TNF: JAX @ CIN

[SmittyBacall]

1 hour ago, Broncofan said:

 

Even more - better coaching.   Zac Taylor has been underwhelming.   His 1H plan was atrocious.  1st down dives that led to 2nd and long (stretch plays were the way to go with runs).  Then Taylor deciding to run dives with Perine in the last drive when Mixon left was literally the only way the final drive could stall.  Yet that’s what Taylor called time and again.    And this was a theme last year as well.  

While I agree ZT has been far from great, I think we’re being a little harsh considering the absurd comeback they mounted. Also, we need to consider that ZT is game planing to protect Burrow coming off of severe injury. He’s like 10 months removed from a complete knee tear, and the OL has been up and down in protection. He calls plays to protect burrow until things get desperate and he has no choice but to take the reigns off. I don’t think Burrow is 100% yet, nor do I think they’ve completely unleashed him yet. I remember Taylor’s play calling actually being pretty good last year.

As for the Perine dives on the last drive, Mixon was nicked up (on a play he was trying to stay in bounds), and I think the intention of the dives was to keep the clock churning and avoid the out of bounds. 

[SmittyBacall]

Also, looking ahead to next week…

Division game, at home, 10 days rest, Titans dealing with a myriad of injuries. Sounds like the perfect spot for their first win. 

They’re definitely a team on the upswing and better than their record.

[pwny]

4 minutes ago, SmittyBacall said:

I think we’re being a little harsh considering the absurd comeback they mounted.

Not to poo poo on your parade or anything, but the Jaguars have allowed 27+ points in one half of play in three of our games so far. There has yet to be a game where the opposing team didn’t go on a run for 2+ quarters where they outscored us by 20+ points.

The Texans went up 27-7 on us in the first half and had a run of 20 straight points on us.

The Broncos scored 23 straight on us.

The Cardinals were down two TDs and then rattled off 24 straight points against us.

Our offense has scored 4 times in the second half, and one of those was in garbage time. 

This wasn’t absurd at all, it was simply par for the course. Everyone has put together two quarters like that vs us.

[Broncofan]

3 hours ago, SmittyBacall said:

While I agree ZT has been far from great, I think we’re being a little harsh considering the absurd comeback they mounted. Also, we need to consider that ZT is game planing to protect Burrow coming off of severe injury. He’s like 10 months removed from a complete knee tear, and the OL has been up and down in protection. He calls plays to protect burrow until things get desperate and he has no choice but to take the reigns off. I don’t think Burrow is 100% yet, nor do I think they’ve completely unleashed him yet. I remember Taylor’s play calling actually being pretty good last year.

As for the Perine dives on the last drive, Mixon was nicked up (on a play he was trying to stay in bounds), and I think the intention of the dives was to keep the clock churning and avoid the out of bounds. 

Totally get the reason for  Perine, with Mixon tweaking a calf/ankle, but the overall theme with Taylor is that his playcalling hasn't been great overall.    I make that statement from the last 2 years - their lack of willingness to use Mixon in the pass game, then rather curious designs away from where they match up best.    I know he found the solution in the 2H - but I'd say those plays were there in the 1H, his very vanilla plans (where the first 12-15 plays are often scripted) were a major minus.    If this was a case of just post-ACL, I'd get it - but overall, he's been far from the O innovative guru originally billed.   Now, he's also got amazing weapons to help Burrow - and they make it work a lot better (duh).    Just with the weapons they have, and the matchups they can exploit, it would be nice to see Taylor scheme to do that.   The Mixon-1H-dive-to-start on 1st down isn't just last game....it's been a theme (as a Mixon owner in season-long leagues the last 2+ seasons, it's probably why I notice it a lot).

It's also his first gig as HC, so there is room to simply grow & evolve - but other than the OL (which is a fair reason on some weeks to change the plan), there are no excuses for Taylor to not show that evolution into being a plus in the game design/game management column.  Guess we'll find out this year.   Last night was a case of the talent bailing out the plan IMO.

Edited October 1, 2021 by Broncofan

[Scoundrel]

1 hour ago, Broncofan said:

Last night was a case of the talent bailing out the plan IMO.

This 100%

[HitStickAllDay]

On 10/1/2021 at 4:30 AM, Uncle Buck said:

We have been getting him involved the last couple of weeks, but you're right, he needs to get more carries.  My theory on that is that we got kind of flat footed when we lost Travis Etienne to injury just before the regular season started.  I think they were planning on having him be a big part of our offense. 

As others in the Jags forum have speculated, Urban loves speed, and he may have been looking at Etienne as being his Percy Harvin for the Jaguars.  Both are dynamic with the ball in their hands, and are capable of making big plays.  James Robinson, while good, is much more of a "Joe Lunchpail" kind of guy who isn't flashy but just finds a way to get the job done.

It could be that Urban and our OC, Darrell Bevell, had to spend some time remaking our offense in order to get Robinson more carries.  Whatever the reason is, it's just nice to see him becoming a bigger part of the game plan each week.

I’m a huge fan of Robinson. Given the needs of the Jags I just don’t understand the Etienne pick. Perhaps you’re correct with the Harvin analogy. I just think that Robinson is a premiere back with few holes in his game and I thought it’d make sense to attempt to plug other holes on the team. Sure he’s an UDFA, but he’s an extremely talented back. 
 

Glad to see Shinault get more involved in the last game. There are building blocks and I hope the Jags draft for need rather than be attracted to flashy statistics at positions that aren’t urgent. 

[Uncle Buck]

13 hours ago, HitStickAllDay said:

I’m a huge fan of Robinson. Given the needs of the Jags I just don’t understand the Etienne pick. Perhaps you’re correct with the Harvin analogy. I just think that Robinson is a premiere back with few holes in his game and I thought it’d make sense to attempt to plug other holes on the team. Sure he’s an UDFA, but he’s an extremely talented back. 
 

Glad to see Shinault get more involved in the last game. There are building blocks and I hope the Jags draft for need rather than be attracted to flashy statistics at positions that aren’t urgent. 

I'm with you on Etienne, HitStick.  It was a surprising pick to me too, but Urban loves speed, and I'm guessing that he had big plans to use him to open things up on the offense. 

You're also right about Robinson.  He's darn good, considering he went undrafted.  I think he can play a big role in our offense, but it might take having them make some big changes to the overall scheme.  With Etienne out anyway, that's probably the thing to do for this year.

I'm also in total agreement on Laviska Shenault.  He's my favorite receiver on the team.  The more passes he can catch, the better in my book.

Overall, you're right.  There IS some talent to work with on this team.  It's probably just going to take a year or two more to fill in the holes and replace the guys who can't get out of the losing culture mentality.  In any case, it has been a lot of fun to get on board with this team when they are at the bottom and watch them build it all from the ground up.

Good luck to the Vikings in 2021.  I hope you guys get that Lombardi sooner, rather than later!