Big Cat Country Q&A: What is James Robinson’s ceiling for the 2020 NFL season?

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Let’s answer some questions — today we’re talking about James Robinson, Doug Marrone keeping his job, and the Jacksonville Jaguars season opener!

Drue from Jacksonville, FL

Q: Why do y’all suck?

A: I think it’s the arrogance. Dave Caldwell was Shad Khan’s first big hire and he’s stuck with him since 2013. Shad thinks he made the right move and he’ll subscribe to any and all confirmation bias to continue operating in that way. Same goes for Dave Caldwell, who has been an abysmal evaluator and scout. It’s why he got demoted in the first place back in 2017. They’re all very arrogant and have made far more bad roster moves than good ones. Their reward? The opportunity to clean up the mess they made — something usually reserved for a new front office and coaching staff.

Connor from Dallas, TX

Q: With James Robinson being named starter, what do you see his ceiling this season being as well as his floor?

A: Here’s what I can tell you from the (very) limited college highlights I’ve seen on James Robinson. He has decent vision and he does not hesitate to hit the running lane. He’s fast enough to get outside, but he will be a between-the-tackles running back. With the committee approach the Jaguars are taking this year, I’d say his ceiling is somewhere around 600-700 yards on the ground, a few touchdowns, and a good feeling about his place on the roster going into 2021. The floor? Well, the floor is... it’s not good, Connor.

Chevin from Jacksonville, FL

Q: How bad is this defense going to be, Ryan?

A: Early on it’s not going to be fun. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a secondary where half of it is made up of rookies. D.J. Hayden is the only player at least 30 years old. The defensive line will also struggle to sack the quarterback. Josh Allen is their only real proven pass rusher. The linebackers will be improved, but they’re between a rock and a hard place. I don’t think Sunday is going to be very enjoyable.

Diz from Frisco, TX

Q: Any idea of when Ryquell Armstead plays his first game of 2020?

A: No clue. When the coaches tell us, we’ll tell you.

Harry from Fayetteville, NC

Q: Do you think Gardner Minshew will need a record passing performance to outscore and beat the Indianapolis Colts?

A: No, but he does need to finish the game with zero turnovers. Same for the entire rest of the offense. I talked about it briefly in yesterday’s newsletter, but the Jaguars had just five games last year where they committed zero turnovers on offense. They won four of them. There were seven additional games where they committed just one turnover. They won two of them. It starts with the offense not giving Philip Rivers any free possessions.

Steven from Orlando, FL

Q: I was a season ticket holder until this year because of the pandemic. I live in Orlando and made the two-hour drive to Jacksonville for every home game. Now, I can’t do that and because of the coverage map I wont get to see my team play unless I pay a subscription fee or go to a bar. The NFL did graciously send me a code to watch the game the next day on NFLGamepass... but let’s be real that is not the same. Am I a bad person if I find another means “wink wink” to watch my team live?

A: Demeaning people of color because you’re a racist or destroying the environment to make a billion dollars makes you a bad person. Finding a stream online to watch the Jaguars does not.

Al from St. Petersburg, Russia

Q: How many wins will be enough for Doug Marrone to save his job?

A: I don’t think you can name five head coaches who have better job security than Doug Marrone right now. Unless the bottom falls out and this is a 0-16 season, I think Marrone is the coach in 2021.

JD from Troy, NY

Q: Should I give James Robinson the fantasy start over Cam Akers and DeSean Jackson? PPR league.

A: Chris Thompson is the pass catching back on this team, so I don’t think James Robinson is going to help you there. I’d go with Cam Akers in this situation.

Demetrius from Washington D.C.

Q: In all honesty, even through all the tanking noise and all of the analysts saying we won’t do anything, I’m extremely optimistic and excited to see what we can do. Am I wrong to feel this way?

A: Hope springs eternal in the human breast. Man never is, but always to be blest.