah, people might be complaining a little bit but nitpicking, but they ain’t nobody hearing that. Like they they’d be fine. Um, but I again it does come down to how it looked in that, you know, those losses and these losses did great in the moment. Travis, but you see a lot of teams have these. Just be real. Like Baker Mayfield, Baker Mayfield and Tampa Bay, they had it recently. One of those just embarrassing games and just like just don’t just try not to have two in a row. And at some point you be like, well, hey, it was the Lions. It’s okay. The Rams are competing for a conference, not just the NFC West. I’m not saying it’s okay to lose, but it’s okay. Anyways, what’s next? Travis. Yeah. Yeah. The riff raff. Shout out uh asks, “How in how can the Jags be a Super Bowl contender in year two or three of Coach Cohen?” Thought that was an interesting one. Uh just because wide ranging answers there. How can they be a Super Bowl contender? Like, so that’s obviously what the thought process that you just know that they’re not a Super Bowl contender right now. And that’s not that’s not to demean this roster, not to demean this organization. Let’s be just be real about that. Like that’s no that’s on no one’s radar going into the season. If it happens, it’s a Cinderella moment and everybody should party, have a parade, all great. But that’s obviously not the expectation. Um, but year two, year three, I mean, I think we kind of know what the main opportunity areas are. You’re obviously you in need of some interior defensive pressure. Um, a dominant defensive tackle, not who that may be. Maybe we’ll talk about that in a trade episode or uh maybe a 2026 draft episode. We’ll kind of see where that lands, but overall, you need defensive t you need defensive tackle talent better than what you’re seeing right now. Mason Smith is doing pretty solid in pass rush, but he’s not doing well in far as the run stopping area. Eric Armstad is better than he was looking last season, but not necessarily as dominant as you’re used to seeing him in his San Francisco days. What happens when he’s not playing 61% at defensive end, right, Travis? Um, but the biggest part about this is this offense has got to get figured out. Like I think they got to figure out the timing with the routes. They got to figure out like just being on the same page and just they need more time in this offense, more snaps to get on the same page. Um, less of the miscommunications and the drops and all the mess that’s coming along with that and that includes the offensive line having less of these pre- snap in issues and penalties with their communication because again, that’s what stunts are. It’s all communication. We talked about this with Maris Maris uh Ogden um last week’s podcast. Goodness gracious. Um, and that was a big part. It’s communication. They need the reps of working these stunts just to get on the same page. That’s all across the board on this whole office. That’s all that it is. Is they got to just do a better job communicating, being on the same page, understanding what’s the what’s expected of each other. And I think that they’ll generally be fine. So, if you’re asking me what’s takes to be a Super Bowl contender, I think that first of all, this offense needs to carry them a lot more than it has been. You hired an offensive coach. It’s an offensive staff. This quarterback centric court is all looking at Trevor Lawrence. Dude, he needs to look better in this offense and they need to be on the same page. Wide receivers, offensive line, quarterback looking sharper or this is probably not going to work. Like I I would love this to be a defensive staff like the, you know, old Seattle Seahawks, but that’s not what they were brought in for. Obviously, they thought that the offense will be able to kind of give them time for the defense to kind of get ahead, and it’s literally been the exact opposite so far. So, here’s that’s where I’m leaning. And those are all, man. Listen, valid as always, man. Ball knowledge has never been your issue. But I’m going to bring in some other factors that you didn’t bring up yet because I don’t think this has been a bad offensive coaching job. Sure. How many wins they have? Who are the top two receivers allegedly on the depth chart, Travis? The top two receivers, I believe it’s Brian Thomas Jr. and Travis Hunter if Brandon Strange has not been passed. Uh, fair. Uh, uh, wide receivers. And I’ll take that off the table. How about that? Cuz that’s what I meant. I wasn’t referring to Brendan Strange, Britain Strange. Yet, they were winning football games with both those dudes failing to connect, generally speaking, with Trevor Lawrence. Offensive coaching made that happen. And Britain Strange. It it could be argued that limited tape also helped the Jaguars and and other teams not really having an understanding of what to expect against. Basically, it’s it could be argued that the Jaguars shot a few teams early on in the season and now that teams got they kind of figured out what to do against them. This is this is this and sure, but the retort to that is when people start talking blueprints as an example, the blueprint to stop Tom Brady is to do it with a four-man rush. The Giants can do it. Why can’t we? Cuz you don’t have a Hall of Famer at the edge rush and you don’t have two allp pro guys along there with him. Absolutely right. Not everybody has the dogs to compete with that receiver core. Now, let’s give the Rams defense a little credit. Oh, they absolutely did. Okay. Um the Seahawks defense, the more you’ve said it, the more I’m starting to believe is the best defensive line they faced. That matters. Okay. That matters. But the other thing I would add, and I’m sorry I’m gonna have to preach it again because it matches with the point I made earlier. What I think Liam Co needs to be a Super Bowl coach in two or three years, continuity. Once this team is used to this offense, once Trevor learns how to throw the damn ball away, as he’s had the example to have seen firsthand from both Sam Darnold and John Matthew Stafford. Yeah. Once he stops trying to be, how do I say this in a politically correct? We’ll just say stops trying to be Michael Vic and try to escape first. Once he stops trying to be Bryce Young and trying to escape first. Once he stops trying to be a mobile quarterback first and do it more like Andrew Young. Young Luck. Thank you. Andrew Luck. I don’t believe I stuttered over that. May maybe it’s because I’m doing a Jags show. Colts things are that hard for me to talk about. Anyways, yeah. Once this offense on all facets is more comfortable and stops committing a butt ton of penalties and they’re comfortable, which comes with continuity, the case stat everybody seems to have forgotten in that Kansas City game, although it is pretty memorable that a dude falls down and still gets back up and scores, is that they only committed four penalties. Yeah, that goes away with this game. I think I I mean I can agree I can agree with you. the continuity is going but I also think the continuity is going to be there in either case like the a good portion of the roster was turned over this past season obviously and there will still be some turnover even this following season like I think if you if you don’t think that’s going to happen then I think you’re crazy. Um, so that’s going to happen, but they even with the continuity, if you told me all the same guys were on this roster and they added two guys in free agency and they added a whole draft next year, I still would be like, continuity is cool, but they still got to be they got they got to be better with that. I agree with you. But see, here’s the thing. I feel like that first step leads to what you’re saying and the players have to play better, right? Um yeah, like like there’s and there’s still the conversation between BTJ. There’s still the conversation of who’s going to be your actual number one receiver and how that’s going to work. Exactly there. That’s a good point. And I I don’t know where we have it and I’m sure we’ll bring it up later. Um but there was something about Robert Hy talking about having both running backs on the field. Mhm. But that ain’t happening because they’ve been behind the sticks too often. They haven’t been able to dominate the run game. I don’t care what you’re scheming or how good your coach is. If you’re at third and 25, you’re screwed. Okay. I mean, they ain’t got to be third and 25. They can be just f just second and 15. Like those are the ones that’s killing them is the first down. Like if Trevor Lawrence wants to be a scrambler and you have to drill into his head because they have said it openly that they’ve tried to get the creativity um to drill the creativity within him to allow him to be a little bit more uh free off schedule. I get that. But let’s do that on third downs if that makes sense. Like if you can stop taking sacks on first and second down the and the Jaguars can then have the ability to run the ball and continue continue being able to potentially at least give the threat of running the ball and play action from that point of view. I think it’s a great situation for the Jaguars across the board and they’re going to win more games than not every day of the week. So that’s the kind of the point that I would like to see Trevor be a little bit more under control or more within the scheme on first and second downs. And then if you need to scramble because there’s a lot less risk on third down and fourth down scenarios, then abs absolutely do what you got to do. Uh but I just need to see a little bit more game management or situational awareness as far as that’s concerned on those first two downs. And what else helps with that is knowing your guys chemistry and knowing the playbook better leading us to continuity. I know this is a little off script. I’m close to ending the show. I know that. But a comment came in that I have to throw in just cuz I’m curious your opinion of it cuz it deserves at least a opposing of the concept. And we did touch on BTJ. We’ll touch on BTJ more in another episode here doing Grab Egg stuff during the bow week. But Liam Koski comes in. Are we absolutely sure that BTJ is not hurting from the death of Kairen Lacy? Because honestly, he was a close friend of his and they spoke a couple days before Lacy took his own life. just food for thought. It’s an angle I didn’t have, but it’s an interesting angle. It’s It’s an angle that I’ve heard from a few people like not people like in the organization or anything like that. I’ve just heard a few, you know, fans, media and such have commented on um that thought process. I mean, I’ve heard that thought process. I’ve heard the injury thought process, whether it’s a wrist or a shoulder or something else. I’ve heard um you know the expectations of being the guy and the offseason preparation in relation to that. There’s so many various rumors that you could say it could be this, it could be that, it could be all these things and you’re right. Like let’s be very clear about that. Like all these things could be absolutely true and absolutely accurate and none of us will know unless you’re truly in his inner circle. Correct. But it was not relevant to today’s conversation because the film is what the film is. And I want to be honest about saying what that is because I’m not here to diagnose what is going on with the guy. If a guy is on the field and the injury report tells me that he’s healthy, then I’m going to grade the film and judge the film as if he’s healthy. If the guy is hurting mentally and he needs that time off, and I fully understand this is a very big boy job with big boy payments and big boy consequences. I get that fully. But if he’s on the field, then folks are expecting you to be locked in and on the field. And I know mental health is a real thing. And if you have something that’s going on like that or something serious that’s going on like like that, you obviously got to get that taken care of and talk to the right people. I’m here for all that because I’m here for these guys to be great people and to be confident people and everything they have going on in their lives. But also at work, the expectation is the expectation. Like I can be going through something at home right now, but and and if my boss, hey man, that is this this was due. This this was due. You messed up on this. I’m like, yeah, man. My wife was arguing me. He’s like, I don’t care about that. This is what it was. Like I So I get that he’s going through things and that could be something that’s potentially there or it could be the wrist stuff or it could be other injury stuff or it could be could be could be. But at the end of the day, that’s the job, man. So, if he’s not good and he needs to be sat down, that’s a conversation between him and the coaching staff um and him and his circle, but if he’s on the field and he’s playing those snaps, then the expectation is that you’re hoping to get the Brian Thomas Jr. that you saw in the 2024 season, that dog, because if you’re not getting that guy, then maybe he should be set down and you just use Travis Hunter as your number one guy and just kind of figure out what you have from that point moving forward. I don’t know. Well, and then all great points. Like I say, I want to get that. But in order to end the show on a on a higher note, on a little bit more lighter note, shall we say, something I saw in the comments got my attention asking about building good uh good chemistry and how you get that with your t you that you that doing zip recruiter there. That’s just for you radius. Yeah. So we g we’re not doing the whole breakdown zip recruiter. Yeah. Yeah. You know, but since you since you since you’ve always been complimentary of my uh transitions and you did that in the comments, I wanted to shout you out radius. But Travis G. Holmes, tell the world where you can be found, my friend. Man, I can be found on all the socials. Travis D Holmes, whether it’s Blue Sky X, Instagram, I mean, follow us on the Dub Dive, Tik Tok. Um, if you’re listening to us on the YouTube, obviously, please click that like button before you leave the stream, but also, you know, comment. Uh, help us out with that algorithm. You guys have been phenomenal. uh just getting us new viewers simply because you commented and it got into, you know, the atmosphere in that way. I don’t know how it works, man. I don’t know science. Uh but yeah, it it somehow works. Um and yeah, overall you can find it right on bigcountry.com. We’re keeping you guys locked in throughout the bye-week with like on trade candidates and you know any of the presser takeaways and things of that nature. So definitely please lock it in bigcountry.com. Like it like and subscribe the DVA dive YouTube and wherever you get us. uh via your podcast. Five hours till I get up to work, but it’s worth it. It’s ever radius. You mad man. Good God. Beautiful human being. Okay. You as well, Prince. Uh Princeton, appreciate you being evolved as well. But hey, don’t give up on us like we’re dying for the week. There’s plenty of grabbag episodes coming. Just look out for them. I can guarantee you it will be just as fun as these. Of course, I am Kyle Nash, the student of the game. Find me on Instagram, threads blue sky, Twitter at the SOTG. Find me on Facebook as a student of the game. Check out my writings with the black and gold banneret covering UCF football and basketball. That’s right, a week from today. Uh I know that the women have their exhibition and Sunday, uh the men have their ex exhibition, uh as well. So the the hoops season is rapidly approaching. Um so make sure you check that out. Of course, I’ll have some Orlando Magic content throughout the season. Uh, the Magic winning with 125 points on the board. Was not ready for that. Make sure you check out the stuff. They’re on my socials for all that. And of course, my work with the Bolt Blitz Uncut that podcast, the Instant Reaction is going to be on later for that cuz they’re playing Thursday tonight. It’s a busy night uh around here, folks. So, make sure you check all the above out. So, for all you do divers in the comments, thank you so much. for my personal champion, Travest D. Holmes. What an episode tonight, man. Good job. Um, but yeah, until next time, everyone. Class dismissed. [Music] Here they come. Here they come. [Music]

The Jaguars’ bye week is here, with the team sitting at a surprising 4-3 record at the break. How come it feels like the sky is falling in Duval? Travis and Kyle answer the hottest fan-submitted Jacksonville Jaguars midseason questions. No fluff. No teal Kool-Aid. Just the honest truth.

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