What the heck happened to the Jaguars???
Looked formidable against our team in the early season heat.
Then those cats fell apart...
(NOTE: I am not affiliated with that franchise)
Some armchair GM thoughts
(lifted off the interwebz):
1. Complacency
The Jags read the press clippings in the off season that they were ready to overtake the Patriots as AFC champions in 2018. Throw in would'a-could'a-should'a commentary about last years AFCCG and conspiracy theories on a call that didn't go their way, and in their collective minds the group rationalized that they were the best team in league last year.
Defeating the Patriots left them no mountains to climb. Forgotten was all the hard work required to make it as far they did in 2017. Like a lottery winner that does not know how to handle wealth, the Jaguars did not know how to handle success.
2. Regression to the Norm
Much of Jacksonville's success was a result of defensive takeaways. While that immensely helps a team to win, turnovers are not something you can count on week in and week out. In 2017 Jacksonville ranked second in the NFL with 33 takeaways, one off the league lead. This year the Jags rank 24th with only 11 turnovers. Over the long term you just can't depend on takeaways.
3. Vanilla Defensive Game Planning & Play Calls
DC Todd Wash has been a buddy of HC Gus Bradley since they both played at North Dakota State twenty years ago. Wash has been criticized for calling soft zone coverages that give opposing quarterbacks too much time to see what is going on, and find an open man. The Jaguars very rarely mix their defensive play calls, making it easier for opposing offenses. There are not only no in-game adjustments; there are no week-to-week adjustments either.
4. Playing from behind vs playing with the lead
The uptick in turnovers in 2017 resulted in Jacksonville usually playing with the lead. That causes an opponent to alter their game plan and throw more often. That in turn allows the defense to tee off on the opposing quarterback. It also meant the Jags could rely on Leonard Fournette and the running game rather than Blake Bortles and the passing game. Fewer takeaways has resulted in fewer leads, which means a heavier load on Bortles to carry the team.
5. Personnel Decisions
GM Dave Caldwell deserves some scrutiny as well. He gave Bortles a $54 million contract extension when nobody else was bidding for the quarterback. Considering the number of top-five picks that the Jaguars have had, Jacksonville should be a powerhouse - but they are far from that.
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