I had to travel to New Jersey for a week long corporate meeting. I picked up a bit of the game at a TGI Friday's and saw enough to know Seattle wanted that game bad.  It was a pleasure to have this site to come back to and see what the thoughts and comments were. I am heading home tomorrow and will be at the game on Sunday. Collin is coming in on Saturday and he and I will take in the game together.  He promises to educate me on what I am seeing on the field. Maybe I'll just get drunk.  Anyway, from a distance I have some thoughts...

I think the common lesson between the Titans game and the Seahawks game is this.. whoever controls the lines will probably win the game.  When we control the offensive line, David looks good. Dirk Koetter looks brilliant. We score points.  When we don't control the lines, Jack Del Rio is fired, David holds the ball too long, blah blah blah.  It will be the same story each and every game.

The only thing these two games showed me was that our drafting in the last two years was directionally correct. If two of our 4 top choices performed at a top pro level right now, I think things would look different.  Maybe Alan Fanaca was a better choice than trading up for number 8.  The Jets are giving Mark Sanchez time to have fun.  Honestly, that is our problem and the Jaguars know it and have tried to correct it.

Is coaching our problem? I have a hard time thinking Andy Heck, the offensive line coach, is doing anything wrong. I have seen what Dirk Koetter calls for plays and I don't think he is major source of problem. So maybe coaching is a problem in some areas, but in other areas our guys get whipped.  It was interesting to see Miami whip the Jets defense.  The Jets had painted the picture of a defense as firm as a wall. Rex Ryan had to apologize.  Sometimes guys get whipped.  I think on the offensive side of the ball, it isn't coaching. It isn't David. Seattle just beat us.  OK, so it happens.  We embarrassed the Colts a couple of years ago and they simply burned the game film and moved on.

Maurice Jones Drew sounded off his week and I read the article.  I honestly don't know how I feel about that. Part of me says "Well you porky little shit" and another part of me says don't take losing too easily.  I get what he is doing but I am not sure it won't wear thin as the season goes on.  What is the next level? Play me or trade me? Where is MJD going with all this? I hope it doesn't become a regular occurrence. I don't know, but it gives me the impression of weakening JDR and calling out Dirk Koetter a bit. All things considered, I am a bit negative on it.

Jonathan was right in his article about Jaguar crunch time. Last year, the three game stretch was Cleveland, Cincy, Detroit.  Test taken, test failed. The Jaguars face the same test stretch and Jonathan was right to call it out. Seattle, Rams, Titans.

I did read all the articles after the Titans game about how we would be 6-2 and how good we were and just shook my head and remained silent. A few of you tried to gently bring people back but most of you were having none of it.  I sent Collin an email after his article last week and said "I think I know who is making the Kool Aid".  The only thing I can honestly say is what I said after the first Colts game, I am still confused as to what kind of team we have.  Moments of joy and moments of disappointment. The only troubling thing was the offense collapse. The defense is not going to progress as fast as the offense and so the offense must carry us.  We need at least one side of the ball to be exciting. 

The real question put out there this week was "who is going to LA".  I think it makes a good poll question, but I know this, Wayne Weaver said they can't make it at 45,000 attendance.  How much is the problem the economy in your mind? If we had knocked on the door of the Super Bowl last year, would the stadium be full?  I guess the question I am asking is "Does Jacksonville still love the Jaguars?"  I don't know.  Tickets are available at reduced rates everywhere in town. Have I seen the last of the full stadium games? 

In the "at least we are not them " catagory, there are too many teams that do not look like they are getting up off the floor this year. I have never seen a year where football is this bad in so many places.  Buffalo, St. Louis, Tampa Bay, Oakland. I still can't believe the Titans are winless.  What happened? I think football needs to divide into two divisions.  The really bad teams in one division and the really good teams in the other. All playoff teams come from the good division. The top two teams in the bad division get to play in the good division next year and the bottom two from the good division get kicked down.  Everyone in the bad division has 50% of their salary taken away and given out as bonuses to the players in the good division.  Any coach who spends five years in the bad division must leave NFL football for 5 years.  Televised games of teams in the bad division can show commercials during the game and as many commercials as they want.  There that is my solution.

OK, so to end on a happy note.... I am excited to have Collin visit and get to the stadium this weekend. Should be a fun game.  First, i want to get home and see my wife.  I miss her.  See you at the stadium!!! Sandra, I'm coming home!!

Terry O'Brien