My family and I walked into the stadium as the Jaguars were driving for the opening score. We stopped in the south end zone, field level, to watch the touchdown drive, only to arrive at the very moment Nick Foles threw an interception to Buccaneers linebacker Devin White.

The rest of the first half would not go well, leading to the benching of Nick Foles and the return of fan favorite Gardner Minshew to start the second half.

The game day experience was haunting. TIAA Bank stadium had enough red to remind you of the opening game against the Kansas City Chiefs, equalled by the number of empty seats that defied Tom Coughlin’s request to come out and give the team that much needed 12th man advantage. Jaguars fans, those who gave up their Sunday to cheer on the team, were mostly silent, especially when the team was on defense. The PA announcer’s calls for “Duuuval”, or to “get loud” were met with disinterest. Fans around me were more inclined to joke about our present existential crisis, expecting failure.

When silence was replaced with the home team’s fans vocal interest it was to boo the offense as they walked off the field, and the team as they walked into the locker room at the end of the half. They were arguably loudest when chanting “We want Minshew”, something they would eventually get in the 2nd half. I found it interesting that two times when the pro-Minshew chanting started that commercials were played over the PA system, essentially drowning out the chants.

While the insertion of Minshew helped to put points on the board, and inspired the base to become both hopeful and vocal during the second half, the team continued to get in their own way, negating more opportunities than they created. Case in point, on the opening drive to start the half:

• Chris Conley drops a well thrown pass.
• DJ Chark catches a 7 yard pass that is negated by an Andrew Norwell holding penalty.
• Leonard Fournette catches a 2 yard pass.
• False start by Andrew Norwell.
• Leonard Fournette catches a 14 yard pass on 3rd and 23

In total, the Jaguars would end the day with 16 penalties for 125 yards, a regular season team record, and turned the ball over four times, the last one being a pass that deflected of DeDe Westbrook’s hands for a sure touchdown on 3rd and goal from the 2 yard line.

Questions from yesterday’s game:

• Will Minshew remain the starter?
• Did the team perform any worse without Myles Jack at MLB?
• Does Leonard Fournette fit how this team plays football? The argument is that Minshew is better suited than Foles, so it follows that a straight ahead rusher in Fournette is not suited for the style of play this team needs based on the offensive line play.
• With seven shots at a touchdown, how do you only run the ball once to Fournette? Isn’t that why you drafted him?
• Why couldn’t Minshew execute better in the red zone on that fated drive that ended with a Minshew interception, but does this disclose limitations Minshew critics have regarding his future viability?
• When do the firings begin?
• How much of the problem is talent, and how much is coaching?
• How many of these are the same questions we’ve asked for the past four weeks?

Your feel good tweet. Maybe how you felt when Minshew took the field in the 2nd half.

Grab your coffee, and read some links.

Big Cat Country gems

Alfie breaks down the Foles options.

Demetrius reviews the loss.

Ryan shares a video of the pro-Minshew game chants.

Around the internet

The 50-million dollar mistake.

Foles’ tenure here as a viable starting quarterback is over.

It ended Sunday as Foles was turnover prone and then benched in a 28-11 loss to Tampa Bay at TIAA Bank Field. The 30-year-old Foles threw an interception and lost two fumbles (one returned for a touchdown) on the first three possessions of the game. Foles’ other three possessions ended without a first down.

The complexity of the Nick Foles situation.

Nick Foles cost to cut.

Nick Foles signed a four year, $88 million contract with the Jaguars. The contract has $50.125 million in guarantees, $45.125 million of which is fully guaranteed at signing. Foles received a $25 million signing bonus and his 2019 and 2020 salaries, which total $20.125 million, are fully guaranteed. A $5 million roster bonus due on the 5th day of the 2021 league year will become fully guaranteed if Foles is on the roster on the 3rd day of the 2020 league year. $2 million of the contract is tied to per game bonuses. Foles can earn up to an additional $14 million in high level incentives tied to playtime, honors, and performance.

Poor O-Zone. Another loss.

Joe from 223 : This is not on the players. They played their hearts out but outcoached again. Fire all of them.

Yes, because it’s always coaching in the NFL. Even when your starting quarterback commits three turnovers on the game’s first three possessions. Always.

Best and worst moments from yesterday.

Up: Tony Brackens appearance. The Jaguars’ all-time sack leader, who hadn’t been to TIAA Bank Field since 2005, attended the game with his wife and three kids. Brackens was in great spirits and more talkative than in his playing days. When asked why the change, he smiled and replied: “You’re just asking the right questions now.”

What Bucs fans learned.

Devin White or Josh Allen? How about both? Allen, whom the Bucs passed over during the first round of April’s draft and one of the leading candidates for defensive rookie of the year, also played well Sunday, recording a sack (his team-leading ninth) that forced a turnover on downs and two quarterback hits.

Some fans missed Minshew.

But many fans didn’t even wait for the second half and were exiting well before halftime, which only served to highlight the large pockets of Bucs fans in their red shirts and jerseys.

The departing fans expressed a myriad of emotions that ranged from anger to resignation.

Marrone and the QB decision.

In March, they thought Nick Foles would be their new franchise quarterback. Several months later, that all came crashing down and Foles got pulled at halftime of Week 13’s tilt against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for rookie quarterback Gardner Minshew II after Foles turned the ball over three times (one interception, two fumbles) on his first three possessions.

PAY THE YAN!!!!

You can always find me on Twitter: Brian_BCC