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It has been rough for the first two years of the Gus Bradley and David Caldwell regime in Duval County, Fla. The Jacksonville Jaguars have won just seven games in the 2013 and 2014 seasons combined. Both Caldwell (general manager) and Bradley (head coach) were given some leeway in terms of accountability due to the fact that they both inherited one of the NFL‘s least talented rosters at the time they took over in 2013.
Now entering their third season at the helm, the roster has been transformed into the players that Caldwell and Bradley want. This is the year the Jags must show improvement, or else both the head coach and general manager are going to find themselves on the hot seat.
The Jacksonville franchise just cannot ever seem to catch a break. This year is no different, as first-round draft pick Dante Fowler Jr. tore his anterior cruciate ligament (ACL). Bradley is going to have to find innovative ways to work around this with the current talent on the team. Ryan Davis and Chris Clemons are the likely options to replace him. It is important that Bradley shows confidence in his guys following the injury, and that is just what he has done so far.
The current regime has definitely changed the culture in Jacksonville. While the team has not enjoyed a lot of winning, the players play hard for Bradley and have great attitudes. Unfortunately, a winning attitude alone does not earn a ring. The Jags are probably still a season or two away from contending for a playoff spot, but the team needs to show improvement.
I think the Jags may surprise a lot of people this season. Everybody seems to rank them near the bottom of the early-season power rankings, but Jacksonville has many winnable games this season. While Jacksonville will likely not win the division title, it won’t be a bottom feeder either. Even six or seven wins will be a major improvement.
Looking at the schedule, the Jaguars catch a huge break in Week 3 against a (pending appeal) Tom Brady-less New England Patriots team. The team also gets to play the NFC South, a dismal division in 2014. The Jags generally play well against division rivals Tennessee Titans and Houston Texans as well.
Again, six or seven wins is not a reason to celebrate, and definitely will not secure the jobs of Caldwell and Bradley, but it would be a substantial increase from the past few seasons. With Blake Bortles entering his second year, the addition of Julius Thomas and a trio of young, talented playmakers, this won’t be the Jacksonville of recent memory.
Are the Jaguars going to make it to the Super Bowl for the first time in franchise history this season? Highly doubtful, but with the returning players familiar with Bradley’s philosophies and schemes, and the nucleus of young players Caldwell has brought on, watch out for this team to be better in 2015. If the Jags do not improve, it may be time for owner Shad Khan to clean house.
