Rogue Reactions: The Fall of the House of Bradley

All of the Feels

Not again. Every time it feels like there might be some respite from the misery, the Jaguars find a new way to rip the hearts out of their faithful fans. A good atmosphere in the ‘Bank was wasted again with another gut-wrenching loss.

Diving Deeper

Of course the coaching staff is taking the brunt of this one. Greg Olsen’s offense largely underachieved, especially at the end of the game. Another loss for Gus Bradley, where the team slogged through another slow start. But, perhaps more concerning was the play of the quarterback, whom many thought would be the least of the team’s worries this year. Bortles threw for under 200 yards and more interceptions (3) than touchdowns (2). How much has he regressed? Is this a cause for concern moving forward?

What’s Next?

This team has to try and figure things out across the pond. The chatter all week is going to be about if the Jaguars lose to the Colts in London, will heads start to roll. Bradley went in to the weekend as +500 to be fired by Bovada, which was second only to Rex Ryan (+150), who promptly went out and got a big win over the Cardinals on Sunday. There was some rumbling from players after the game about play calling as well. This is a pivotal week for the future of this franchise.

Quotable

“I mean, if I went into somebody else’s work and paid money to watch them work and they did a bad job, I would probably boo them too.” Blake Bortles on the fans booing the Jaguars.

Tweet It

This dude is so mad he took off his pants pic.twitter.com/YwuncotGAq

— spookyguynamedW (1-4) (@theMCwale) September 25, 2016

Lot of chatter about first-down play-calling after three takeaways.

Hurns agreed it was "too conservative."

— Ryan O'Halloran (@ryanohalloran) September 25, 2016

Ravens post game radio show question – How did they win this one

— Richard Miller (@MillerOnSports) September 25, 2016

For a staff that is literally the walking dead to go ultra conservative to end that game. Mind blowing. Play to win

— Scott Manze (@ScottManze) September 25, 2016

Next Up

The Jaguars head to London to open up AFC South play against the Indianapolis Colts in a “home game” at Wembley. Jacksonville won for the first time in London last year against the Bills. The game kicks off at 9:30 a.m. Eastern.

MC Wale Talks Jaguars W/ Nate Lundy – Episode 4 of the Jax Files

So I had the pleasure of hopping on the newest episode of The Jax Files, a podcast hosted by Nate Lundy on the 5280 Sports Network. Nate and I discussed the recent performances of the Jacksonville Jaguars and what to hope for the team as they go through the next two weeks. Also on this episode, Nate talks with former NFL coach Brian Billick and Senior Writer for SI/MMBQ Jenny Vrentas. You can check out the newest episode here or just listen below.

https://audioboom.com/boos/5077207-episode-4-wale-olaogun-brian-billick-jenny-vrentas

Win The Points – Gus Bus On Fire

Monday night, the Win The Points podcast had a very healthy discussion about Week 3 and the Top 25 in college football and ranted about the Jacksonville Jaguars pathetic showing against the San Diego Chargers. The crew also picked five games from Week 4 (CFB) and Week 3 (NFL) to guess the winner. Check out the newest episode on iTunes  or listen to the show on Soundcloud or below.

Rogue Reactions: Jags Can’t Sack the Pack

What Are We Feeling

Encouraged, disappointed, upset, angry and confused. Yes, the result from yesterday’s game, combined with the recent history of the Jaguars under head coach Gus Bradley and it only being week one have us here at RCR feeling the full range of emotions from yesterday to this morning. Did hanging with a perennial playoff team that is a frequent pick to represent the NFC in the Super Bowl this year lead to positive thoughts? Sure, certainly better than recent efforts against the upper echelon NFL teams. But at the end of the day, a loss is a loss.

Diving Deeper

There were bright spots. Blake Bortles made some throws. Receivers made some plays. The Jaguars consistently gambled on fourth down and for the most part it worked. Brad Nortman is a weapon. Jason Myers was perfect. The Jaguars secondary forced Aaron Rodgers to be as well.

There are still plenty of concerns. The defensive line still struggled to get pressure, and when it did, lost contain on Rodgers multiple times. The running game struggled to find consistency, and was plagued by tackles for loss. Not having Chris Ivory might have impacted that, but the inability for the offensive line to pick up all the Packers in the box was a little more concerning. We are still waiting for this team to get the killer instinct at the end of games. Watching on tv, the ads for the Ravens game feature the come from behind win in Baltimore last year. Wins like that have been few and far between under this regime, and until they do it, you wonder if even they believe they can.

What Next

Does the good performance fuel this team in practice this week and next Sunday? Or will this have an undesired snowball effect leading to another early season hole to dig out of in the standings? Will Chris Ivory be back and will that help the running game? Where is Myles Jack? Plenty of questions heading in to week two.

Quotable

“As you come in and calm down and look at it, we were able to compete with a top team in the NFL,” defensive tackle Sen’Derrick Marks said. “We had them. They got out of here by the hair on their [bottom].”

Hopefully this fuels this team, and does not deflate them.

Tweet It

I'm not mad. Just disappointed. Which is a drastic change from just being furious.

— someguynamedW (@theMCwale) September 11, 2016

I'd feel good about Jaguars result today in 2015

— Richard Miller (@MillerOnSports) September 11, 2016

Team still doesn't quite know how to handle games like this. Players, staff, all

— Scott Manze (@ScottManze) September 11, 2016

Next Up

Jacksonville travels to San Diego in search of win number one in a locale that has been tough in the past. The Jaguars have lost to the Chargers each of the last three seasons.

Rogue Rundown: Jaguars-Packers

Yes, it is finally real football following over a month of training camp, too much preseason and roster cuts. If you are like us – somewhat recovered from the late nights and fun games of Texas-Notre Dame and Florida State-Ole Miss, you are ready for NFL Sundays.

The Jaguars are on a current four-game losing streak in season openers. They have, we think, the toughest test all season with the Green Bay Packers on Sunday at EverBank Field. The Pack should be capable of winning its fifth straight NFC North title and many folks have them making the Super Bowl.

Jacksonville does not have much to lose in this one. But a win would give the teal and black the biggest win in the Gus Bradley era and hope to match the hype of the off-season.

Meeting: Sunday will be the sixth meeting between the two teams. The Jaguars trail in the all-time series, 2-3. The last matchup was in 2012 when the Packers won at Lambeau Field, 25-14. The Jags box score has Blaine Gabbert, Rashad Jennings, Cecil Shorts and Jeremy Mincey. Much has changed over the last four years.

 

Michael Phelps is the GREATEST of all time. Boom. #USA

— Blaine Gabbert (@BlaineGabbert) August 4, 2012

Humble-brag to Packers fans:

 Allen Robinson is 52 yards away from 2,000 career receiving. The third-year pro could start for any team.

You have history at Lambeau, and we have pools. If you attend the game, you will be in a pool whether you want to or not. It will be close to 90 degrees with plenty of humidity.

Blake Bortles led the league last season with 72 pass plays of 20 yards or more. Aaron Rodgers is coming off a rough year while BB5 is returning from his best season.

Connections to the River City:

Dom Capers was the Jaguars defensive coordinator for two seasons in 1999 and 2000. He’s been in the same role with Green Bay since 2009.

Jags defensive assistant Monte Kiffin was the Packers LB coach in 1983.

Cornerback Davon House was drafted by Green Bay in the 2011 draft’s fourth round. Jacksonville signed him as an unrestricted free agent in March 2015.

What to Watch:

Blake Bortles will start the season opener for the second consecutive season. The Jags have never had a 300-yard passer against Green Bay. And the most passing yards in a season opener by a Jax QB is Mark Brunell with 301 at Cleveland in 2000. Bortles could set new franchise marks come Sunday.

The first-year players will have Jags fans scanning the field. Whether it is Jalen Ramsey, Myles Jack, Sheldon Day, Dante Fowler and Yannick Ngakoue, the youngsters will need to produce to allow Jacksonville to keep it close.

Safety Johnathan Cyprien is set to start his 45th game this Sunday. Will adding Tashaun Gipson in free agency help Cyp become the box safety the team has dearly needed? We will be keeping an eye on how the other free agents – Malik Jackson, Chris Ivory, Kelvin Beachum and Prince Amukamura – help their position groups too.

Trying to Figure Out:

 Were penalties solely a preseason thing?

Jared Odrick sustained a concussion during Wednesday’s practice. If he is out, how will the depth step up for the defensive line? We saw examples in the third preseason game versus Cincinnati.

 

#Jaguars say Jared Odrick suffered a concussion in Wednesday's practice.

— Hays Carlyon (@HaysCarlyon) September 8, 2016

LB Dan Skuta will have his 100th career appearance Sunday. He’ll be the OTTO starter with newly-acquired Arthur Brown backing him up. Is this position anything for opponents to be concerned about in 2016? Could Ryan Davis be a Monday morning sports radio topic?

About the Opponent:

The Pack could set multiple offensive records this season. With the Teddy Bridgewater injury, Green Bay is the easy favorite to take the NFC North.

Aaron Rodgers, a slimmer Eddie Lacy and Jordy Nelson, who missed all of 2015 with a knee injury, creates a well-balanced offense. Tight end Jared Cook provides Rodgers with another big-play target.

This team is always dangerous. It seems like you can put them in the top-5 annually with the likes of New England, Seattle, Denver (excluding this year?) and Carolina.

This Equals a Win:

 Like Bortles and Bradley have reiterated, the offense needs to start fast and play consistent and balanced ball. That phrase is sort of the new “do your job.”

At least keep Eddie Lacy contained. If the Packers have both the air and ground clicking, Sunday will not end quick enough.

Limit penalties, turnovers, and improve special teams coverage. No reason to give a solid franchise more opportunities because of your own mistakes.

How to Listen:

For the third straight regular season, Frank Frangie, Tony Boselli and Jeff Lageman will provide the call on 1010XL and 92.5 FM. Rick Ballou will provide sideline updates.

The Jaguars Radio Network will have three hours of the Publix Tailgate Show starting at 10 a.m. Sunday. Kickoff is 1 p.m.

Where to Watch:

 FOX will have the regional broadcast for Jaguars-Packers. WFOX-TV 30 will carry the game locally with Kevin Burkhardt and John Lynch in the booth. Pam Oliver – one of the all-time best – will cover the sidelines.

 

 

 

The Top 16 Jaguars of 2016: #3 Blake Bortles

And then there were three.

The argument could certainly be made that Blake Bortles is the best player on the Jaguars; after all he is their offensive captain, quarterback, and holds the team record for touchdowns in a season. There is no question that he is the most important player on the team since the quarterback is the most important player on every team in the NFL.

We will start with why Bortles is so high on the list. In 2015, he threw a shocking 35 touchdown passes. No one, and I do mean no one, saw that coming. He accounted for a ton of offense and really grew as a quarterback and a leader throughout the year. His improvement in play can be largely attributed to the work that he put in during his first offseason in the NFL. He worked with quarterback guru Tom House and regularly spent time working with the receivers during the offseason. His maturation as a professional has been truly impressive. This meteoric rise was also aided greatly by the drastic improvement of his two favorite targets, the Allens. Bortles is a fun guy to watch due to his ability to break a tackle or shake a defender and then find a receiver down field or tuck and run.

While Bortles showed real improvement in 2015, he was not with out flaws. His 18 interceptions lead the league and cost the Jaguars dearly in many games. His low completion percentage is also something that will need to improve moving forward. If Bortles is to become an “elite” quarterback then he will have to cut down on the turnovers and see a serious increase in his completion percentage.

The Bottom Line: Bortles is only 24 years old and has virtually unlimited upside. His strong arm and ability to make things happen with his feet make him incredibly difficult to game plan for and gives the Jaguars a shot to make things happen every time he takes the field. If Bortles can take better care of the ball and become a more efficient quarterback in 2016 then there is no reason that he will not be the best Jaguar and also be a top tier QB. If he cannot reduce the costly turnovers, then the narrative on Bortles will dramatically change heading into 2017.

Rogue Reactions: Jaguars-Bengals

Can I Get a Feeling

…that is not an over- or under-reaction. Yes, the first team offense and defense looked bad. It is ok to feel worried about that. Yes, the game does not count in the standings, it is ok to not get too down over the result that is largely inconsequential. Stay somewhere in the middle. Easier to rise and easier to fall that way.

Deeper Meanings

The left side of the line (LT Kelvin Beachum and LG Luke Joeckel) looked predictably uncomfortable, either from working in game action for the first time in a while or at a new position. All of this against a pretty good defensive front. We will see if the coaching staff elects to give them some run on Thursday due to the lack of experience together. Or, we might learn that they have seen enough from that experiment.

The coaching staff got worked by Marvin Lewis and company. The offense had difficulty establishing rhythm and never took advantage of the downfield passing game, despite Bengals CB Adam Jones suffering an injury in warmups that kept him from playing and safety being a cause of concern for Cincinnati this year. Defensively, WR AJ Green barely played due to an injury himself, but the Bengals ran and screened their way up and down the field. Granted, the defense spent much of the first half on the field, but were susceptible to both big plays and third down conversions. The Jaguars were completely out-schemed.

Can I Get a (Good) Feeling

The backups came in and lit it up, scoring 23 unanswered points to lead to Jaguars to a come from behind “win”. All this really does is ensure that the Jaguars will not go winless in the preseason, which certainly would have lead to even more extreme hot takes about the state of the franchise.

Notable Quote

”We played bad at every position and usually that is what happens when you play bad: you do not score a lot of points.” – Blake Bortles to SNF on NBC sideline reporter Michelle Tafoya. At least he did not try to sugar coat it. Now what is he going to do about it?

Next Up

Jacksonville travels to Atlanta to tangle with the Falcons on Thursday night in the preseason finale. Some will watch, but most are counting down the days until September 11.

 

September Must-Haves

Hey friends! A new month is here and I’m so excited about it! I’ve taken the past few days to find some major highlights of the River City for you guys and put them all in one place for the month of September, so you don’t have to go searching around for them.  This month there’s a ton of great stuff happening here in Jacksonville, and I’m super excited to share it all.

Social Media:

If you want to get to know the person who’s behind the scenes to getting major sporting events, like the US Men’s National Team, or the Crossfit Games, hosted in Jacksonville, there is one person you need to be following: Alan Verlander. Alan is the Executive Director and COO of Jacksonville Sports Council. Alan is one of the nicest, most genuine, and creative minds in Jacksonville. He really cares about our city, putting in on the map as a destination city for sporting events and making sure Jacksonville is highlighted to its highest potential.

Follow Alan Verlander on Twitter: @AlanVerlander

Style:

Oh, September. The month where you are probably going to get heat stroke wearing a black Jaguars jersey to EverBank on Sunday afternoons, but you do it anyways because it is your lucky jersey. My lucky jersey happens to be a Blake Bortles one that looks really cute with shorts when it is blazin’ hot on Sunday at 1:00 pm, or cute with black jeans in December when the Jags are wrapping up the season. Here is the thing with NFL gear: it is tiny. And by tiny, I mean made for kids tiny. But what I have found is that the youth size are actually bigger width-wise than the women’s cut. So if you can, get to a store where they sell jerseys, like Academy or Dick’s Sporting Goods, and try on a youth size compared to a women’s cut. You might be surprised. My youth size is XL, and in women’s I wear a medium or large depending on the brand.

Sports:

Tuesday, September 6, the United States Men’s National Team is going to be playing Trinidad and Tobago at EverBank Field, at 8:00 PM. This game is a 2018 FIFA World Cup Qualifying Semifinal Round Game. If you missed out last time the USMNT played here in Jacksonville against Nigeria for the Send-Off Series, then you need to be at this game! Soccer is getting really popular here in Jacksonville, and the United States v. Nigeria game in 2014 sold out. Anywhere you sit at EverBank is going to be a great seat, but I suggest getting a sideline seat, mid-level if you can. You can bet that the Jacksonville chapter of American Outlaws will be at the game to bring a ton of energy into the crowd, and get the party started as well.

(Courtesy of: Jacksonville Armada FC)

Food:

Maple Street Biscuit Company is one of my favorite breakfast places. With locations in Jacksonville Beach, San Marco, Murray Hill, Julington Creek, Old City (St. Augustine), Gainesville, and soon Fleming Island, there is one near you! The whole concept here is obviously biscuits. But these are not drive through biscuit sandwiches. These biscuits are homemade every day, with fresh, local ingredients, and really creative toppings. One of my favorites is the Sticky Maple, which is a biscuit with fried chicken, bacon, and maple syrup. I usually add hot sauce, because the spicy element cuts through the syrup.

There is also something really special about a place where you can get macaroni and cheese at 9:00 a.m. if you want. And Maple Street’s mac does NOT disappoint! It has five different kinds of cheese, and those cheesy crackers we all love as a crust on top. It is creamy and gooey, and all the things you want mac and cheese to be.

The last thing I really love about Maple Street is the communal atmosphere they create in each one of their restaurants. While there are some smaller tables, most of the tables are large community style tables. This really forces people to get out of their comfort zone, maybe sit with someone they do not know and strike up a conversation. You never know who you may meet!

Events:

September is a pretty busy month for Jacksonville. The home opener for the Jaguars against the Packers is sold out, there’s a USMNT soccer match, but there is also a great concert coming into town. Zac Brown Band is going to be playing at Veterans Memorial Arena, Saturday, September 17. Talk about a great concert! I’ve heard nothing but great things about Zac Brown Band live, and I so wish I was going to be in the arena for the party. There are still tickets available, but they are going fast. Tickets are anywhere from $28.50 to well over $200.

Disney:

September is also a really busy month for Disney. There are two huge events that start in September, Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party, and the Epcot International Food and Wine Festival. While I really love going to the Food and Wine Festival, I love going to Mickey’s Not So Scary even more! Why? This ticketed event really makes me excited for fall and Halloween, and being able to dress up like Captain Phasma from Star Wars to hang out at Magic Kingdom is really fun. If you have never been to Mickey’s Not So Scary, I highly recommend it. There is something for everyone! There is a special parade called Boo to You, and I promise you will get the song stuck in your head. Also, the best fireworks show Disney puts on during the whole year, HallowWishes and special character meets with Mickey and Minnie are dressed in their Halloween costumes. And do not even get me started on trick-or-treating through Magic Kingdom! If you are an Annual Passholder or Disney Vacation Club Member, check your membership pages for discounts on party tickets, and room discounts through September.

Well friends, that’s it for this month! If you think I missed something let me know in the comments or over on Twitter! (@megand513)

All Jags podcast – 8/24/16

Photo credit: Generation Jaguar

A quick rundown of what to be happy about through the Jaguars’ first two preseason games.  We take a look at Jalen Ramsey and Myles Jack vying for the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year award.  Also it’s time to review the three AFC South opponents and the teams’ biggest strength, weakness and question mark.  #AllJags

Rogue Reactions: Jags-Bucs

Happy Happy Joy Joy

The starters won again: Blake Bortles and the first team offense scored touchdowns on two of the three series they were in for Saturday night, leaving the game with a 14-7 advantage before the Buccaneers backups were able to lead a comeback for the win.

There is an embarrassment of riches on offense: Big plays for Allen Robinson, Allen Hurns, TJ Yeldon, Chris Ivory, Marqise Lee (and of course the steady hand of Blake Bortles) had the crowd going wild and not even wondering where the likes of Julius Thomas and others were. Not everyone will have to be involved every game for this team to win. Think of Team USA basketball.

Deeper Meanings

Our first impression of Jalen Ramsey was a good one: The first round pick was matched up with talented number one wide receiver Mike Evans in the first quarter and held his own. Many speculated whether Ramsey was the Jags best cover guy and even if he was would he get top flight assignments early. While we cannot assume it will be like this from here on out, the coaching staff certainly wanted to see if he was up to the task. Ramsey vs. AJ Green next week should be fun.

Running back is a platoon (and a good one): Both Yeldon and Ivory got carries with the first team offense, which was expected, and both showed flashes of what makes them so dangerous. Yeldon flashed his hands and quickness on a touchdown reception and Ivory had several punishing runs. Underrated was the Jaguars ability to create some holes up front, and the willingness to run mostly to the left side, behind Luke Joeckel and Mackenzy Bernadeau, whom the coaches seem to have a lot of faith in early.

All of the Feelings

The Bank was rocking: The first home game of the 2016 season felt like one, with the crowd in midseason form during the first quarter. Questions as to whether or not the new club upgrades would help fill the seats were answered with a resounding yes as well.

The return of the Banger: Bryan Anger returned to EverBank for the first time since the disappointing third round pick departed in free agency this past offseason. He was heartily booed several times as fans were finally able to exercise some demons. Hopefully, we are one step closer as a fan base to completely erasing ourselves of the Gene Smith catastrophe now.

Notable Quote

”I thought the guys did a really good job of rebounding and coming back and putting up some points.” – Bortles on scoring two touchdowns after an ugly first series. The Jaguars will not score every first series this season. The key will be how quickly the can put that failure behind and rebound. Last night hopefully was a good sign for improved first quarter play in 2016.

Next Up

Jaguars host the Cincinnati Bengals at 8 p.m. August 28. The Bengals are coming off of another playoff berth and another first round exit, things that have become as clockwork as the sun rising in the east. They most recently defeated the Detroit Lions 30-14 on August 18 at Ford Field.