FanPost

A Lack of Instinct, Not a Lack of "Bad Boys."

Over the last couple of weeks, there have been numerous comments and stories about Gene Smith's lack of effectiveness as a general manager. I will not argue with the idea that he has grossly underperformed at his position and should be fired at the end of the season. The point of emphasis that I want to point out is when BCC commentators state the the failure is because we don't have any "bad guys who bring attitude." The problem with Smith's assessments, to me, seem to be a lack of instinct (or field awareness). Part of that is probably because of this focus on choir-boy-types who never make mistakes. Constantly thinking about consequences can be great for someone who has a regular job. It means you'll make less errors (and won't get hammered and try drag racing). Football players need to be instinctive and play fast though. This means that having players that are more inclined to think rather than react are less likely to be successful. This correlates to most of the mistakes this team has been making. Receivers that don't naturally cut or catch. Lineman that hold because they didn't pick up a blitzer. A defensive lineman overshooting a runningback because he didn't adjust to the change in the lanes. A defensive back dropping an interception because he's unprepared when the ball hits his hands. Not only does this lead to penalties, but it also reduces the number of big plays (like the dropped interception). You may be reading this and wonder where I'm disagreeing with the bad guy comments. Here it is: I don't want "bad guys with attitude" on the Jaguars. I want instinctive players who trust their own abilities as well as their coach's design. If you look at the best teams in the league, they all have these types of players to make sure their machine operates properly. Look at your favorite playmakers in the NFL. Are they just tough guys who bring the pain? Or are they intense individuals who react because they trust their ability? I hope the next GM fills this team with those types of playmakers, without the divas or bad boys to tear apart a locker room.

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