Jags A.M. Podcast Ep. 128 | Culture and Pride at Forefront to Wrap Last 2 Games

Published Dec 26, 2024, 9:11 PM
On this Thursday episode of Jags A.M., Kainani, Brian and John dive into facing this Titans team for the second time in this later half of the season. The crew outlines if they could have one wish to see on the field this weekend, what that would be. Of course, we predict Monday's headlines following the outcome of this game. All this and more on today's show presented by Fields Auto Group.

Welcome into dag Dam. I'm Kindannie Stevens, Brian Sexton, and John Oser are with me today as we get ready to talk to you about Titanking Jaguars matchup on Sunday. But first of all, I want to wish you a happy holiday. Hope you had a merry Christmas and happy Honkah for those who celebrate. We're gonna start with a big thing, number one, which is reality. I spent a lot of my holiday watching basketball and football, and I think watching that Texan game, Brian, we've talked a ton about this being a missed opportunity for this division, but just being what the Texans have done this year, and this being that missed opportunity is out of takeaway you had as well.

Well it was, and I think I mentioned it last week on our Hot Takes on Thursday. I think this can be a quick turnaround for the Jaguars because I don't think the Texans are that good now.

Listen, They've got some really good.

Players and they made plays and won close games this year, including two against the Jaguars. But I didn't think and their result yesterday against the Baltimore Ravens didn't show a team that's head and shoulders better than the rest of the AFC South, Not like when Peyton Manning was the quarterback of the Colts and John was covering them. It's a completely different deal. I think the Jaguars, if they do some right things, and we can debate what those right things are, kai but if they do some things well, they've got pieces here that they can quickly turn this around.

And I think yesterday's game showed that.

Yeah, if a few things had gone right for the Jags. You know, they've lost so many close games, which to me means you're a bad team. But being a bad team doesn't necessarily mean you're that far away from getting it right. They have pieces, Yes, if they do the things, If they have the kind of turnaround they did in twenty twenty two, the Texans are gettable. But you know, when you're three and twelve, I'm not gonna sit there and talk about.

Winning the division.

Yeah, I think that's fair. It's got a big thing Number two, which is holiday. Wish a lot about the Holidays game yesterday, and I'm gonna talk a little bit about us coming back and reinventing the team a little bit next year. So as far as a holiday wish, John, if you could only fix one thing right now, what's the most important thing for this team to fix?

Well, do I get to choose either the defensive interior or the offensive interior. And by the offensive interior, those guys have passed blocked well this year. But I guess I would change the fact that this team on either side of the ball doesn't feel like it can get a big stop or get a big fourth and one way that matters. That's not every play They've gotten some, but just overall, Brian, there's a stoutness and a toughness that they talked about last off season getting and to me, that still sort of defines too much. Can I have the secondary too well?

You just do mine two things.

First of all, they just have to be better in the middle of both lines. I mean, Mitch Morse came in and he brought them more stoutness. But they're still not that good when you want to run the ball, and we saw that last week in Las Vegas. They just don't. They can't not between the tackles. Occasionally they can, they can't exert their will on offense and on defense. I get pushed around too much up front. So from the toughness perspective, that's there. But as I was thinking about your question, Kai, this is esoteric. I mean, I can't put my finger on it and give you seven different things. But the culture in this building is just not the same as the culture that you have in a place with a winning tradition. You've been in New England. You know that John was in Indianapolis when they were winning every week. This place doesn't have that winning culture. And you can talk about it coming from the general manager, from the coach, or from the owner, but it.

Comes from the players.

And we've just seen too many times this year this team get beat by the little details. The things that great teams do. Doesn't look to me like the Jaguar do that. Whether that's extra time in the film room or more time in the weight room, or it's got to come from the players. The culture is set by the guys on the field, and I want to see a legitimate winning culture in this building, and I think that comes from doing more.

That's just a perspective.

Culture definitely sets the tones. So I agree with you there. Our final big thing today is going to be rivalry. We'll talk a little bit about this week, the Titans are coming to town. This the second time Jaguars are going to play them this month. Now, Brian, we talked a lot about the rivalry. I feel like some of the rivalry energy has been put on the Texans lately. But will it always be the Titans no matter what, even in the down years.

Well, listen for those of us who are here in the early days, I mean, the Titans were the oilers and they came in here and spoiled the Jaguars inaugural game ten to three. You look a little bit further into it, in the nineteen ninety eight, the Jaguars had the chance to win their first AFC South Division title here in December. Titans spoiled that one. A year later, Jaguars host the AFC Championship game of Titans at that point spoil that. And then through the years there's been the rivalry with you know, Jeff Fisher, and it just this is the rivalry. I don't care whether they don't, I don't care what the record is. I always want to beat the Titans, and the Titans John have always seemed whether they were the Oilers of the Titans, to have the upper hand. I mean they have, but Doug Peterson is four and one in five games against the Titans, and I like that. And the Jaguars have finally kind of narrowed the gap between wins and losses to under double digits. So, yes, this is a rivalry game. It will always be the rivalry as far as I'm concerned, and I want to see them win.

Yeah, I mean it's there are fans who write me and I always wanted for a little tongue in cheek, but they say that they'd rather beat the Titans than do anything else. So there is a hatred and arrival.

Among some people.

It was cooler when you got the sweep, and the sweep got you the division title. I mean that was really a satisfying thing. When you knock them out of the playoffs and sent them down, I guess the next best thing is to sweep them to go four and twelve.

Yeah, this is not going to be one of those super memorable games just because of the circumstances. But this is the Titans and it is one of those games that should matter to people, and you reignite it by beating them.

Absolutely, stay with us after the break. We'll talk a little bit about that Titans game. Well, what the brand of town. Jag Xam brought to you by Field's Auto Group Jackfield's premier luxury auto group had Overfield Auto dot Com. Check them out. Welcome back into jag Zam today. We do have a football game this Sunday, but last game here in EverBank Stadium this season. So we're gonna talk a little bit about the Titans. We played them already this month, but things could look a little bit different. Our head coach Brian Callian talked a little bit about who's going to be a quarterback.

That's one of the things that Mason that's one of his strengths. You know, he's got the ability to avoid the negative play when it comes to sacks. He gets the ball out, he gets you know's where to go with it quickly. He's not taken many sacks this year and it just you know, when you look at what sacks do to drives, you know, over the course of a season and the scoring percentages, when you take a sack and a drive, it really does have an impact. And that's one of the things that he does well. It's one of the strengths is he finds completions and he doesn't take sacks, so that does help us stay on schedule.

Certainly, Mason rudolphs gonna be the starter in this game versus the Jags. Will Levis was a starter last time and he struggled making decisions, so I think if they have a chance at this one, it's definitely gonna be with Mason Rudolf.

Listen, the hard part for the Jaguars is that the secondary has made mistakes against every quarterback. Will Levis couldn't take advantage of it. Mason Rudolph will Now, Rudolph wasn't really good last week. You know, he had those two touchdown passes and he led them back against the Colts, but he also had three interceptions. So I mean, we're not talking about Ben Roethlisberger here, We're not talking about Joe.

Burrow or any elite quarterback.

But this secondary has made a lot of average quarterbacks Aidan O'Connell look much better than they are because is their inability john to just do their assignments.

Yeah, and you figure that when you're playing a backup quarterback, and this has been true against Mac, that it's an opportunity for interceptions. Even if you give up some plays, you would think we we're gonna get some plays where you get some picks.

The defense has seven takeaways.

I mean, that's an absurd number to have at this point in the season, So you figure, can they get advantage on the young quarterback, which is what you want.

I don't know what's absurd is they have those takeaways right The last one was against the Vikings. They had three in that game, so they had nothing up until that point. It was an abundance that we thought, well, maybe the whole turnovers coming bunches.

To five games.

Since, yeah, you almost have to try not to get a turnover in five games.

By the way, the Chiefs have six straight games without committing a turnover.

So just to give you, I guess that's what I'm trying.

To point out, is is that good teams don't have turnovers.

Bad teams don't get turnovers very well.

I'm not sure you thinking to be said.

Let's talk a little bit about last time they played. We talked will Ebison's gonna be out on the field. A lot of will Eps's issues were in the red zone and that was a problem for them. Mason Rudolph talked about converting in the red zone and what it's going to take for them to score.

You know, there's there is some good there. That's that's some improvement. And you know, I think you know, the off schedule plays. We look at the the cut up of red zone touchdowns each week as as a cute quarterback room and I mean i'd say ninety percent or you know, off schedule and and and scrambled drill type situation. So we've Bohart agrees, done a good job, you know, drilling us at that stuff and trying to simulate as much as you can in practice.

The Titans have had trouble scoring in the red zone when they have, though, it's been a little bit of that off schedule stuff, scrambled drill kind of throwing it up to people. And that's concerning considering the Jaguars propensity to give up a big play. And especially I'll give credit where it's due, they did well the first they play the Titans, but that's got to still be a concern this time around.

Right, they had huge stops last time against the Titans, and you know, if you recall, they missed scoring in the red zone twice. I think inside the ten twice. Otherwise, that game's twenty to nothing when the Jaguars start their comeback, and there probably isn't a comeback. So yeah, I mean, if you can hold teams scoreless when they get in the red zone, you're got a good shot. You can't depend on that. That to me is going to be the Titans key because I expected to move the ball. If they can score in the red zone, I think they win. And it was I don't think this week, Brian, that they will go away from Tony Pollard as much he's been their best player, and I don't think they'll go away from.

It wasn't that opening drive. I thought, are the Jaguars gonna be able to stop the run?

And then the Titans stopped running, which helped them.

As far as I'm.

Concerned, this is a game in which the Jaguars defensive front has got to get to Mason Rudolph. And we've said that all season long, just because the secondary hasn't been very good. But jac Laitham, their rookie left tackle, has given up thirteen sacks this year. That's the most by any offensive tackle in football. It's been a rotation at the right side, and they've had all kinds of guys in and out of the lineup in the middle. In fact, their starting center is on injured reserve. So I mean this should be a game that the Jaguars defensive line is able to make some hay and make things happen. If it isn't, Mason Rudolph will pick them apart.

And I think we saw something last week that is a sliver of positive for the future. Mason Smith got some pressure in the middle, which the Trayvon Walker and Josh Allen haven't had amazing numbers this year. Pressure in the middle would help those guys immeasurably.

Maybe they can start building.

On that would be nice.

I like that, it's a good plan.

Mason Smith showed us in training camp. He's big, strong, he's long, He's a very difficult.

Guy to match up with.

He just he hasn't had to know the tech niques of the position because in college and in high school he was just so much bigger and stronger than everyone else. And Doug Peterson talked a little bit about this earlier in the week, saying it's a tough position for guys to learn to play well. It's a really important one for him to finish strong, because.

Listen, this is as good an.

Area for the Jaguars to address in the draft next year as any as the middle of that line.

Gotta know what you got.

Absolutely, we're gonna tell you what we think our predictions for the headlines are gonna be on Monday after the game. Jag Xam is brought to you by Suttith's Florias, trusted and reliable moving company. Suttuth is proud to be the official moving company of the Jacksonville Jaguars. To get a guaranteed quote, visit suddeth dot com slash Jacks. Welcome back to Jagsam, and welcome to the future. We're gonna do our best at predicting what we think the headlines will be on Monday morning after this heavyweight bout of the Titans and Jaguars seventeen sixteen seventy.

Seventeen.

Want to go, let's do it.

I'll go with twice as nice and you could say, well, they beat the Titans twice, which would be the case, but.

They've only won at home once this year.

Really important to give the home crowd a reason to come back winning certainly does that?

So listen, I get it.

You're probably playing without Walker Little, You're starting left tackle.

That doesn't help you against arden Key.

You were very good last week against Aiden O'Connell, so you know, how are you gonna be better against Mason Rudolpho thinks a better quarterback. But I just think the Jaguars get it done in their season finale at home, and the guy right here has another big day. He said, back to back one hundred yard games, maybe he can make it three in a row.

Yeah.

I went with sweep with a lot of exclamation points because and my picture was Mac Daddy.

Yeah, Mac Jones.

Look, there's not gonna be a whole lot to salvage this season, and Mac as a starter will not finished with a winning record.

But he's a Jacksonville kid.

I sort of picture Max's guys in the stands who grew up with and watching the Jags.

Having a couple of beers and going yeah with.

An expletive about the Titans, high five in each other. Our boy led him to it a moment. I'm not saying that's everything. I'm gon say it makes it a successful season, but I think Mac would enjoy beating the Titans. He's a Jacksonville kid. He sort of knows the history of it. It'd be cool for him if he got to win at home against this team.

I love it because I like beating the Titans and so and I like Mac. So if Mac beats the Titans, I like it even more twice as much.

What the holidays are all about, I'm going to be a grinch here and go negative. Unfortunately, I think we're it off lenk Away. We got a little holiday punch well here. I just think that they would have lost that game against the Titans a couple of weeks ago if will Levis was capable of making some better decisions. And I think Rudolph is a smarter quarterback and we'll be able to make those decisions. And while he turns the ball over, we don't seem to catch those, you know, interceptions that are thrown around by other quarterbacks. So I think that will kind of be the downfall. If they can force some turnovers from Rudolpha and take advantage of those turnovers and get points off of them, I think the Jaguars can win, But unfortunately I don't see that right now. And hopefully this is a jinx. The reverse drinks that I've been doing.

We'll work for them and they will win, isn't There's so many holiday puns that we could put in there.

There is Rudolph leave it alone, so many it's too many to do.

Stay with this.

We'll tell you a little bit about what's coming up to the rest of this week.

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Is taken down by Miles Cole.

Ye.

Yes, yes, so.

Let's go.

Let's go, let's go, let's go.

Hey, Hey, Josh hain Z Allen best hype man in the game, getting Mason Smith and Miles Cole hyped up. Nice to see the young guys out there. We talked a lot about it. Hopefully we see more of them this week as well.

You know, we talk a lot about Mason Smith and his importance to the build of the Jaguars because he's a second round pick and those guys are expected the starters. But Miles Cole is a guy they brought in sort of a flyer at the end of the draft, and it's good to see him get out there and make a couple of plays. Jeff Logan was talking about it earlier in the week. H some good, some bad, but enough that you think there's something you can work with. You gotta have.

I think about the difference, if you really feel like Mason Smith can be guy, how much different your line looks going into next year than if you're worried about it. It's it's it's a mammoth difference. So I think these next two games in that sense are really important for a guy like that.

Well, we'll see affects a lot of.

The decision making, that's for sure. Of course, we hope you enjoy the game this weekend. If you want to come to All Access tonight, Max Jones will be there so enjoy that as well, and if not, we'll be back on Monday to talk about everything.