Ok Jack, you've made your point. Wait, what was your point?

by Adam Stites on Oct 8, 2010 2:24 PM EDT in Meta-Jacksonville Jaguars

We get it. Derek Cox played poorly against the Broncos. Really poorly.

According to ProFootballFocus he was targeted 9 times and his receivers caught 8 of those balls for 140 yards in that game. So what was the explanation for the bad game?

"We felt like Derek lost his confidence a little bit, and he'll work at it practice." - Jack Del Rio

Now I'm not a psychologist or anything close to one, but Del Rio's methods for restoring Cox's confidence are a little odd.

Step 1: Bench Derek Cox mid-game

I liked this step because I'm a fan of putting the best product possible on the field. In the Denver game, Cox was clearly a liability and David Jones provided much tighter coverage for the remainder of the game. Not exactly a confidence booster, but a smart coaching decision

Step 2: Deactivate Derek Cox against San Diego

Ok...so Del Rio's first move for getting Cox's confidence back was to completely remove him from a game. Unorthodox, but alright. By the way, I strongly believe Derek never saw this coming. I was at the Chargers game early to watch warmups and he was warming up with everyone looking absolutely intent on playing. I'm sure surprising him with news of deactivation was a great booster for his confidence.

Step 3: Activate Derek Cox and keep him on the sideline for all but special teams

Here's another helper for your confidence. You just went from the 2nd best option at cornerback for the Jaguars, to the last resort, if all else fails, guy.

Here's what I think. I think Derek Cox has no problem with his confidence, or at least he didn't. If he didn't before, Del Rio's little therapy session can't have helped. Consider these quotes from Cox following the Broncos loss:

"Am I concerned? No. I'll be back. A couple plays didn't go my way. So what? I'm not going to dwell on that at all. As a defensive back, you can't dwell on it either way, the good plays and the bad ones. This stuff happens every day in this league. I know I'm a good player. I know I can play."

"The game is mental. Staying mentally strong and having a good mental outlook is real important. I'm always optimistic. Somebody on the outside may doubt whether I can play, but I don't. I just missed a couple plays. It happens, but I'll be back."

That sure sounds like a guy who's a headcase, huh?

So what's the real reason Cox is out? That's a good question. According to Tania Ganguli, Jack Del Rio says David Jones will probably start again this week.

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Comments

I think he ran over Jack's Dog

There’s really no other explanation. Not even playing in nickel situations? Something’s going on that’s not being shared.

---
To paraphrase a famous bumper sticker... I've got no problem with Tebow. It is his fans I can do without.

by SLSJax on Oct 8, 2010 2:34 PM EDT reply actions

We don't know

the “real” reason.
One would hope it’s based on a player’s performance in practice. The coaches see these guys every day. They are the most knowledgable about a player’s physical abilities, how well he understands and carries out his assignments, his attitude, his potential for improvement, etc. It’s hard to believe a coach at this level would knowingly play an inferior athlete to the detriment of the team’s performance. That seems counterintuitive. I would like to believe he’d put the most competent players on the field.
On the other hand, Mike Peterson.

Section 442, RIP
Jaguars, most knowledgable fans in the NFL.

by unhipcat on Oct 8, 2010 2:37 PM EDT reply actions

Mike

was a different situation, not to mention I thought the LB group played better without him.

by Ewdtrey on Oct 8, 2010 4:10 PM EDT up reply actions

I can't comment on how well LBs played as a group in 2008

but according to nfl.com, Peterson led the Jags in combined tackles that year, despite starting only 10 games. And I don’t recall hearing or reading about him not contributing on the field before his demotion.
My point was that I conclude JDR is capable of making playing time decisions based on factors not entirely related to how well someone produces during the game. I understand there’s a lot of information that factors into that decision, information I’m not aware of and probably wouldn’t fully comprehend even if someone explained it to me. I also believe Peterson and Cox are completely different situations.
I just have to trust that in this instance, it’s based purely on whom JDR thinks can best carry out the defensive game plan.

Section 442, RIP
Jaguars, most knowledgable fans in the NFL.

by unhipcat on Oct 8, 2010 6:06 PM EDT up reply actions

You play how you practice.

As a musician, I completely understand that. Practicing is our life; it’s not performing. And you will never perform better than your best practice session.

Ok, say I had a rough concert. Cracked a bunch of notes, came it at wrong places, etc. My confidence is now low. Guess where I fix my confidence? In a practice room, right. It’s time to get down to basics and fix the little things and find out why things went wrong. You don’t do that in a performance; a performance is supposed to be a finished product. And if I hadn’t gone back and used practice time to fix things, what if my next performance is also bad? Then I feel even worse, and my confidence is even lower. The only thing worse is if I had practiced but wasn’t finished fixing things and had a rough performance before I was ready. Then I feel like I’m putting in the time but not getting results, and then I’m frustrated on top of lacking confidence and generally just playing poorly.

Now, let’s look at Derek Cox. He had a rough game. He was in some wrong places, blew coverages, got abused. I don’t care what he said after the game; his confidence had to be shaken. That’s just the way it is. So where did he need to fix it? Right, in practice. And that’s what he’s been doing, and now Jack thinks he’s ready to perform at a high level when it counts. It’s time for the finished product.

I’m glad we have a coach that understands that you players will succeed when they are ready to succeed, and not before. Have any of us seen him in practice? No. Has Jack seen him in practice literally every day since the Denver game? Yes. Do Jack and Derek have a better idea than us what Derek’s readiness level is? Yes.

I hope the music connection helped you understand, because you’re dead wrong on this, Adam.

In Gene We Trust.

by MoveThoseChains on Oct 8, 2010 3:01 PM EDT reply actions 2 recs

Derek Cox has been just fine in practice. Jack Del Rio has even mentioned he’s had good weeks of practice.

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by Alfie Crow on Oct 8, 2010 3:05 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions

Good, good for him.

Means he’s making progress. Doesn’t mean he’s been ready before this week.

In Gene We Trust.

by MoveThoseChains on Oct 8, 2010 3:06 PM EDT up reply actions

Speaking of how good/bad

he is in practice and the fact that JDR is watching him. Do we not think that there are multiple coaches watching Derek. If it was obvious that Derek should start there would be enough people in JDR’s ear to get Derek on the field(Assuming it was even JDR’s decision in the first place, regardless of whether or not Jack has the last call.)

by Ewdtrey on Oct 8, 2010 4:16 PM EDT up reply actions

rec'd

Del Rio has said many times that the best players will play, and right now, Cox is not one of them. But I think he will get it together sooner rather than later.

You can't reason with unreasonable people.

by JagsAlex87 on Oct 8, 2010 3:06 PM EDT up reply actions

If memory serves me

Cox was bad all pre-season too. Maybe he hasn’t lost his swagger, but if he’s second guessing himself on the field, he’s a liability.

It boggles my mind when fans suggest a coach would actually bench a player they, the coach, thought gave the team a better chance to win.

He’s not trying to make a point or teach anyone a lesson. He’s watching practice and putting the best guys on the field. Right now that’s apparently not D. Cox.

DG is the best we have and help is not on the way. I realize he's not perfect, but I feel a lot better about him at QB than I do the O-Line, DB's, or LB's ability to cover a TE.

by pksiv on Oct 8, 2010 3:07 PM EDT via mobile reply actions

+1

by Ewdtrey on Oct 8, 2010 4:17 PM EDT up reply actions

I just have a hard time believing Derek Cox has looked no better than the 4th/5th best CB. They came damn close to putting Brackenridge in over him Sunday. During the time out the ran TBrack out, then last minute ran Cox out there.

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by Alfie Crow on Oct 8, 2010 3:20 PM EDT via mobile reply actions

On that point

you could argue that Derek should be higher on the depth chart than someone cut the next week. But we got to consider match-ups. He may be the 3rd best CB, but maybe he doesn’t transfer well to the NB or Dime position, which I don’t think he does. Not to mention you don’t want his head swimming trying to figure out different positions. And maybe you don’t Derek to try to gain his confidence against Peyton Manning/Reggie Wayne.

by Ewdtrey on Oct 8, 2010 4:23 PM EDT up reply actions

Very good point. Middleton has been great at the NB spot.

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by Alfie Crow on Oct 8, 2010 4:33 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions

4th or 5th best

would seem to be an accurate perception at this time.

Section 442, RIP
Jaguars, most knowledgable fans in the NFL.

by unhipcat on Oct 8, 2010 4:24 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions

Well I think the responses for this article have shaken my confidence

I’ll see you guys in a month

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by Adam Stites on Oct 8, 2010 4:52 PM EDT reply actions

Haha

by Ewdtrey on Oct 8, 2010 5:16 PM EDT up reply actions

We will see.

I mean, maybe it is because JDR wants to play his best, and if he feels that Jones is the best (because he is not bad, not great of course) then more power to him, that means he made the right decision. Cox has not preformed ALL YEAR and that was in TC, PS, RS now, so it is just a wait and see thing. If Cox does well and earns his starting job back in practice, then alright. I personally do not have any problem with the way Cox is being treated, you do not preform? You dont play, that is how they do it at ALL levels, kids in my high school who are in the 11th grade, were on varsity now have to go all the way down to JV because they are not good enough. It is what it is.

by Demetrius82 on Oct 8, 2010 5:06 PM EDT reply actions

Thank you gentlemen.

Thank you uphipcat for using the word “counterintuitive”. You are definitely not unhip.

Thank you Chains for a great analogy … and what do you play, and where can we go hear you?

Thank you Adam for the insights … and if there’s a crack in your mojo, well, go practice harder.

My feeliing is that Mr. Cox will be just fine, he’s being handled with kid gloves at the moment but will emerge as a force after the bye. Just a hunch.

by ruffdaddy on Oct 8, 2010 5:14 PM EDT reply actions 2 recs

Haha, and thanks for this comment. Really ties the room together.

I’m working on a masters degree in French horn performance at Cincinnati. Actually have a concert tonight…playing Robert Schumann’s 3rd Symphony, among other things. It’ll be a good one!

In Gene We Trust.

by MoveThoseChains on Oct 8, 2010 5:52 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs

I'm trying to learn keyboard

and am definitely not ready to perform.
How’d your concert go last night?

Section 442, RIP
Jaguars, most knowledgable fans in the NFL.

by unhipcat on Oct 9, 2010 2:50 PM EDT up reply actions

It went great, thanks for asking.

Really successful first concert of the year. Good luck with keyboard!

In Gene We Trust.

by MoveThoseChains on Oct 9, 2010 6:32 PM EDT up reply actions

BTW

you picked a great instrument to play. It’s the best, and I’m not just saying that because I’m a horn player too.

by Ewdtrey on Oct 10, 2010 3:53 AM EDT up reply actions

We touched on this a bit for BCC Radio

I don’t think anyone has any more info than the other guy…great to see the differing opinions that offer alternate perspectives. It literally is our own little soap opera.

The greatest accomplishment is not in never falling, but in rising again after you fall.
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by Brian Fullford on Oct 8, 2010 7:42 PM EDT reply actions

I was thinking that JDR

Wanted to put Cox in the best situation, as in let him play against a poorer offense. It blows my mind that Cox isn’t getting the start this weekend. I figured JDR would use this game for a confidence booster against a lesser team, instead of throwing him to the wolves(Peyton, Rivers, VIck). This one is on JDR if he ruins the kid.

Coach Crennel, if all of your Coors Lights can talk what happens when you open your fridge? There's generally "Hoopla" involved.

by Jagtastic on Oct 8, 2010 7:56 PM EDT reply actions

a theory (go with me a bit) giving JDR the benefit of the doubt

I wonder how much of this has to do with the failed Reggie Nelson experiment.

Reggie did well early, then little by little started getting beat, then it sort of snowballed into the guy just embarrassing himself out there, the Indy game last year was the final straw.

Perhaps Jack saw some similarities in Cox and instead of leaving him out there to get torched and then villified by the fanbase, he’s sitting him down. I don’t get it and I don’t know that Cox would have significantly impacted the outcome of the 3 games he was benched to date, but that’s the only thing I can think again giving JDR the benefit of the doubt.

Hell, put the guy on special teams and let him work up a sweat and hit a few guys at least.

by Joe Fisher on Oct 8, 2010 9:01 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs

He has been on special teams

You can't reason with unreasonable people.

by JagsAlex87 on Oct 9, 2010 8:43 AM EDT up reply actions

Yeah that could be it

I don’t think we’ll ever know though, unless Cox flips out and blabs his mouth to some reporters.

Coach Crennel, if all of your Coors Lights can talk what happens when you open your fridge? There's generally "Hoopla" involved.

by Jagtastic on Oct 9, 2010 12:42 PM EDT up reply actions

I hope

we will see him at this game. Better now with Fitzpatrick and Young is playing at QB and the biggest WR threats are Evans and Britt. He can his confidence back now. Or never in this season.

Life without knowledge is death in disguise

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by Zoltan from Budapest on Oct 9, 2010 10:58 AM EDT reply actions

MoveThoseChains

How did the concert go last night? And didn’t Schumann write the Unfinished Symphony? Or was that Schubert?

I went to high school in Cincinnat, great city. My little band played once at the zoo … “Satisfaction” with seals barking in the background. It was awesome.

by ruffdaddy on Oct 9, 2010 2:33 PM EDT reply actions