Jaguars @ Saints
JT: A lot has happened in life since halftime of the Colts game
Because of my life happenings it has been a minute since I graced you fair readers with my barely noteworthy meanderings. I feel as though I have let you down. But fear not, my fearless friends (I realize that as a “fearless” friend you are unable to fear in the first place, thus “fearing not” is like a Tuesday afternoon for you. I just don’t care). Why do I not care? Because I am enraged. Truly that description is way over the top. I am nowhere near enraged. What I am is slightly upset and ever more so befuddled. It has been awhile since my last befuddling so if I am doing it wrong please let me know. I just can’t understand the absurdity of the play call last Sunday that injured our franchise QB. Yes, I understand that Trevor should have taken the “short sack” and so therefore people are placing partial blame on him, but that too is absurd and befuddling. Good coaching would have never put Trevor in that position in the first place. Good coaching would have never allowed things to get to the point where Trevor would have to decide to take a “short sack.” The Jags had already won the game and they were already in field goal range, there were a plethora of non-stupid options from which to chose. 1) Hand the ball to a running back. 2) Have Trevor take an immediate knee, ala victory formation. 3) Take Trevor out of the game and call what ever stupid ass thing you could possible want to call, with Beathard under center. 4) Kick a field goal before fourth down. 5) Put in the wildcat option, as you had done earlier in the game. Literally anything, other than sending your entire franchise on a naked bootleg with an all out Colts blitz coming, would have been acceptable.
Someone needs to be held accountable. Whether it’s in public or private, I don’t care. What I do care about is that Press Taylor should not be calling plays anymore. The second half of last Sunday’s game was not called nearly as well as the first half (offensively, of course), and the naked bootleg call was quite literally a fireable offense. Instead of properly preparing for one of the toughest road games of the season, due to the short week, Trevor is taking mental reps while Press Taylor should be seeking (football related) mental help. Again, that is over the top. I apologize Press. Just please don’t be that stupid again. You can call me if you ever get the urge to hospitalize a star player when we are up by several scores with almost no time left on the clock. I’ll be your sponsor. Together we can get you through your steps.
Even more befuddling than the call was hearing Dougie P. double down on it being a good call. The right call. Obviously it was the wrong call and obviously it wasn’t a good call, as evidenced by our quarterback walking around in a knee brace, not practicing, and being a game time decision. It is okay for you to say “we made a bad call.” or “we made the wrong call.” or “in hindsight we should have handed it off.” You can choose from any of those options. But to double down on it being the correct call, and a good call, is totally and completely befuddling. I chose to believe that Doug doesn’t believe the words that are coming out of his mouth. Because, if he does than that might be more befuddling than the befuddling feeling attained from Doug’s double down on the tremendously befuddling play call. And yes, people have argued with me on the interweb socials that I wouldn’t have said a word if Trevor had scored a TD on the play, or not gotten hurt at all. This is just false because as soon as Trevor kept that ball and started to run, I was screaming at the top of my lungs for Press Taylor’s head. Before Trevor was chased and tackled, I was yelling at the field because it was so obviously the wrong call.
Okay enough of that. It occurred, and now we don’t know for sure if Trevor will be playing tonight in NOLA. Personally, I feel that Lawrence will suit up. The real question is will our play calling be hindered by his knee? Will we not open the entire playbook in order to cater to the hobbled joint? Will he injure himself further and risk the rest of the season? As an aside, name one person who has it better than Beathard. I can’t either. What a life. It’s gonna take a lot more than a grade one knee issue to sideline the spirit of Trevor Lawrence. Did you watch the sounds of the game? The most recent one when Trevor was mic’d up against the Colts? If no, then stop what you’re doing, ‘cause I’m about to ruin, the image and the style that your used to (sorry, but when the Humpty dance grabs you, you have to Humpty Hump). Seriously though, stop reading this crap and go watch the sounds of the game. T-Law’s competitiveness oozes through the screen. For having such a calm demeanor and even keel, he is a fierce competitor. That drive is why he won’t sit out of this game, why he will win this game (with a lot of help from Travis Etienne and our phenomenal defense), and why we can end this column right now. As far as I’m concerned you all should be leaving to watch what I told you to watch.
Its already Thursday afternoon, so here it is, short and sweet. The Jags are gonna win. For all of our injuries this week, the Saints are equally banged up. JAX is gonna throw quick passes and run the ball, a lot. The Saints run defense is very attackable and has given up good yardage this season. Plus, ETN is a beast. He has touched the ball more than any other running back in the NFL this season (don’t quote me on that unless you look it up first). ETN also leads the NFL in yards gained after first contact (you don’t need to look that one up because 60% of the time I’m right all the time. Cue the Sex Panther). The Saints running game last week put up mediocre numbers at best (Kamara had 68 yards) and the Jaguars defense is a run stopping machine (giving Travon Walker his much deserved, run stuffing, props). Derek Carr threw 50 passes last game and still only scored one touchdown with one interception. Guess what, you throw 50 times against the Jaguars and it won’t matter that Tyson Campbell is out, D. Will, Cisco, and Jenkins will get their ints again. Has that ever happened, in the history of the NFL, where the same three guys each have ints in back to back games? There is no way that has ever happened. I’m not even gonna look that up. It would just be a waste of my time. So strap in for a good game tonight JAX fans because the Saints game plan plays right into the strengths of this Jags team. For all of the crap I have given Mike Caldwell on this site, he seems to have overcome the traditional sophomore slump and gotten his act together (I still say he should move Travon inside). Now, let’s hope and pray that Press Taylor can follow suit.
Also, I predict Devin Lloyd to have one hell of a game. If you want to talk about a leap from year one to year two, look at Lloyd. He’s killin’ it. Without that cast he would have had an interception last week and, dare I say, if Carr goes to the air tonight like he did last week, Lloyd’s gonna pick one off. Let me know your thoughts in the comment section below.