It’s been a little over a week since the Jacksonville Jaguars watched their season come to an end in the fourth quarter of their AFC Championship match up with the New England Patriots. The Patriots used a 14-point final period and Blake Bortles’ inability to get first downs to win 24-20 and set up their 10th Super Bowl appearance as a franchise and eighth under Bill Belichick and Tom Brady.
Nobody, except maybe a few Jacksonville Jaguars defenders, were surprised at the end result. That defense played its ass off and there’s no question the Jaguars maxed out their season. While everyone in America may have been rooting for them to beat the Pats two Sundays ago, reality has a way of shitting all over your dreams.
With the loss, the Jaguars begin their first off-season as a legitimate AFC contender since about four presidents ago.
DOUG MARRONE
It’s obvious to everyone now that the Jaguars hit a home run in keeping Marrone as their head coach, removing the “interim” from his doorplate after he finished out Gus Bradley’s disastrous tenure last season. I thought Marrone was the perfect hire at the time and I was shocked it took him a couple of years after his stint with the Buffalo Bills to land another head coaching job. After what he pulled off in Jacksonville this season, it’ll be a while before he has to look for a dance partner again.
Most unsung hero to @Jaguars turnaround has been owner Shad Khan, who had the vision to pick Doug Marrone as coach but hire Tom Coughlin as the front office football boss with Marrone and GM Dave Caldwell answering to TC. Khan and son Tony don't get enough credit.
— Chris Mortensen (@mortreport) January 21, 2018
In Marrone’s three full seasons as a head coach in the NFL, he’s posting winning years in two of them. And these weren’t with elite squads loaded with stars on both sides of the ball. He went 9-7 with the 2014 Buffalo Bills and, seeing an opportunity to get out of his contract and maybe land with another organization, took it. For some reason, the head coaching call didn’t come then and he settled in as an assistant in Jacksonville. Teams that skipped out on Marrone should be kicking their own asses right now.
The Jaguars, with their defense and young talent, are built to contend for a long time. It’s all about taking that next step and they have some real decisions to make. Beginning with…
BLAKE BORTLES
Bortles is coming off his best season as a pro. He completed a career high 60.2 percent of his passes for 3,687 yards, 21 touchdowns and 13 interceptions. That pick total, importantly, was a career low. He’s entering the final year of his rookie contract so the team doesn’t have to make any hard call on him right now. As good as he did play in 2017, his ineffectiveness in crunch time is the reason Jacksonville isn’t playing in the Super Bowl Sunday.
#Jaguars QB Blake Bortles’ wrist surgery shouldn’t alter what was already the plan: For Bortles to be their QB in 2018. pic.twitter.com/TbswrROMqG
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) January 30, 2018
The defense made plenty of clutch plays, including forcing a turnover and a Patriots three-and-out in the fourth quarter while the Jags held a three-point lead. All it took was one, solid, scoring drive that moved the chains and ran the clock and Jacksonville would be gearing up for face the Philadelphia Eagles in the weirdest Super Bowl match up in the last 17 years.
When Marrone was asked about Bortles’ status as the starter next season, he made it clear he’s going to keep his options open, even if the team publicly gave Bortles its support.
“That is a whole, (big) picture again,” Marrone said. “I would really have to take a step back and look at it. I don’t think I’m in the best mindset to talk about any of our players from that standpoint of what is going on. I’m happy for all of our players, I’m happy for all their contributions and what they have done. Now it’s a matter of taking a step back and giving myself some time and looking at things as a whole.”
Blake Bortles shedding tears after losing heartbreaker to the Patriots pic.twitter.com/ev4R261L7P
— Gifdsports (@gifdsports) January 21, 2018
For the first time since the Jaguars drafted Bortles, they have legitimate options. First, this is the best crop of free agent quarterbacks shaking loose in my lifetime. Kirk Cousins, Sam Bradford, Teddy Bridgewater and Case Keenum have all proven they can start in this league. Nick Foles could be available in a trade if he pulls off the unthinkable and plays at the same level he performed at in his last two playoff games in the Super Bowl. There’s every chance the Kansas City Chiefs will cut Alex Smith or offer him up for trade for a second or third rounder. Hell, there’s a chance Eli Manning will be set free and want to reunite with Tom Coughlin.
This many legitimate options probably won’t come around again. Alex Smith or a healthy Sam Bradford with Bortles backing either of them up would be a significant upgrade.
MARQISE LEE OR ALLEN ROBINSON
The Jaguars, with Bradley at the helm, wasted a solid three-wide set with Lee, Robinson and Allen Hurns for years. Lee is coming off solid back-to-back seasons, but has yet to cross 1,000 yards as a pro. Three seasons ago, Robinson caught 80 passes for 1,400 yards and led the NFL with 14 touchdown receptions. He’s also coming off a knee injury that cost him his 2017.
One step at a time pic.twitter.com/aGdSu8b3ld
— Allen Robinson II (@AllenRobinson) January 24, 2018
Neither guy should break the bank, but the Jaguars also shouldn’t be too liberal with their spending considering, if they do keep Bortles past next season, he’ll cost at least $20 million. If they decide to bring in a guy like Bradford or Smith, they’ll be spending $20-22 million this season and if they want to get into the Cousins sweepstakes, that’s $26 million right there.
If I had to pick one of the two, I’d roll the dice with Robinson that he can be a true No. 1. Lee will never be better than a No. 2 and the Jags already have a solid two in Hurns.
The only other starter they have pending in free agency is outside linebacker Paul Posluszny. Again, not a guy that should command a ton of cash. He’s probably replaceable.
THE AFC SOUTH
The whole southern division of the American Football Conference is about to get a whole lot more interesting. New England Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels is preparing to take his talents to Indianapolis, a healthy Deshaun Watson and the return of J.J. Watt and Whitney Mercilus changes everything in Houston and, in spite of making the worst head coaching hire of the early off-season, the Tennessee Titans have added two solid coordinators in offensive playcaller Matt LaFleur and defensive caller Dean Pees.
AFC south earning respect now, better believe it.
— Johnathan Cyprien (@cyp) January 21, 2018
Jacksonville has a step on all these teams with their loaded defense. They can’t afford to stand pat at quarterback and expect to keep it.
To make a wager on any sport, go to the world famous Diamond Sportsbook by clicking here.
