Big Cat Country Q&A: When do we start to question Shad Khan’s will to win?

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Let’s answer some Jacksonville Jaguars questions ahead of our Week 6 matchup against the Detroit Lions.

Today we’re talking about playing down to bad competition, Gardner Minshew, and Shad Khan’s will to win.

Jake from Mobile, AL

Q: Why do the Jaguars play great in games that they should not be competitive in but bad in games they should win?

A: Well, the only games we’ve been competitive in for the entire game was the first two weeks and that was against suspect teams. The Indianapolis Colts and Tennessee Titans are not, in my opinion, good teams — Indianapolis has one quality win against the Minnesota Vikings and Tennessee’s largest margin of victory before they screwed over the league and cheated their way into a free bye week was three points. Neither is good, but the Jaguars are worse. I think we got lucky in Week 1 because it was a crazy offseason due to COVID-19 and we were at home against a turnover-happy Philip Rivers. As far as Week 2, that was our offense playing out of its mind in terms of efficiency and getting boned on a phantom Myles Jack penalty late in the game. Play those games over later in the season and I think we get blown out. The reason we have stretches within games where we can play competitively is because we have a slightly above average offense led by a slightly above average quarterback, a confirmed good running back, a good enough offensive line, and a group of receivers that are very good. You’d be surprised what even a serviceable offense can get you.

Christian from Buffalo, NY

Q: How do we make the pain stop? Sometimes this team fills me with nothing, but existential horror making me believe that life has no meaning. That we are an inconsequential blips in the ever-expanding universe. OH GOD ITS ONLY WEEK 6!!!!!!

A: Is this about the Jaguars or the Bills?

Ryan from Baker County, FL

Q: Why does The Sheik have to close at 8pm?

A: It’s downright criminal. They’d be an elite late night meal. Eating a Camel Rider and washing it down with a cherry limeade would absolutely send me right about now. Order early and reheat before you go to bed. Pro tip, baby.

Quindelle from Lutz, FL

Q: At what point do we begin to question the owner’s will to win? Will he he keep on making bad hire after bad hire? Is he doing this to sell the team?

A: If you aren’t already there, I don’t know when you will be. Shad Khan does not want to win. He may say he does and common sense would dictate that OF COURSE he wants a winning football team. But he’s not willing to put in the hard work or make the tough decisions that would allow that to happen any way other than happenstance. Jerry Richardson, Arthur Blank, and Jerry Jones want to win. They make bad decisions — lots of them! — but at least they’re making them. Shad Khan wanted a trophy team and a market he could bilk millions out of on pet projects. He doesn’t actually want to run an NFL franchise.

Cody from St. Louis, MO

Q: The Miami Dolphins look like a team in rebuild headed in the right direction for the next couple of years. They haven’t even unleashed their hopeful franchise quarterback and first round pick yet either. So, I hesitantly ask, how do we fall in the rebuild realm? Are we even close to a future contending team at this point, considering our pick strength next year?

A: We need a better quarterback. Gardner Minshew is fine and he’s the best we’ve had under center over the last decade, but he’s not good enough to carry a bad or even average roster. We need that top-tier quarterback to build around and probably two more offseasons.

Ben from Noblesville, IN

Q: As a Jaguars fan who grew up in Indiana and was only able to watch games at the end of the David Garrard era, I have always wanted to know from other Jaguars fans how good he was and would you rather have him over our current situation?

A: He was very good in terms of knowing what he did well, knowing what he didn’t do well, and playing within those two frameworks. He wasn’t afraid to take off and run it either and he was athletic enough to make it work. He would strangle a man with his bare hands for a group of receivers half as good as what we have now. And yes, I would take prime David Garrard over Gardner Minshew.

Jay from Rochester, NY

Q: In your honest opinion, is Gardner Minshew the starting quarterback in 2021? Could you see the Jaguars truthfully making a run at Trevor Lawrence or Justin Fields?

A: I think we’ll see a situation next season that looks like what’s happening in Miami. Gardner Minshew and a high-end rookie quarterback will battle it out in training camp and Minshew will likely get the nod for the season opener. Depending on how well he plays will determine how long he plays, but the season finale will be the high-end rookie quarterback.